Rapid deployment seismic array

快速部署地震台阵

• 批准号: NE/X005879/1
• 负责人: Stewart Fishwick
• 金额: $ 95.45万
• 依托单位: University of Leicester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FX005879%2F1
• 关键词: Rapid; deployment; seismic; array

Seismic methods underpin many areas of NERC research; as one of a limited number of methods for "imaging" the Earth in near real time, and one of the most used methods for obtaining information about the physical properties of the subsurface. Seismic methods are used across earth and environmental sciences: for the monitoring and characterisation of earthquakes, volcanoes and landslides; for understanding impacts from human infrastructure including geothermal power and wind turbines; for the study of glacial movement, freeze-thaw processes, and permafrost behaviour; for imaging the deep Earth, including subsurface natural resources; and for animal behaviour, such as migration. There is a growing need for rapid seismic deployments in remote, inaccessible and challenging environments, such as glacial ablation zones, where existing seismic sensors would fail. Providing access for the UK research community to such a rapid deployment seismic array is the top priority defined by the NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility (GEF) steering committee in 2021, and in the NERC Statement of Community Need it was stated that "there is an urgent requirement to replace GEF's critical backbone instrumentation with modern and forward-looking alternatives in the short term".An array of Certimus sensors, as proposed here, would fulfil this urgent requirement by providing both critical backbone instrumentation, and bringing unique, next generation benefits, such as tilt tolerance, which has increased to plus / minus 90 degrees, from just plus / minus 2.5 degrees in older instruments. This feature is unique to the Certimus and creates a step change in world class environmental science by enabling continuous broadband seismic data acquisition in environments where other broadband seismometers would fail due to rapidly changing ground levels, such as glaciers, continental ice sheets and permafrost in the cryosphere; and areas of slope instability such as landslides and avalanches. The Certimus uses approximately 1/3 of the power of its predecessor, which significantly reduces the number of solar panels and batteries which much be transported into the field. Additionally, smaller and lighter instruments reduce the shipping weight, which further reduces the environmental cost of data acquisition. The array would become part of the NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility, being housed within the Leicester node (SEIS-UK) from the outset, where GEF staff would commission, support and maintain it for its entire lifespan. It would be available to UK researchers with full GEF support and training through the normal Facility application process. Demand for this class of sensor has been consistently high throughout GEF's history, often exceeding supply, and this has become an acute problem since the retirement of the older equipment.GEF have over 20 years' experience and expertise in maintaining seismic equipment, and combined with their user training and support programs, they have demonstrated ability to keep sensors in use for over double the manufacturers' expected lifespan. Data will be archived and publically available 3 years after each loan ends, bringing additional value to this capital investment. Our project partner has significant experience of working with the Certimus and state that they "... strongly believe that this equipment will have a transformational effect on the research undertaken by the seismology community in the UK, largely because it opens up areas of research that were not previously possible, yet sit squarely within NERC's remit". Our project partner, who has offered in-kind support to field test equipment, and train GEF staff, also believes that "access to a sizable pool of Certimus seismometers will allow the UK seismology community to stay at the forefront of its discipline for the next decade, and provide new impetus to engage in multidisciplinary research like never before".

地震方法是NERC研究的许多领域的基础；它是为数不多的近实时“成像”地球的方法之一，也是获取有关地下物理性质信息的最常用方法之一。地震方法广泛用于地球和环境科学：监测和确定地震、火山和山体滑坡的特征；了解包括地热发电和风力涡轮机在内的人类基础设施的影响；研究冰川运动、冻融过程和永久冻土行为；成像地球深处，包括地下自然资源；以及动物行为，如迁徙。人们越来越需要在偏远、难以接近和具有挑战性的环境中快速部署地震，例如冰川消融带，在那里现有的地震传感器将失效。为英国研究界提供如此快速部署地震阵列的机会是2021年NERC地球物理装备设施(环境基金)指导委员会定义的首要任务，在NERC的社区需求声明中指出，“迫切需要在短期内用现代和前瞻性的替代设备取代全球环境基金的关键骨干仪器”。这里提议的Certimus传感器阵列将满足这一迫切需求，因为它不仅提供关键的骨干仪器，而且还带来独特的下一代好处，例如倾斜容差已从旧仪器的正负2.5度增加到正负90度。这一功能是Certimus所独有的，通过在其他宽带地震仪因地面高度快速变化而出现故障的环境中，如冰川、大陆冰盖和冰冻圈的永久冻土，以及山体滑坡和雪崩等斜坡不稳定地区，实现连续的宽带地震数据采集，从而在世界级环境科学中创造了一个阶段性的变化。Certimus的功率大约是它的前身的三分之一，这大大减少了大量运输到现场的太阳能电池板和电池的数量。此外，更小、更轻的仪器减轻了运输重量，从而进一步降低了数据采集的环境成本。该阵列将成为NERC地球物理设备设施的一部分，从一开始就安置在莱斯特节点(SEIS-UK)内，全球环境基金的工作人员将在其整个生命周期内对其进行委托、支持和维护。英国研究人员可通过正常的融资机制申请程序获得全球环境基金的全面支持和培训。在全球环境基金的整个历史中，对这类传感器的需求一直很高，经常供不应求，自从旧设备退役以来，这已经成为一个严重的问题。全球环境基金在地震设备维护方面拥有20多年的经验和专业知识，结合他们的用户培训和支持计划，他们已经证明有能力将传感器的使用寿命保持在制造商预期寿命的两倍以上。数据将在每笔贷款结束后3年存档并公开，为这项资本投资带来额外价值。我们的项目合作伙伴在与Certimus合作方面拥有丰富的经验，并表示他们“……坚信这台设备将对英国地震学界进行的研究产生革命性的影响，很大程度上是因为它开辟了以前无法实现的研究领域，但恰好在NERC的职权范围内”。我们的项目合作伙伴为现场测试设备提供了实物支持，并对全球环境基金的工作人员进行了培训，他们也相信“获得大量Certimus地震仪将使英国地震学界在未来十年保持在其学科的前沿，并提供新的动力，以前所未有的方式从事多学科研究”。