Application of Acoustics to Determination of Permafrost Distribution: ABSTRACT

Abstract

During the past several years, interest in the Arctic region as a source of petroleum has developed, spurred by the discovery of the North Slope petroleum deposits. A major problem involves the engineering properties and stability of frozen ground subjected to load-bearing stresses and the addition of heat from structures and heated pipelines. Acoustic data-acquisition systems, coupled with sophisticated processing, reduction, and analysis techniques, are used to determine the permafrost and/or seasonal ice distribution in the subsurface. Oceans International has evolved techniques for the acquisition of valid data. Sophisticated data-analysis techniques, which have been proved in other disciplines, such as aerospace telemetry and communications theory, are being applied to both the more general geophysical problem, and the specific permafrost-ground-ice problem. The reduced, analyzed data which have been developed, can be used to determine, measure, and evaluate those parameters which are most important in delineating permafrost. It is important that the analyzed data be displayed in both gross and detailed formats for proper understanding. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2498------------