Laboratory monitoring of P-waves in partially saturated sand

International audienceEnergy dissipation is observed on seismic data when a wave propagates through a porous medium, involving different frequency regimes depending on the nature of rock and fluid types. We focus here on the role of partial fluid saturation in unconsolidated porous media, looking in particular at P-wave phase velocity and attenuation. The study consists in running an experiment in a sand-filled tank partially saturated with water. Seismic propagation in the tank is generated in the kHz range by hitting a steel ball on a granite plate. Seismic data are recorded by buried accelerometers and injecting or extracting water controls the partial saturation. Several imbibition/drainage cycles were performed between the water and gas residual saturations. A Continuous Wavelet Transform applied on seismic records allowed us to extract the direct P-wave at each receiver.We observe an hysteresis in phase velocities and inverse quality factors between imbibition and drainage. Phase velocities and inverse quality factors are then jointly inverted to get a final poro-visco-elastic model of the partially saturated sand that satisfactorily reproduces the data. The model formulation consists in generalizing the Biot theory to effective properties of the fluid and medium (permeability and bulk modulus) in order to properly explain the phase velocity variation as a function of the saturation. The strong level of attenuation measured experimentally is further explained by an anelastic effect due to grain to grain sliding, adding to Biot's losses. This study shows that fluid distribution at microscopic scale has strong influence on the attenuation of direct P-waves at macroscopic scale and confirms that seismic prospection may be a powerful tool for the characterization of transport phenomena in porous media

Seismic wave propagation in heterogeneous limestone samples

International audienceMimic near-surface seismic field measurements at a small scale, in the laboratory, under a well-controlled environment, may lead to a better understanding of wave propagation in complex media such as in geological materials. Laboratory experiments can help in particular to constrain and refine theoretical and numerical modelling of physical phenomena occurring during seismic propagation, in order to make a better use of the complete set of measurements recorded in the field. We have developed a laser Doppler vibrometer (laser interferometry) platform designed to measure non-contact seismic displacements (or velocities) of a surface. This technology enables to measure displacements as small as a tenth of a nanometer on a wide range of frequencies, from a few tenths to a few megahertz. Our experimental setup is particularly suited to provide high-density spatial and temporal records of displacements on the edge of any vibrating material (aluminum, limestone, ...). We will firstly present experiments in cuboid and cylinders of aluminum (homogeneous) in order to calibrate the seismic sources (radiation diagram, frequency content) and identify the wave arrivals (P, S, converted, surface waves). The measurements will be compared quantitatively to a direct 2D numerical elastodynamic simulation (finite elements, Interior Penalty Discontinuous Galerkin). We will then show wave measurements performed in cylindrical heterogeneous limestone cores of typical diameter size around 10 cm. Tomographic images of velocity (figure 2a) in 2D slices of the limestone cores will be derived based upon the time of first arrivals and implemented in the numerical model. By quantifying the difference between numerical and experimental results, the tomographic velocity model will be reciprocally improved and finally compared to a X − ray tomographic image of that slice. A brief overview of the studies Seismic sources We will explore piezo-electric sources of different frequencies (100 kHZ ∼ 5 M Hz) and test the new laser ablation source whose dominant frequency can reach 2 M Hz in aluminium. Avantages and drawbacks of each technology will be discussed in terms of source and wave propagation characterisation. Wave identification in an aluminium cube of side length 280 mm and seismic source at the center of one face We have identified experimentally P, S, head wave, PS, SP and surface waves measured on the cube surfaces. Meanwhile, direct numerical simulations have helped to quantitatively analyze the kinematics of wave fronts. For example, on the surface where the seismic source is excited, a P front, an S front and a PS head wave front are measured by the laser vibrometer right after the initial seismic impulse. These wavefronts can be understood by both the Huygens' Principle and the Snell-Descartes Law. In Figure 1, the seismic source excits simultaneously at time t = 0 a P wave and an S wave. As time evolves, waves propagate inside the volume and a P-wave propagates along the boundary as well: the latter one acts on the boundary as secondary sources which will emit both P and S waves, creating finally a new PS head wave front nicely measured in the experiments. The colours of magenta and green correspond to null amplitudes

