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2017b high resolution seismic imaging of the West Napa Fault Zone, St. Helena, California

September 28, 2018

In September 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey acquired high resolution P- and S-wave seismic data across the suspected trace of the West Napa Fault zone in St. Helena, California, approximately 70 m north of the previous seismic survey conducted in April 2017 (Chan et al., 2018). We acquired seismic reflection, refraction, and guided-wave data along a 75-m-long profile across the expected trend of the West Napa Fault zone. To acquire the reflection and refraction data, we co-located shots and geophones, spaced every 1 and 2 m along the profile. We used 77 SercelTM L40A P-wave (40-Hz vertical-component) geophones with a sensitivity of 22.34 volts/meter/second to record 60 P-wave shots, and 77 SercelTM L28-LBH S-wave (4.5-Hz horizontal-component) geophones with a sensitivity of 31.3 volts/meter/second to record 60 S-wave shots. We generated P-wave data using a 3.5-kg sledgehammer and steel plate combination. S-wave sources were generated by horizontally striking an aluminum block with a 3.5-kg sledgehammer. We acquired fault zone guided wave data by generating P-wave (226-kg accelerated weight-drop, AWD) and S-wave (angle AWD) energies approximately 160 m north of the recording arrays. All data were recorded using one 60-channel Geometrics Stratavisor NX-60TM seismograph with a 24-bit analog-to-digital converter (Subcommittee of the SEG Engineering and Groundwater Geophysics Committee, 1990); the seismograph was connected to the P- and S-wave geophones via refraction cables. Each shot was recorded for two seconds, with data recording starting 100 ms before the actual time of the shot. Data were recorded at a sampling rate of 0.5 ms, or 2000 samples per second. This report provides the metadata needed to utilize the seismic data. Reference: Subcommittee of the SEG Engineering and Groundwater Geophysics Committee, Pullan, S. E., Chairman, 1990, Recommended standard for seismic (/radar) data files in the personal computer environment: Geophysics, vol. 55, no. 9, p. 1260-1271. Chan, J.C., Catchings, R.D., Philibosian, B., Goldman, M.R., Criley, C.J., Sickler, R.R., and DeLong, S.B., 2018, 2017 seismic imaging of the West Napa Fault Zone, St. Helena, California: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9LKXZKP.

Publication Year 2018
Title 2017b high resolution seismic imaging of the West Napa Fault Zone, St. Helena, California
DOI 10.5066/P9OC53A4
Authors Joanne H Chan, Rufus D Catchings, Belle E Philibosian, Mark R Goldman, Coyn J Criley, Robert R Sickler, Stephen B DeLong, Alexandra J Pickering
Product Type Data Release
Record Source USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog
USGS Organization Office of the Southwest Regional Director