Structural Analysis & Deformation Modelling
Horizons and fault structures in the North German Basin (seismic depth section and overlain interpretation, after Lohr et al. 2007).
Structures in the Earth's crust can be imaged from surface with seismic methods. These are based on the propagation of elastic waves in the subsurface, which undergo changes at interfaces and thereby make, e.g. boundaries between layers and faults, visible. With reflection seismic measurements we image geological structures, mostly along 2D profiles, to show the structure and the properties of the subsurface for the first time.
The horizons and faults interpreted from the seismic data are in addition used for fault and deformation modelling, to unravel the subseismic deformation history of a region. To test the reliabilty of the determined and predicted mechanisms and magnitudes, we also investigate fault structures exposed at surface to check our hypotheses.
Two fault surfaces for comparison:
Left: Fault interpreted from 3D reflection seismics, North German Basin. Approx. 20 km long and 2 km high. Resolution 25 m.
Right: Fault surface in a quarry near Göttingen, recorded with a LIDAR device. Approx. 70 m long and 20 m high. Resolution 2 cm.