Heywood Experimental Seismic Survey Data from 1956

An experimental seismograph survey conducted near Heywood, Victoria, tested seismic methods through basalt layers in November and December 1956. The Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics performed the work for Frome-Broken Hill Pty. Ltd., recording reflections from depths down to eleven thousand feet. Several short traverses tested pattern shooting, air-shooting, and single shot-hole techniques.

Use Cases

• Compare reflection quality from pattern shooting versus single shot-hole techniques using recorded seismic traces.
• Correlate seismic reflection times, such as the 5-second delay records, with known stratigraphic horizons.
• Analyze the effectiveness of air-shooting techniques for penetrating basalt cover layers.
• Map subsurface structures to depths of eleven thousand feet in areas without basalt cover.
• Assess seismic data quality challenges in areas with tuff and basalt bands, like the slopes of Mt. Clay.

Strengths

• Survey tested multiple seismic techniques (pattern, air-shooting, single shot-hole) across varied surface conditions.
• Recorded reflections from depths down to eleven thousand feet, providing deep subsurface insights.
• Explicit documentation of successful and unsuccessful techniques in different geological settings.

Limitations

• Data is from a single, focused survey in 1956, offering no longitudinal or modern comparison.
• Specific sample size, row count, and detailed column structures for the recorded data are unknown.
• Survey encountered areas (Mt. Clay slopes) where no reflections could be recorded, limiting spatial coverage.

Provenance

Source

Bureau of Mineral Resources, Geology and Geophysics, commissioned by Frome-Broken Hill Pty. Ltd.

Collection Method

Field seismic survey using explosive charges and seismographs.

Time Range

November-December 1956

Freshness

null

Geography

Heywood area, Western District Basin, south-western Victoria, Australia.