Ground-Penetrating Radar

A Comparison to Seismic Reflection

Covered very briefly in Chapter 14, pgs. 227-231

Transmitter/Receiver Vs. Geophones

Seismic Reflection
One source
Lots of geophones
Stacking and Velocity
performed in one step
Moveout
Peak Power

GPR
One source (Transmitter)
One receiver
Both are antennas

Stacking performed by
repeating the EM pulse
Moveout
Peak Power

GPR Travel Time Equation

Two

Way Travel Time =

Radar Velocity
In seismic reflection, velocity is found during
stacking from the moveout patterns
In GPR, we only have one receiver, so we need
a different method
Fixed offset survey (i.e. a normal survey)
Look for point sources (hyperbolas)

Common Midpoint Survey (CMP)

Get reflections off of a horizontal reflector
Increase antenna spacing, repeat
Produces a hyperbola

Common Midpoint Surveying

Antennas are
moved away
from each other
by a certain
amount each
measurement
Survey is
performed over
a horizontal
reflector

GPR Travel Time Equation

Two

Way Travel Time =

Common Midpoint Surveying

Slope = 19.61 ns/m

Velocity = 0.051 m/ns

Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys

In a regular, fixed offset survey, radar velocity
can be determined only if diffraction
hyperbolas are encountered
Typically point sources

Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys

Velocity in Fixed Offset Surveys

Source WaveSeismic
Properties
Surveys
Ground-Penetrating
Radar (GPR)

Electromagnetic Waves
Microwaves / Radio Waves
Velocity (in air) 3x105 km/s
I.e. the speed of light (0.3
m/ns)
Slower in most geologic
materials (0.02 0.2 m/ns)
Depends on electromagnetic
properties of medium

Frequency 10-2000 MHz

Depends on antenna

Wavelength 30-1.5x10-8 m

(Refraction/Reflectio
n)
Seismic Waves
P, S, R, L waves
Velocity 0.4-14 km/s
Depends on mechanical
properties of medium
(elastic moduli and
density)

Frequency = 0.1-100 Hz
Depends on source

Wavelength = 140-4,000
m

GPR Frequency Comparison

Higher Frequency
Better detail
Less penetration (penetration also depends on material)

Attenuation Comparison
Seismic Surveys
Ground-Penetrating
Radar (GPR)

Electromagnetic
Waves
Decay Exponentially with
distance from source
Spherical spreading

Cant penetrate through

electrically conductive
materials
Metals/Metallic Ores
Saltwater
Clays/Muds

(Refraction/Reflectio
n)
Seismic Waves
Decay Exponentially with
distance from source
Spherical spreading

Cant penetrate through

inelastic layers
Fluids
Fault/Fracture Zones
Scatter waves

Attenuation

What Causes a
Reflection?
Seismic Surveys
Ground-Penetrating
Radar (GPR)
Electromagnetic Waves

(Refraction/Reflectio
n)
Seismic Waves

Change in relative
permittivity

Change in acoustic
impedance
Acoustic Impedance = v

c = speed of light
r = Relative Permittivity

Relative Permittivity: a measure of the

ability of a material to store a charge when an
electric field is applied

Reflection Coefficient:

arefl
aincid

2 v2 1v1

2 v2 1v1

Visualization of Data

Identical to seismic reflection

Wiggle traces
Variable Area
Variable Density