IMPROVED INTERFEROMETRIC METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SEISMIC EXPLORATION

摘要

Interferometer apparatus for studying the surface of an object, the apparatus comprising: a source producing an object beam of coherent light; a source producing a reference beam which is coherent with the object beam; and a detector or a plurality of detectors arranged in an array; wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the object beam is diverging or substantially collimated; and wherein, in use: the diverging or substantially collimated object beam is directed towards the surface of the object to produce a reflected object beam reflected from the surface of the object; the detector(s) is/are focused to a point beneath the surface of the object; and the reflected object beam is combined with the reference beam and detected by the detector(s). Also provided is a corresponding method for conducting an interferometric study of the surface of an object. The surface of the object may be a sea floor, and the interferometer apparatus may be for studying the movement of particles on the sea floor in response to a seismic event.