Abstract
Salt diapirs are common features of sedimentary basins. If close to the surface, they can bear a significant hazard due to possible dissolution sinkholes, karst formation and collapse dolines or their influence on ground water chemistry. We investigate the potential of ambient vibration techniques to map the 3-D roof morphology of shallow salt diapirs. Horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral peaks are derived at more than 900 positions above a shallow diapir beneath the city area of Hamburg, Germany, and are used to infer the depth of the first strong impedance contrast. In addition, 15 small-scale array measurements are conducted at different positions in order to compute frequency-dependent phase velocities of Rayleigh waves between 0.5 and 25 Hz. The dispersion curves are inverted together with the H/V peak frequency to obtain shear-wave velocity profiles. Additionally, we compare the morphology derived from H/V and array measurements to borehole lithology and a gravity-based 3-D model of the salt diapir. Both methods give consistent results in agreement with major features indicated by the independent data. An important result is that H/V and array measurements are better suited to identify weathered gypsum caprocks or gypsum floaters, while gravity-derived models better sample the interface between sediments and homogeneous salt. We further investigate qualitatively the influence of the 3-D subsurface topography of the salt diapir on the validity of local 1-D inversion results from ambient vibration dispersion curve inversion.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aki K (1957) Space and time spectra of stationary stochastic waves with special reference to microtremors. Bull Earthq Res Inst Univ Tokyo 35:415–456
Arai H, Tokimatsu K (1998) Evaluation of local site effects based on microtremor H/V spectra. In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 2. Balkema, pp 637–680
Arai H, Tokimatsu K (2004) S-wave velocity profiling by inversion of microtremor H/V spectrum. Bull Seismol Soc Am 94(1):53–63
Asten M, Henstridge J (1984) Array estimators and the use of microseisms for reconnaissance of sedimentary basins. Geophys 49(11):1828–1837
Baldschuh R, Fritsch U, Kockel F (2001) The basement block pattern in Northwest Germany. In: Baldschuh R, Binot F, Fleig S, Kockel F (eds) Geotektonischer Atlas von Nordwest-Deutschland und dem deutschen Nordsee-Sektor, Schweitzerbart
Bard PY (1999) Microtremor measurements: a tool for site effect estimation? In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on the effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 3. Balkema, pp 1251–1279
Benito G, del Campo P, Gutierrez-Elorza M, Sancho C (1995) Natural and human-induced sinkholes in gypsum terrain and associated environmental problems in NE Spain. Environ Geol 25:156–164
Birgören G, Özel O, Siyahi B (2009) Bedrock depth mapping of the coast south of Istanbul: comparison of analytical and experimental analyses. Turk J Eart Sci 18:1–15
Bonnefoy-Claudet S, Cornou C, Kristek J, Ohrnberger M, Wathelet M, Bard PY, Moczo P, Fäh D, Cotton F (2004) Simulation of seismic ambient noise: I. Results of H/V and array techniques on canonical models. In: XIII WCEE, Vancouver, Canada, 1–6 August 2004. Paper no. 1120
Buurman N (2009) Charakterisierung von Zirkularstrukturen im geologischen Untergrund Hamburgs zur Abgrenzung verkarstungsgefährdeter Bereiche. PhD thesis, University of Hamburg, Germany, pp 279
Capon J (1969) High-resolution frequency-wavenumber spectrum analysis. In: Proc IEEE, vol 57, pp 1408–1419
Cara F, Cultrera G, Azzara RM, De Rubeis V, Di Giulio G, Giammarinaro MS, Tosi P, Vallone P, Rovelli A (2008) Microtremor measurements in the city of Palermo, Italy: analysis of the correlation between local geology and damage. Bull Seismol Soc Am 98(3):1354–1372
Claprood M, Asten MW (2008) Microtremor survey methods in the Tamar Valley, Launceston, Tasmania: evidence of 2D resonance from microtremor observations. In: Proc earthquake eng, Australia conference 2008. Austr Earthqu Eng Soc
Cornou C, Bard PY, Dietrich M (2003) Contribution of dense array analysis to the identification and quantification of basin-edge induced waves. Part II: application to Grenoble basin (French Alps). Bull Seismol Soc Am 93(6):2624–2648