Ischemic Stroke of the Artery of Percheron with Normal Initial MRI: A Case Report

The artery of Percheron is a solitary trunk representing an uncommon anatomic variant that provides bilateral arterial supply to the paramedian thalami and the rostral midbrain. Occlusion of this artery results in bilateral thalamic and mesencephalic infarctions. The clinical diagnosis is difficult because the complex anatomy causes large clinical variability. We report a case of a comatose patient with normal early head-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. A bilateral paramedian thalamic infarct due to an occlusion of the artery of Percheron was revealed two days later by a new head computed tomography. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of a symptomatic patient presenting an acute Percheron stroke with normal early brain magnetic resonance imaging. Our case indicates that a normal initial magnetic resonance imaging cannot formally eliminate the diagnosis of acute stroke of the artery of Percheron. We discuss the causes of noncontributive brain magnetic resonance imaging at the onset of this acute Percheron stroke and the alternative diagnosis and therapy methods

Seismic imaging in laboratory trough laser Doppler vibrometry

International audienceMimic near-surface seismic field measurements at a small scale, in the laboratory, under a well-controlled environment , may lead to a better understanding of wave propagation in complex media such as in geological materials. Laboratory experiments can help in particular to constrain and refine theoretical and numerical modelling of physical phenomena occurring during seismic propagation, in order to make a better use of the complete set of measurements recorded in the field. We have developed a laser Doppler vibrometer (laser interferometry) platform designed to measure non-contact seismic displacements (or velocities) of a surface. This technology enables to measure displacements as small as a tenth of a nanometer on a wide range of frequencies, from a few tenths to a few megahertz. Our experimental setup is particularly suited to provide high-density spatial and temporal records of displacements on the edge of any vibrating material. We will show in particular a study of MHz wave propagation (excited by piezoelectric transducers) in cylindrical cores of typical diameter size around 10 cm. The laser vibrometer measurements will be first validated in homogeneous materials cylinders by comparing the measurements to a direct numerical simulation. Special attention will be given to the comparison of experimental versus numerical amplitudes of displacements. In a second step, we will conduct the same type of study through heterogeneous carbonate cores, possibly fractured. Tomographic images of velocity in 2D slices of the carbonate core will be derived based upon on the time of first arrival. Preliminary attempts of tomographic attenuation maps will also be presented based on the amplitudes of first arrivals. Experimental records will be confronted to direct numerical simulations and tomographic images will be compared to x-ray scanner imaging of the cylindrical cores

Seismic imaging in laboratory trough laser Doppler vibrometry

International audienceMimic near-surface seismic field measurements at a small scale, in the laboratory, under a well-controlled environment , may lead to a better understanding of wave propagation in complex media such as in geological materials. Laboratory experiments can help in particular to constrain and refine theoretical and numerical modelling of physical phenomena occurring during seismic propagation, in order to make a better use of the complete set of measurements recorded in the field. We have developed a laser Doppler vibrometer (laser interferometry) platform designed to measure non-contact seismic displacements (or velocities) of a surface. This technology enables to measure displacements as small as a tenth of a nanometer on a wide range of frequencies, from a few tenths to a few megahertz. Our experimental setup is particularly suited to provide high-density spatial and temporal records of displacements on the edge of any vibrating material. We will show in particular a study of MHz wave propagation (excited by piezoelectric transducers) in cylindrical cores of typical diameter size around 10 cm. The laser vibrometer measurements will be first validated in homogeneous materials cylinders by comparing the measurements to a direct numerical simulation. Special attention will be given to the comparison of experimental versus numerical amplitudes of displacements. In a second step, we will conduct the same type of study through heterogeneous carbonate cores, possibly fractured. Tomographic images of velocity in 2D slices of the carbonate core will be derived based upon on the time of first arrival. Preliminary attempts of tomographic attenuation maps will also be presented based on the amplitudes of first arrivals. Experimental records will be confronted to direct numerical simulations and tomographic images will be compared to x-ray scanner imaging of the cylindrical cores