Seismic images of deep-seated structures

在萨斯喀彻温省和马尼托巴省的几个地方，地震和地质研究表明，目前的地表地质是由两个古老大陆的碰撞造成的，因为它们之间的一个主要海洋消失了。地震数据还显示，在地表以下，夹在这些碰撞的大陆之间的是海底岩石的残余和小的大陆碎片。在南部700公里处更深的地方进行的类似调查也得出了类似的结果。为了确定这些孤立的结果的直接亲缘关系，并建立当地定义的结构的区域范围，地震信息的片段，收集的石油勘探和钾工业在中间区域，被利用。研究的第一个主要步骤是开发计算机技术，消除在检测数据时产生的噪声干扰所造成的各种观测结果的差异。然后，至少在~ 10-12 km的深度组装地球内部的三维图像。其结果可能非常重要;首先，通过显示1 000公里长的大陆部分是如何通过地质时代组装的;其次，通过确定该地区地质的复杂性，可以对该地区潜在的经济矿化进行评估。 在调查区域的北方，高度活跃的铀矿和钻石勘探行业急于了解其感兴趣区域下方地球内部的性质。在南部，最近的石油发现表明，新的储油层是在地球较深部分受到扰动的地方形成的。此外，新的图像可能表明结构变化，影响了钾盐矿床的沉积环境。因此，新的信息可以帮助采矿组织将注意力集中在异常区域。 绘制深层区域结构图可能有助于解释非洲大陆是如何形成的，同时也表明对新资源重要区域的认识。

In several localities of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, seismic and geological studies revealed that the present surface geology was created by collision of two ancient continents through the elimination of a major ocean between them. The seismic data also showed that below the surface, sandwiched between these collided continents, are remnants of the rocks of the ocean floor and small continental fragments. Similar results were derived by comparable investigations, in somewhat greater depths, 700 km to the south. To determine direct kinship of these isolated results and establish regional extent of the locally defined structures, segments of seismic information, collected by the oil exploration and the potash industries in the intervening region, are utilized. The first major step of the research is to develop computer techniques which eliminate the discrepancies in the various observations caused by noise interferences generated at the time of detection of the data. Then a 3- dimensional image of the interior of the Earth is assembled at least to a depth of ~ 10-12 km. The results can be highly significant; first, by showing how a 1000 km long segment of the continent was assembled through geologic times; second, by establishing the complexities of the geology of the region, assessment may be made about  potentially economic mineralizations in the area.  In the northern part of the investigated region, the highly active uranium and diamond exploration industries are anxious to learn about the nature of the Earth's interior beneath their regions of interest. In the south, recent oil discoveries indicate that the new reservoirs were formed in places where segments of the deeper parts of the Earth were disturbed. In addition, the new images may indicate structural changes, which influenced depositional environments of the potash ore deposits. Consequently the new information can help focus attention of the mining organizations to anomalous regions.  Mapping deep regional structures may help to explain how the continent was constructed and at the same time suggest recognition of important zones for new resources.