Cornou C, Ohrnberger M, Boore DM, Kudo K, Bard PY (2006) Derivation of structural models from ambient vibration array recordings: results from an international blind test. In: Proc 3rd int symp on the effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Grenoble, France, 30 August–1 September 2006
Dahm T, Heimann S, Bialowons W (2010a) A seismological study of shallow weak earthquakes in the urban area of Hamburg city, Germany, and its possible relation to salt dissolution. Nat Haz. doi:10.1007/s11069-011-9716-9
Dahm T, Kühn D, Ohrnberger M, Kröger J, Wiederhold H, Reuther CD, Dehghani A, Scherbaum F (2010b) Combining geophysical data sets to study the dynamics of shallow evaporites in urban environments: application to Hamburg, Germany. Geophys J Int 181(1):154–172
Delgado J, López CC, Giner J, Estévez A, Cuenca A, Mouna S (2000) Microtremors as geophysical exploration tool: applications and limitations. Pure Appl Geophys 157:1445–1462
Ehlers J (1995) Geologische Karte von Hamburg, 1:25000, Erläuterungen zu Blatt Nr. 2425 Hamburg. Tech. rep., Geol. Landesamt Hamburg
Fäh D, Kind F, Giardini D (2001) A theoretical investigation of average H/V ratios. Geophys J Int 145:535–549
Fäh D, Kind F, Giardini D (2003) Inversion of local S-wave velocity structures from average H/V ratios, and their use for the estimation of site effects. J Seismol 7(4):449–467
Fleischhauer CO (1979) Höhenveränderungen im Hamburger Haupt- und Landeshöhennetz. Mitteilungsblatt Vermessungsamt Hamburg 68(1):15–32
Forbriger T (2007) Low-frequency limit for H/V studies due to tilt. In: 67th annual meeting DGG, Aachen, Germany
Gabriel G, Kirsch R, Siemon B, Wiederhold H (2003) Geophysical investigation of buried Pleistocene subglacial valleys in Northern Germany. J Appl Geophys 53:159–180
Geluk M, Paar W, Fokker P (2007) Salt. In: Wong TE, Batjes DAJ, De Jager J (eds) Geology of the Netherlands. Royal Academy of Arts and Science, pp 283–294
Gripp K (1920) Steigt das Salz zu Lüneburg, Langenfelde und Segeberg episodisch oder kontinuierlich? Abhandlung zu Vortrag auf Hauptversammlung der Deutschen Geophysikalischen Gesellschaft in Hannover
Grube F (1973) Ingenieurgeologische Erkundung der Erdfälle im Bereich des Salzstocks Othmarschen-Langenfelde (Hamburg). Tech. rep., Geol. Landesamt Hamburg
Guéguen P, Cornou C, Garambois S, Bantou J (2007) On the limitation of the H/V spectral ratio using seismic noise as an exploration tool: application to the Grenoble Valley (France), a small apex ratio basin. Pure Appl Geophys 164:115–134
Hanka W, Heinloo A, Jäckel KH (2000) Networked seismographs: GEOFON real-time data distribution. Orfeus Newsletter 2(3). http://www.orfeus-eu.org/Organization/Newsletter/vol2no2/geofon.html
Hinzen KG, Scherbaum F, Weber B (2003) On the resolution of H/V measurements to determine sediment thickness, a case study across a normal fault in the Lower Rhine Embayment, Germany. J Earthqu Eng 8(6):906–926
Horike M (1985) Inversion of phase velocity of long-period microtremors to the S-wave velocity structure down to the basement in urbanized areas. J Phys Earth 33:59–96
Ibs von Seht M, Wohlenberg R (1999) Microtremor measurements used to map thickness of soft soil sediments. Bull Seismol Soc Am 89:250–259
Ishida H, Nozawa T, Niwa M (1998) Estimation of deep surface structure based on phase velocities and spectral ratios of long-period microtremors. In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 2. Balkema, pp 697–704
Jaritz W (1987) The origin and development of salt structures in NW Germany. In: Lerche I, O’Brien J (eds)Dynamical geology of salt and related structures. Academic, Orlando, pp 479–493
Johnson KS (2008) Gypsum-karst problems in constructing dams in the USA. Environ Geol 53:945–950
Jongmans D, Ohrnberger M, Wathelet M (2005) Recommendations for array measurements and processing. Deliverable D24.13. Available at: http://sesame-fp5.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/Delivrables/Del-D24-Wp13.pdf
Kawase H, Satoh T, Iwata T, Irikura K (1998) S-wave velocity structures in the San Fernando and Santa Monica areas. In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 2. Balkema, pp 733–740
Kearey P (2001) The new Penguin dictionary of geology. Penguin Reference, London
Konno K, Ohmachi T (1998) Ground-motion characteristics estimated from spectral ratio between horizontal and vertical components of microtremor. Bull Seismol Soc Am 88(1):228–241
