Seismic velocities of halite salt: Anisotropy, dispersion, temperature, and stress effects

Abstract

Summary We have made various laboratory measurements on halite salt. Most of the effects of crystal defects and inter-crystal cracks on P-wave velocity can be removed after high pressure annealing. The temperature effect on seismic velocities of halite salt is dominant relative to the stress effect. We did not observe azimuthally anisotropy on the halite salt sample. We analyzed that the directional velocity variations are not indication systematic anisotropy, instead they are most likely caused by crystal-scale heterogeneity. No significant dispersion of seismic velocities is observed from the low frequency measurement.