An automatic seismic signal detection algorithm based on the Walsh transform

Abstract

abstract An automatic seismic signal detection algorithm based on the Walsh transform has been developed for short-period data sampled at 20 samples/sec. Since the amplitude of Walsh function is either +1 or −1, the Walsh transform can be accomplished in a computer with a series of shifts and fixed-point additions. The savings in computation time makes it possible to compute the Walsh transform and to perform prewhitening and band-pass filtering in the Walsh domain with a microcomputer for use in real-time signal detection. The algorithm was initially programmed in FORTRAN on a Raytheon Data Systems 500 minicomputer. Tests utilizing seismic data recorded in Dallas, Albuquerque, and Norway indicate that the algorithm has a detection capability comparable to a human analyst. Programming of the detection algorithm in machine language on a Z80 microprocessor-based computer has been accomplished; run time on the microcomputer is approximately 110 real time. The detection capability of the Z80 version of the algorithm is not degraded relative to the FORTRAN version.