Lachet C, Bard PY (1994) Numerical and theoretical investigations on the possibilities and limitations of Nakamura’s technique. J Phys Earth 42:377–397
Malischewsky P, Scherbaum F (2004) Love’s formula and H/V ratio (ellipticity) of Rayleigh waves. Wave Motion 40(1):57–67
Matsushima T, Okada H (1990) Determination of deep geological structures under urban areas. J Soc Explor Geophys Japan 34:21–33
Michel C, Guéguen P, Bard PY (2008) Dynamic parameters of structures extracted from ambient vibration measurements: an aid for the seismic vulnerability assessment of existing buildings in moderate seismic hazard regions. Soil Dyn Earthqu Eng 28:593–604
Miyakoshi K, Kagawe T, Kinoshita S (1998) Estimation of geological structures under the Kobe area using the array recordings of microtremors. In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 2. Balkema, pp 691–696
Mooney HM, Bolt BA (1966) Dispersive characteristics of the first three Rayleigh modes for a single surface layer. Bull Seismol Soc Am 56(1):43–67
Nakamura Y (1989) A method for dynamic characteristics estimation of subsurface using microtremor on the ground surface. QR RTRI 30:25–33
Niedermayer J (1962) Die geologischen Verhältnisse im Bereich des Salzstocks von Hamburg-Langenfelde. Mitteilung Geol Landesamt Hamburg 39:167–175
Nogoshi M, Igarashi T (1971) On the amplitude characteristics of microtremor (part 2). J Seismol Soc Japan 24:26–40. In Japanese with English abstract
Ohrnberger M, Schissele E, Cornou C, Bonnefoy-Claudet S, Wathelet M, Savvaidis A, Scherbaum F, Jongmans D (2004a) Frequency wavenumber and spatial autocorrelation methods for dispersion curve determination from ambient vibration recordings. In: XIII WCEE, Vancouver, Canada, 1–6 August 2004. Paper no. 0946
Ohrnberger M, Schissele E, Cornou C, Wathelet M, Savvaidis A, Scherbaum F, Jongmans D, Kind F (2004b) Microtremor array measurements for site effect investigations: comparison of analysis methods for field data crosschecked by simulated wavefields. In: XIII WCEE, Vancouver, Canada, pp 1–6 August 2004. Paper no. 0940
Ohrnberger M, Schissele E, Cornou C, Wathelet M, Bonnefoy-Claudet S, Savvaidis A, Di Giuglio G, Guillier B, Köhler A, Roten D, Scherbaum F, Jongmans D, Vollmer D (2005) Report on the FK/SPAC capabilities and limitations. Deliverable D19.06. Available at http://sesame-fp5.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/Delivrables/Del-D19-Wp06.pdf
Okada H (2003) The microseismic survey method. Society of Exploration Geophysicists of Japan, translated by Koya Suto, Geophysical Monograph Series No. 12, Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Okada H, Sakajiri N (1983) Estimation of an S wave velocity distribution using long-period microtremors. Geophys Bull Hokkaido Univ 42:119–143. In Japanese with English abstract
Paluska A (2002) Geologische Stellungnahme zum Bebauungs-Planentwurf Gross Flottbek 10 (Osdorfer Marktplatz). Tech. rep., Geol. Landesamt Hamburg
Panou AA, Theodulidis NP, Hatzidimitriou PM, Savvaidis AS, Papazachos CB (2005) Reliability of ambient noise horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio in urban environments: the case of Thessaloniki city (Northern Greece). Pure Appl Geophys 162:891–912
Park CB, Miller RD, Xia J (1999) Multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW). Geophys J 64:800–808
Parolai S, Bormann P, Milkereit C (2002) New relationships between vs, thickness of sediments, and resonance frequency calculated by the H/V ratio of seismic noise for Cologne area (Germany). Bull Seismol Soc Am 92:2521–2527
Parolai S, Picozzi M, Richwalski SM, Milkereit C (2005) Joint inversion of phase velocity dispersion and H/V ratio curves from seismic noise recordings using a genetic algorithm, considering higher modes. Geophys Res Lett 32. doi:10.1029/2004GL021115
Picozzi M, Parolai S, Richwalski SM (2005) Joint inversion of H/V ratios and dispersion curves from seismic noise: estimating the S-wave velocity of bedrock. Geophys Res Lett 32. doi:10.1029/2005GL022878
Picozzi M, Strollo A, Parolai S, Durukal E, Öyel O, Karabulut S, Zschau J, Erdik M (2009) Site characterization by seismic noise in Istanbul, Turkey. Soil Dyn Earthqu Eng 29:469–482
