A system for near-surface geophysical subsurface imaging for detecting and characterizing subsurface heterogeneities comprises an instrument that outputs probing electromagnetic signals through a ground surface that interact and are affected by scattered signals of acoustic waves that travel through the ground surface and further senses vibrational modes of a subsurface below the ground surface; an imaging device that dynamically generates a time sequence of images of properties of the acoustic waves and maps elastic wave fields of the acoustic waves; and a processor that analyzes dynamic multi-wave data of the images to quantify spatial variations in the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the subsurface.

A geophysical surveying method and assembly applying transient pulses of electric current to an airborne time-domain electromagnetic transmitter to generate a primary controlled electromagnetic field; measuring, using an airborne receiver, a secondary controlled electromagnetic field to generate controlled field data; measuring, using the airborne receiver, a magnetic component of a natural electromagnetic field at an above-ground position to generate first natural field data; measuring, using a ground receiver at a ground station, telluric electrical currents induced by the natural electromagnetic field and/or a magnetic component of the natural electromagnetic field at a ground position to generate second natural field data; merging the first natural field data and the second natural field data into combined natural field data; extracting, from the combined natural field data, off-time natural field data recorded between the pulses; and generating geophysical survey data based on the controlled field data and the off-time natural field data.

Marine survey data resulting from a first signal comprising a signal representing a flat spectral far-field pressure generated by a marine vibrator source swept over a frequency range according to a time function of motion such that acceleration of the marine vibrator source is a flat function in a frequency domain can be used to improve full waveform inversion. For example, full waveform inversion can be performed using the marine survey data received from the first signal and from a second signal generated by an impulsive seismic source to estimate a physical property of a subsurface location.

Methods of geophysical prospecting and surveying are disclosed herein. The methods include obtaining a raw data set representing energy signatures recorded over an area of the earth and using a computer to form a final data set representing the physical properties of the area of the earth, the process including combining physical property data subsets into a final data set using a quality statistic for each physical property data subset or each datum of each physical property data subset as a weighting factor to compute a weighted average.

A method and apparatus for offshore electromagnetic surveying for the purpose of hydrocarbon exploration and detection is described. The method comprises the step of A) measuring a measurement vector u between receiver electrodes, where the measurement vector u comprises a plurality of measurement signals u.sub.i, being dependent on a geological characteristic m.sub.k at an geological parameter index k providing information about the geological structure of the geological target area. The method is further characterized in that it also comprises the following steps: B) calculating a transformed vector v as a function of the measurement vector u, where said transformed vector v is designed to optimize the sensitivity to changes in the geological characteristic m.sub.k and C) performing, for each time t, at least one of minimizing uncertainty v(k,t) of the transformed vector v with respect to the geological characteristic m.sub.k, where said uncertainty v(k,t) comprises a non-systematic uncertainty v(k,t) and a systematic uncertainty .sub.wdv(k,t), maximizing a target response v(k,t)/m.sub.k of the transformed vector v with respect to the geological characteristic m.sub.k and minimizing a ratio (k,t) between at least the square of the non-systematic uncertainty <v(k,t).sup.2> of the transformed vector v and the square of the target response (v(k,t)/m.sub.k).sup.2 of the transformed vector v with respect to the geological characteristic m.sub.k.

Inversion of enhanced-sensitivity controlled source electromagnetic data can include approximating a background response from measured controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) response data. The approximation can include performing a first inversion of the CSEM response data using a largest singular value in a diagonal of a matrix associated with the CSEM response data to create a first resistivity model of a subsurface of a subterranean formation and iteratively performing subsequent inversions while increasing an amount of singular values in the diagonal to obtain modeled CSEM response data to create a second resistivity model of the subsurface of the subterranean formation. Inversion of enhanced-sensitivity controlled source electromagnetic data can further include storing results of the first inversion and the iterative subsequent inversions producing a resistivity map based on the first and the second resistivity models.

A method for separating and quantifying gamma ray induced and neutron induced responses in a radiation detector includes detecting radiation in a radiation field comprising neutrons and gamma rays. The detected events are converted into a detector pulse amplitude spectrum. The pulse amplitude spectrum is decomposed into contributions from detected gamma rays and detected neutrons using gamma ray standard spectra and neutron standard spectra and a spectral fitting procedure which results in a best fit between a weighted sum of the contributions and the detector pulse amplitude spectrum. The fitting procedure includes determining fitting parameters for each of the standard spectra wherein at least one of the fitting parameters is different for the gamma ray standard spectra and the neutron standard spectra. In one embodiment, the fitting parameter is spectral gain.

A geophysical surveying method and assembly applying transient pulses of electric current to an airborne time-domain electromagnetic transmitter to generate a primary controlled electromagnetic field; measuring, using an airborne receiver, a secondary controlled electromagnetic field to generate controlled field data; measuring, using the airborne receiver, a magnetic component of a natural electromagnetic field at an above-ground position to generate first natural field data; measuring, using a ground receiver at a ground station, telluric electrical currents induced by the natural electromagnetic field and/or a magnetic component of the natural electromagnetic field at a ground position to generate second natural field data; merging the first natural field data and the second natural field data into combined natural field data; extracting, from the combined natural field data, off-time natural field data recorded between the pulses; and generating geophysical survey data based on the controlled field data and the off-time natural field data.

Method for inverting, in the frequency domain (42), controlled source electromagnetic survey data (41) acquired using a time-division compound waveform made up of sub-sequences of different base waveforms, for example square waves of different frequencies. A windowed Fourier decomposition method is used, with the window size and shape designed in consideration of the sub-sequences. The window length may be twice the length of the compound waveform, or more. Alternatively the window length may be comparable to the sub-sequence length, or slightly less. Window shapes include cos.sup.2, rectangular, and triangular. The method addresses the problem of unknown arrival times for each sub-sequence, and also transition transients that occur between sub-sequences.

In at least some embodiments, a disclosed subsea cable includes one or more floodable optical fiber conduits each having at least one tight buffered optical fiber for transporting optical signals. Each tight buffered optical fiber may have a relatively limited length. The subsea cable may further include multiple strength members contra-helically wound around or together with the one or more floodable optical fiber conduits. There may also or alternatively be included at least one hermetically sealed optical fiber conduit having at least one protected optical fiber spliced to one of the tight buffered optical fibers. At least some implementations splice each of the tight buffered optical fibers to corresponding protected fibers for the long-haul communications. Flooding of the floodable conduits may be provided via connectors at the subsea cable ends, via breakout locations where sensors are attached, and/or via vents in the conduit wall. Some method embodiments deploy the disclosed subsea cable designs in a body of water, putting the interior of at least one floodable optical fiber conduit in fluid communication with the body of water while supporting extended use for communicating signals, particularly in deep water where temperatures are relatively low. Because the floodable conduits have pressure-equalized interiors they may be formed from plastic or other materials that ease the process of attaching sensors to the subsea cables.