Preliminary report on some factors affecting shotpoint efficiency

A study of first-arrival amplitudes from 6 water shotpoints and 7 drill-hole shotpoints in parts of central and western United States indicate a variation of over 100 to 1 between the best and poorest shotpoints. Water shotpoints are, in general, superior to drill-hole shotpoints; however, one drill-hole shotpoint produced higher signal amplitudes than more than half of the water shotpoints. Signal amplitudes from drill-hole shotpoints varied by a factor of over 20. Saturated clay shooting medium appears to be the best shooting medium. Amplitudes from water shotpoints varied by a factor of about 10. Signal amplitude increases, in general, with water depth for bottom shots.