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Fast method to transform chirp envelope data into pseudo-seismic data

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Abstract

Chirp technology is an acoustic tool for imaging the shallow seabed with a high resolution, used for investigations of modern to Quaternary sedimentary structures and processes and more applied goals, such as hazard surveys for drilling, archeology, geology or engineering fields. In this paper, we present new methods that improve such imaging. During the standard acquisition, the Chirp waveforms are converted into analytic signals and only their envelope is preserved and interpreted, because the highly oscillating signal is otherwise difficult to be identified visually. Doing so, however, the phase information is lost, and the final processing is limited mainly to simple time-varying gain recovery or filtering. We present a work flow including a derivative step to transform the enveloped signal into a seismic-like waveform. In this way, we can apply processing tools as FX deconvolution and migration to improve the signal/noise ratio and reduce diffractions. This method allows reviving standard and legacy Chirp data where the full-waveform information is missing.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been carried out and partially funded by the italian Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide PNRA18_00100 EDISTHO, PNRA16_00016 WHISPERS and PNRA ANTIPODE projects. The authors are grateful also to the Project PNRA GLEVORS (P.I. Chiara Sauli) for giving us permission to use the sub bottom-reflection profiles, and the crew and the scientific party onboard R/V OGS Explora 2017 expedition for collecting the data investigated in this paper. We used the Echos Paradigm software and the Kingdom Suite software so we thank IHS Markit Global Sàrl Educational Grant Program for providing to OGS a free license for the use of the complete package interpretation software, for educational and research purposes. Thanks to Laura de Santis for providing comments to improving the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS, 34010, Sgonico, Italy

    Luca Baradello, Francesca Battaglia & Aldo Vesnaver

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Cà Foscari University of Venice, 30121, Venice, Italy

    Francesca Battaglia

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  1. Luca Baradello
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  2. Francesca Battaglia
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  3. Aldo Vesnaver
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Correspondence to Luca Baradello.

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Baradello, L., Battaglia, F. & Vesnaver, A. Fast method to transform chirp envelope data into pseudo-seismic data. Mar Geophys Res 42, 14 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-021-09436-y

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