摘要 |
<p>Methods and apparatus described maximize, within a predetermined frequency band, the continuous or near-continuous transmission of broadband acoustic power into a medium having a finite tensile strength such as water or earth. Such methods and apparatus also minimize, for a given broadband acoustic power level in a given frequency band, the negative dynamic pressure or stress excursion of an acoustic signal with respect to the average pressure or stress present in the absence of the signal. Such signals may be transmitted for geophysical exploration purposes. The signals place the medium alternately under compressive and tensile stresses with respect to some average stress, where the time duration of the application of the compressive stress is short compared with the time duration of the application of the tensile stress. The tensile stress does not exceed the tensile strength of the medium or its interfaces. Preferably, the minimum time duration of the compressive stress is in excess of one-half period of the upper frequency limit of the desired spectral band of the signal, while the maximum time duration of a contiguous tensile and compressive stress pair is approximately one period of the desired lower frequency limit of the band. The tensile stress waveform is preferably rectangular in shape.</p> |