In general, the depths of shallow earthquakes are poorly resolved in current catalogues. Variations in depth of ±10 km can significantly alter the tectonic interpretation of such earthquakes. If the depth of a seismic event is in error then moment tensor estimates can also be significantly altered. In the context of nuclear-test-ban monitoring, a seismic event whose depth can be confidently shown to exceed say, 10km, is unlikely to be an explosion. Surface wave excitation is sensitive to source depth, especially at intermediate and short periods, owing to the approximate exponential decay of surface wave displacements with depth. The radiation pattern and amplitude of surface waves are controlled by the depth variations in the six components of the strain tensor associated with the surface wave eigenfunctions. The potential exists, therefore, for improvements to be made to depth and moment tensor estimates by analysing surface wave amplitudes and radiation patterns. A new method is developed to better constrain seismic source parameters by analysing 100-20s period amplitude spectra of fundamental-mode surface waves. Synthetic amplitude spectra are generated for all double-couple sources over a suitable depth range and compared with data in a grid-search algorithm. Best fitting source parameters are calculated and appropriate bounds are placed on these results. This approach is tested and validated using a representative set of globally-distributed events. Source parameters are determined for 14 moderately-sized earthquakes (5.4 ≤ M_w ≤ 6.5), occurring in a variety of tectonic regimes with depths calculated between 4-39km. For very shallow earthquakes the use of surface wave recordings as short as 15s is shown to improve estimates of source parameters, especially depth. Analysis of aftershocks (4.8 ≤ M_w ≤ 6.0) of the 2004 great Sumatra earthquake is performed to study the depth distribution of seismicity in the region. Three distinct tectonic regimes are identified and depth estimates calculated between 3-61km, including the identification of one CMT depth estimate to be in error by some 27km.

The overall objective of this thesis was to predict, model and measure low frequency acoustic backscatter from the sea surface zone (SSZ). In particular, the objectives were fourfold: to relate the acoustic backscatter Doppler spectrum to the directional waveheight spectrum (DWS) through a perturbation analysis; to develop instrumentation suitable for measuring the properties of acoustic backscatter from the SSZ; to design and implement signal processing hardware and software to process raw data from the instrument; and to deploy the instrument and make measurements to test the validity of the predictions of the theoretical development. A theoretical framework was developed to enable a test of the acoustic analogue of the Coastal Ocean Dynamics Applications Radar (CODAR) technique, using beamforming techniques to simulate the CODAR antennas. Expressions relating the CODAR antenna outputs to the output of an array of omnidirectional acoustic point sensors were developed, and mathematical algorithms and techniques were derived to extract information about the DWS of surface gravity waves from acoustic Doppler backscatter measurements with the array. Models were developed and implemented, showing the expected form of the power spectral density of the acoustic Doppler backscatter seen by single omnidirectional receivers, and the expected form of data products of the beamformed array. An acoustic instrument — the Upward-Looking Sonar Array System (ULSAS) — was developed for stand-alone, remotely controlled operation in both bottom-situated and deep-water, surface-tethered configurations. This device can collect and store large quantities of acoustic data from a multi-element array, under the control of a distant operator over a radio link. The bottom-situated version was deployed in the coastal waters of British Columbia, and the deep water version was deployed in the recent Surface Wave Processes (SWAPP) experiment. A preliminary test of the acoustic CODAR technique was made, yielding information consistent with the known wind and wave field. The form of the non-directional part of the extracted DWS followed approximately the expected k⁻⁴ shape for k values above saturation. Beamforming results using frequency-domain data show that the Doppler-shifted acoustic backscatter is directional in nature. These are the first results of this kind to be reported. The deep-water version of ULSAS was tested for the first time during the SWAPP cruise. In spite of a problem limiting the power output of the projector, estimates of the surface scattering strength parameter over angles of incidence less than 45° were made, showing some surprising departures from the Chapman-Harris empirical formula for S₅ , and interesting angular structure. Measurements of the ambient noise field were also made under calm conditions and during 14 kt winds. / Science, Faculty of / Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Department of / Graduate

Wideband differential interferometry has been applied to the detection of SAW on specimen surfaces and ultrasonic compressional waves in liquids. Herein is described the performance of a wideband differential system which uses single mode optical fibers to transmit coherent light from input optics to a surface which supports which supports ultrasonic waves. Polarized light from a 2.0 mW helium-neon laser source is divided and coupled to two flexible bundled single mode optical fibers which transmit the light to a small remote detection head. The light at the output end of the fibers is collimated and focused by a varifocal lens system to points on the surface of a specimen to be inspected. Elastic waves on the specimen differentially modulate the relative phases of the two optical beams due to periodic changes in particle displacement at the surface. Upon reflection, the two beams are superimposed, filtered, and detected to produce an optical signal directly proportional to instantaneous displacements. Also described is the development of two beam and four beam differential systems for the detection of ultrasonic compressional waves in water. Two laser beams are transmitted through a water tank and combined to produce an interference pattern. The detected motion of the pattern yields a differential measure of the acoustic field amplitude at the location of the two probe beams. If a pulsed ultrasonic wave is generated in the tank in a direction perpendicular to and coplanar with the probe beams, each beam is modulated independently and output signals of opposite phase are produced. The acoustic sensitivity of both the above systems may be adjusted by changing the separation between the two spots on the surface or the two beams in the tank. The system effectively discriminates against low frequency noise vibrations, while the upper acoustic frequency response exceeds 100 MHz. Applications requiring flexibility allowed by a remote detection head can use the fiber system to their advantage while potential applications of the four beam system to three dimensional mapping and ultrasonic field scattering is suggested. / Master of Science

