Application of reflection seismology to advanced and nontraditional problems

反射地震学是一种成像地球内部的方法，方法是将波引入地下，并根据地球性质的变化对反射回地表的波进行计时。这个过程类似于蝙蝠用来定位回声的过程，也类似于医学成像中使用的超声波。我们的研究涉及采用目前的地震技术，并开发新的方法，将反射地震学和类似的地球物理工具应用于一系列非传统问题。其中一个问题是描述地下含水层和储油层的非均质性，以帮助了解流体在这些系统中的流动情况。我们正在解决的另一个问题是，需要开发新的、更经济的方法来定位和评估更深层次的矿藏。为了解决这个问题，我们正在利用一种最先进的数据采集系统，并应用天线理论来开发一种近乎实时的检测系统，旨在识别高质量的目标以进行试验钻探。在更大的范围内，我们正在制定旨在绘制大规模岩浆系统管道的方法，目的是增进对地壳演化以及矿藏的开发和分布的了解。这项正在进行的工作首次获得了中地壳大规模侵入体的高分辨率图像，并结合地质数据提供了格伦维尔造山带大陆碰撞最后阶段发生重大地壳熔融的有力证据。

Reflection seismology is a method of imaging the Earth's interior by introducing waves into the subsurface and timing the waves that are reflected back to the surface by changes in the Earth's properties. The process is similar that used by bats for echo location and to ultrasound used in medical imaging. Our research involves adapting present seismic techniques and developing new approaches to applying reflection seismology and similar geophysical tools to a range of nontraditional problems. One such problem is the characterization of heterogeneity in underground aquifers and oil reservoirs to help understand the flow of fluids through these systems. Another problem that we are working on is the need to develop new, more economical approaches for locating and evaluating deeper minerals deposits. To address this problem, we are taking advantage a state-of-the-art data acquisition system and applying antennae theory to develop a near real-time detection system designed to identify high quality targets for test drilling. At a larger scale we are developing approaches aimed at mapping the plumbing of large-scale magmatic systems with the objective of increased understanding of the evolution of the Earth's crust and the development and distribution of minerals deposits. This ongoing work has led to the first high-resolution images of large-scale intrusive bodies in the middle crust and combined with geological data provides strong evidence of significant crustal melting during the last stages of the continental collision in the Grenville orogen.