Plaumann S (1979) Schweremessungen über dem Bereich des Salzstockes Othmarschen Langenfelde in Hamburg. Tech. rep., Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Bodenforschung (NlfB)
Prexl A (1997) Geologie von Salzstockdächern. Master’s thesis, Institute of Geology and Paleontology, University of Hannover
Reinhold K, Krull P, Kockel F (2008) Salzstrukturen Norddeutschlands: geologische Karte 1:50000. Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe Hannover
Rumpel HM, Grelle T, Hölscher F, Stoll M (2005) Vertikales seismisches Profil (VSP) zur teufenabängigen Geschwindigkeitsbestimmung im BurVal Meßgebiet Ellerbeker Rinne. Project report
Sambridge M (1999a) Geophysical inversion with a neighbourhood algorithm—I. Searching a parameter space. Geophys J Int 138:479–494
Sambridge M (1999b) Geophysical inversion with a neighbourhood algorithm—II. Appraising the ensemble. Geophys J Int 138:727–746
Satoh T, Kawase H, Matsushima S (2001) Estimation of S-wave velocity structure in and around the Sendai basin, Japan, using array records of microtremors. Bull Seismol Soc Am 91(2):206–218
Scheck-Wenderoth M, Maystrenko Y, Hübscher C, Hansen M, Mazur S (2008) Dynamics of salt basins. In: Littke R, Bayer U, Gajewski D, Nelskam S (eds) Dynamics of salt basins, pp 309–322
Scherbaum F, Hinzen KG, Ohrnberger M (2003) Determination of shallow shear wave velocity profiles in the Cologne, Germany area using ambient vibrations. Geophys J Int 152:597–612
SESAME Group (2005) Guidelines for the implementation of the H/V spectral ratio technique on ambient vibrations measurements, processing and interpretation. Deliverable D23.12. Available at http://sesame-fp5.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/Delivrables/Del-D23-HV_User_Guidelines.pdf
Soriano M, Simon J (1995) Alluvial dolines in the Central Ebro basin, Spain: a spatial and developmental hazard analysis. Geomorphology 11:295–309
Soriano M, Simon J (2002) Subsidence rates and urban damages in alluvial dolines of Central Ebro basin (NE Spain). Environ Geol 42:467–484
Tokimatsu K (1997) Geotechnical site characterization using surface waves. In: Ishihara K (ed) Proc IS-Tokyo ’95, 1st int conf earthquake geotech eng, Tokyo, Japan, 14–16 November 1995, vol 3. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 1333–1368
Tønnesen A (2004) Implementing and extending the optimized link state routing protocol. Master’s thesis, Department of Informatics, University of Oslo
Waltham T, Bell F, Culshaw M (2005) Sinkholes and Subsidence. Springer, Chichester, pp 382
Warren JK (2006) Evaporites—sediments, resources and hydrocarbons. Springer, Berlin, pp 1035
Wathelet M (2005) Array recordings of ambient vibrations: surface wave inversion. PhD thesis, Liège University, Belgium, pp 177
Wathelet M (2008) An improved neighborhood algorithm: parameter conditions and dynamic scaling. Geophys Res Lett 35. doi:10.1029/2008GL033256
Wathelet M, Jongmans D, Ohrnberger M (2004) Surface wave inversion using a direct search algorithm and its application to ambient vibrations measurements. Near Surf Geophys 2:211–221
Wessel P, Smith WHF (1991) Free software helps map and display data. EOS Trans AGU 72(41):441
Wiederhold H, Agster G, Gabriel G, Kirsch R, Schenck PF, Scheer W, Voss W (2002) Geophysikalische Erkundung eiszeitlicher Rinnen im südlichen Schleswig-Holstein. Z Angew Geol 1:13–26
Yamamoto H (1998) An experiment for estimating S-wave velocity structure from phase velocities of Love and Rayleigh waves in microtremors. In: Kudo K, Okada H, Sasatani T (eds) Proc 2nd int symp on effects of surface geology on seismic motion, Yokohama, Japan, vol 2. Balkema, pp 705–710
Yamanaka H, Takemura M, Ishida H, Niwa M (1994) Characteristics of long-period microtremors and their applicability in exploration of deep sedimentary layers. Bull Seismol Soc Am 84:1831–1841
Zimmer U (2001) Quantitative Untersuchung zur Mikrorissigkeit aus akustischen Gesteinseigenschaften am Beispiel von Steinsalz und Anhydrit. Ph.D. thesis, TU Berlin, pp 191
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kühn, D., Ohrnberger, M. & Dahm, T. Imaging a shallow salt diapir using ambient seismic vibrations beneath the densely built-up city area of Hamburg, Northern Germany. J Seismol 15, 507–531 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-011-9234-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-011-9234-y