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Controlled Source Seismology

• Gas Hydrates
• Marine Geophysics
• Seismic Oceanography
• Reflection Seismology
• Refraction Seismology

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» Home > Research > Geophysics >

Controlled-Source Seismology

Our research is primarily in applied controlled-source seismology (acquisition, processing and interpretation) for both terrestrial and marine seismic data. Please use the links on the side of this page to explore our current topics of interest and to investigate opportunities to join us as a postgraduate student.

Staff

Dr. Andrew Gorman - Senior Lecturer BSc (Geophysics) 1987, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Chevron Canada Resources, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 1987-92 Big OE by bicycle 1993 Suncor Inc. Resources Group, Calgary, Alberta 1994 PhD (Geophysics) - October 2000, University of British Columbia, Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences. Post-doctoral Researcher - July 2000 - January 2003 University of Wyoming, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Laramie, Wyoming Lecturer - January 2003 - present University of Otago, Department of Geology, Dunedin, New Zealand

Current Students

	Kirsty Tinto - PhD BSc Hons. (Geology, Oxford) - 2003 Research topic: Marshall Paraconformity
	Claudine Curran - PhD BSc Hons. (Geology, NUI Galway) - 2006 Research topic: Shag River Valley tectonics (Co-supervised by Prof. Richard Norris and Prof. Dave Craw.)
	Jeremy Kilner - MSc BSc Hons. (Geology, Otago) - 2005 Research topic: Seismic imaging of eastern Otago active fault structures (Co-supervised by Prof. Richard Norris.)
	Tim Lennon – MSc BSc Hons. (Applied Physics and Electronics, NUI Galway) - 2005 Research Topic: Geophysical exploration offshore Stewart Island (supported by a TEC Enterprise Scholarship sponsored by GeoSphere Ltd., Loewr Hutt.)
	Amy Shears - MSc (Environmental Science) BSc Hons. Research topic: Characterisation of the sediment budget of Otago Harbour. (Co-supervised by Abby Smith, Department of Marine Science.)
	Paul Viskovic - MSc BSc (Geology, Otago) - 2006 Research Topic: Fluid flux through the seafloor of the Great South Basin (supported by a TEC Enterprise Scholarship sponsored by OMV New Zealand Ltd., Wellington.)

Former Students and Researchers

Miko Fohrmann - PhD - 2009

• Diplom (Geology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich) - 2003
• Research topic: New Zealand Gas Hydrates (Co-supervised by Dr. Ingo Pecher, Heriot-Watt University and GNS Science.)
• Presently at GNS Science, Lower Hutt

Gareth Crutchley - PhD - 2009

• BSc Hons. (Geology, Otago) - 2004
• Research topic: Seismic analysis of gas hydrate "sweet spots" on the Hikurangi Margin. (Co-supervised by Dr. Ingo Pecher, Heriot-Watt University and GNS Science)
• Presently at Geomar, Kiel, Germany

Matt Hill - MSc - 2007

• Research topic: Geophysical and Geomorphological mapping of present and past landscapes, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes. (Co-supervised by Prof. Gary Wilson.)

Kim Senger - BSc Hons - 2006

• Research topic: Seismic interpretation of the Canterbury slope to identify links between gas hydrate occurrences and slope stability.

Lisa Johnston - MSc - 2006

• Research topic: McMurdo Ice Shelf Seismic Reflection Experiment, Antarctica. (Co-supervised by Dr. Gary Wilson.)

Hamish Blakemore - MSc - 2006

• Research topic: Shallow seismic investigation of the Oreti River aquifer, Southland.

Anna Leslie - MSc - 2006

• Research topic: Seismic characterisation of mineralisation at the Oceana Gold Ltd Gold Mine at Macraes, Otago.

Resources

• Seismic analysis facilities comprised of:

  • Linux-based networked PC environment.
  • GLOBE Claritas seismic processing software.
  • Kingdom Suite seismic / geological interpretation package.
  • Schlumberger's GeoFrame seismic interpretation package.
  • A 48-channel Seistronix RAS-24 seismograph system.
  • RV Polaris II equipped with state-of-the-art navigation capabilities is used for sedimentological, structural and oceanographic research in coastal waters.
  • Marine geophysical equipment maintained by the Geology Department and used on board RV Polaris II includes:
    • Teledyne-Benthos integrated towfish containing
    • C3D bathymetric sidescan system
    • 2 – 20 kHz CHIRP sub-bottom profiling system
    • Ferranti 5210A boomer sub-bottom profiler
    • Klein 595 digital side scan sonar.

  Additional geophysical equipment including a Worden gravimeter, a Geometrics G-856AX proton precession magnetometer, electrical exploration equipment, a shallow penetration seismic unit, short- and long-period seismographs, and GPS equipment.

  Software Documentation

  INV1D - 1-D Waveform Inversion Code - J. Korenaga

  PLOTSEC - Refraction Plotting Software (and More) - J. Amor

  RAYINVR - Documentation and Related Programs - C.A. Zelt

  RAYINVR 2.0 - Radial Earth Modifications to RAYINVR - A.R. Gorman

  SNERTC - Reflectivity Theory Synthetic Seismogram Package - B.L.N. Kennett

  Tau-P Processing of Seismic Refraction Data - A.R. Gorman

  VE2D22 - 2-D Visco-elastic Finite Difference Modelling - A.R. Levander et al.

  WKBJ - Ray Theory Synthetic Seismogram Package - C. Chapman

  Andrew Gorman