A simple dual interferometer which uses two pairs of orthogonally polarized optical beams to measure both the amplitude and direction of propagation of broadband ultrasonic surface waves is described. Each pair of focused laser probe beams is used in a separate wideband differential interferometer to independently detect the component of surface wave motion along one direction of the surface. By combining the two output signals corresponding to both components, the two-dimensional surface profile and its variation as a function of time may be determined. Although the system has an optically adjustable -3db acoustic bandwidth of more than two decades (eg. 30kHz to 3MHz for acoustic emission measurements) and may detect peak displacements in the sub-Angstrom range, it is designed to be insensitive to low-frequency specimen translation. Potential applications in nondestructive evaluation are discussed. / Master of Science

This research focuses on estimating the shear wave velocity (Vs) profile based on the dispersion curve obtained from SASW field test data (i.e., inversion of SASW data). It is common for the person performing the inversion to assume the prior information required to constrain the problem based on his/her own judgment. Additionally, the Vs profile is usually shown as unique without giving a range of possible solutions. For these reasons, this work focuses on: (i) studying the non-uniqueness of the solution to the inverse problem; (ii) implementing an inversion procedure that presents the estimated model parameters in a way that reflects their uncertainties; and (iii) evaluating tools that help choose the appropriate prior information. One global and one local search procedures were chosen to accomplish these purposes: a pure Monte Carlo method and the maximum likelihood method, respectively. The pure Monte Carlo method was chosen to study the non-uniqueness by looking at the range of acceptable solutions (i.e., Vs profiles) obtained with as few constraints as possible. The maximum likelihood method was chosen because it is a statistical approach, which enables us to estimate the uncertainties of the resulting model parameters and to apply tools such as the Bayesian criterion to help select the prior information objectively. The above inversion methods were implemented for synthetic data, which was produced with the same forward algorithm used during inversion. This implies that all uncertainties were caused by the nature of the SASW inversion problem (i.e., there were no uncertainties added by experimental errors in data collection, analysis of the data to create the dispersion curve, layered model to represent a real 3-D soil stratification, or wave propagation theory). At the end of the research, the maximum likelihood method of inversion and the tools for the selection of prior information were successfully used with real experimental data obtained in Memphis, Tennessee.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Ocean Engineering; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-141). / by Nicole Marie Suoja. / Ph.D.

Surface wave methods have been used to determine dynamic properties of near-surface soils in geotechnical engineering for the past 50 years. Although the capabilities of engineering surface wave methods have improved in recent years due to several advances, several issues including (1) near-field effects, (2) combined active and passive measurements, and (3) accurate measurements of surface wave attenuation still require study to further improve the capabilities of modern surface wave methods. Near-field effects have been studied for traditional surface wave methods with two receivers and several filtering criteria to mitigate the effects have been recommended. However, these filtering criteria are not applicable to surface wave methods with multiple receivers. Moreover, the criteria are not quantitatively based and do not account for different types of soil profiles, which strongly influence near-field effects. A new study of near-field effects on surface wave methods with multiple receivers was conducted with numerical and experimental methods. Two normalized parameters were developed to capture near-field effects. Quantitatively based near-field effect criteria for an ideal homogeneous half-space and three typical soil profiles are presented. Combining active and passive surface wave measurements allows developing a shear wave velocity profile to greater depth without sacrificing the near-surface resolution offered by active measurements. Generally, active and passive measurements overlap in the frequency range from approximately 4 to 10 Hz, and there are often systematic differences between the two measurements. The systematic errors in active and passive surface wave methods were explored to explain and resolve the differences, allowing for a more accurate composite dispersion curve. The accuracy of measured surface wave attenuation is improved by properly accounting for (1) geometric spreading, (2) near-field effects, and (3) ambient noise. In this study, a traditional estimation method and a frequency-wavenumber method utilizing sub-arrays were investigated using displacement data from numerical simulations, focusing on near-field and ambient noise effects. Detailed procedures for the frequency-wavenumber estimation method are developed based on a study of the primary factors affecting attenuation estimates. The two methods are also evaluated using experimental displacement data obtained from surface wave field measurements with three different arrays.

In this study the description and development of intensity-based laser interferometric techniques for the detection and measurement of ultrasonic stress waves and their small displacement amplitudes is presented. The dynamic displacement sensitive interferometers described in the following chapters allow the quantitative point-by-point measurement of both in-plane and out-of-plane components of surface displacement motion. These uniquely developed interferometric sensors are: 1) an optical system design for the detection of the surface acoustic wave (Rayleigh wave). The technique is based on the Fourier analysis of coherent light and diffraction imaging properties of an illuminated grating; 2) the design and construction of a two-beam unequal-path laser interferometer for the measurement of out-of-plane surface displacement of ultrasonic waves; 3) extension of a flexible fiber optic probing device which is optically coupled to the test arm of the above two-beam interferometer. This permits scanning of the test surface which may be at some distance from the main optical system components; 4) the design and construction of a laser speckle interferometer for retro-reflective diffusing surfaces in which the in-plane displacements of the ultrasonic wave are interrogated. The inherent advantages of these newly designed optical configurations in terms of their greater simplicity, feasibility, and sensitivity over the conventional counterparts (classical/speckle laser interferometers) are explained. The function-response limitations of these interferometric sensors on lateral displacement resolution, on upper and lower-bound displacement sensitivity (dynamic range), on high-frequency bandwidth probing capability, on low-frequency environmentally associated noise disturbance, and on specularly reflective or diffusively retro-reflective specimen surface preparation are also mentioned. Finally, in a series of experimental observations, the application of a couple of these acoustic sensors in pulsed-excitation ultrasonic Specifically, the optically testing methods is cited. detected ultrasonic signals revealing the true nature of the various surface displacement modes of vibration are presented. / Ph. D.