Continuous seismic reflection profiling of the deep basement, Hardeman County, Texas

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 1976 Continuous seismic reflection profiling of the deep basement, Hardeman County, Texas JACK OLIVER; JACK OLIVER 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MILTON DOBRIN; MILTON DOBRIN 2Department of Geology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar SIDNEY KAUFMAN; SIDNEY KAUFMAN 1Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14850 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ROBERT MEYER; ROBERT MEYER 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar ROBERT PHINNEY ROBERT PHINNEY 4Department of Geological and Geophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1976) 87 (11): 1537–1546. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<1537:CSRPOT>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation JACK OLIVER, MILTON DOBRIN, SIDNEY KAUFMAN, ROBERT MEYER, ROBERT PHINNEY; Continuous seismic reflection profiling of the deep basement, Hardeman County, Texas. GSA Bulletin 1976;; 87 (11): 1537–1546. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<1537:CSRPOT>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Our understanding of the crust and upper mantle would be enhanced if geophysical studies of the deep basement rocks provided information of resolution and character more nearly like that of geological observations of basement rocks at and near the surface. A test of the continuous seismic reflection profiling technique, the geophysical method with by far the highest resolution and the best potential in this regard, at a site in the midcontinent provided abundant information on intrabasement diffractors and reflectors to depths as great as about 45 km. Conventional equipment and techniques, including nonexplosive vibratory sources, were used with minor modification. In the upper part of the section below the sediments, there are reflectors continuous over the entire length of a profile that give evidence for warping, faulting, unconformities, and other structural features. An age of 1,265 ± 40 m.y. for a sample from a nearby hole indicates that these are Precambrian rocks and not part of the Cambrian basement rocks of the Wichita Province. Detailed correlation with the Precambrian section is inhibited by scarcity of geological information. In the lower part of the section, reflections are not, in general, continuous over more than a few kilometres, but zones and discontinuities within the basement may be distinguished on the basis of spatial density, length, and dip of reflectors. Zones of low reflector density may be plutons; curvature of reflections may indicate deep folded structures. The scale of such features is a few kilometres, and it contrasts with the markedly larger scale of the smallest features of the deep basement that can be resolved by other methods. The method appears to have outstanding potential. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.