Seth Haines
Seth is a Research Geophysicist with the USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center. His areas of study include seismic characterization of gas hydrate resources, and quantification of waters involved in oil and gas development with current focus on lithium resources in formation brines.
Recent Research
Gas hydrate characterization using seismic and borehole data, with main focus on Alaska and the Gulf of America
Interactions between resources, including water associated with hydrocarbon production and lithium resources in oil and gas produced waters
Quantifying resource development tradeoffs
Shear-wave seismic methods for near-surface applications (focus of Mendenhall Post-doc, 2005-2007)
Seismoelectric methods for near-surface applications (PhD dissertation topic)
Education and Certifications
B.A. (1997) Middlebury College (Geology and Physics)
M.Sc. (2001) Stanford University (Geophysics)
Ph.D. (2005) Stanford University (Geophysics)
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 71
PP and PS interferometric images of near-seafloor sediments PP and PS interferometric images of near-seafloor sediments
I present interferometric processing examples from an ocean-bottom cable OBC dataset collected at a water depth of 800 m in the Gulf of Mexico. Virtual source and receiver gathers created through cross-correlation of full wavefields show clear PP reflections and PS conversions from near-seafloor layers of interest. Virtual gathers from wavefield-separated data show improved PP and PS...
Authors
S.S. Haines
Hydrogeologic structure underlying a recharge pond delineated with shear-wave seismic reflection and cone penetrometer data Hydrogeologic structure underlying a recharge pond delineated with shear-wave seismic reflection and cone penetrometer data
With the goal of improving the understanding of the subsurface structure beneath the Harkins Slough recharge pond in Pajaro Valley, California, USA, we have undertaken a multimodal approach to develop a robust velocity model to yield an accurate seismic reflection section. Our shear-wave reflection section helps us identify and map an important and previously unknown flow barrier at...
Authors
S.S. Haines, Adam Pidlisecky, R. Knight
Electrical Resistivity and Seismic Surveys at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, April 2007 Electrical Resistivity and Seismic Surveys at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, April 2007
In April 2007, the USGS collected direct-current (DC) electrical resistivity data and shear- (S) and compressional- (P) wave seismic data to provide new detail of previously mapped, overlapping fault splays at two administrative areas in the Nevada Test Site (NTS). In NTS Area 7, we collected two-dimensional DC resistivity data along a transect crossing the Yucca Fault parallel to, and...
Authors
Seth Haines, Bethany L. Burton, Donald S. Sweetkind, Theodore H. Asch
A Hammer-Impact, Aluminum, Shear-Wave Seismic Source A Hammer-Impact, Aluminum, Shear-Wave Seismic Source
Near-surface seismic surveys often employ hammer impacts to create seismic energy. Shear-wave surveys using horizontally polarized waves require horizontal hammer impacts against a rigid object (the source) that is coupled to the ground surface. I have designed, built, and tested a source made out of aluminum and equipped with spikes to improve coupling. The source is effective in a...
Authors
Seth Haines
Field Demonstrations of Five Geophysical Methods that Could Be Used to Characterize Deposits of Alluvial Aggregate Field Demonstrations of Five Geophysical Methods that Could Be Used to Characterize Deposits of Alluvial Aggregate
Personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey and Martin Marietta Aggregates, Inc., conducted field demonstrations of five different geophysical methods to show how these methods could be used to characterize deposits of alluvial aggregate. The methods were time-domain electromagnetic sounding, electrical resistivity profiling, S-wave reflection profiling, S-wave refraction profiling, and P...
Authors
K.J. Ellefsen, B.L. Burton, J.E. Lucius, S.S. Haines, D.V. Fitterman, J.A. Witty, David Carlson, B. Milburn, W. Langer
Seismic Shear Wave Reflection Imaging at the Former Fort Ord, Monterey, California Seismic Shear Wave Reflection Imaging at the Former Fort Ord, Monterey, California
At the former Fort Ord in Monterey County, California, contamination threatens an aquifer that provides drinking water for local communities. Assessment and remediation require accurate hydrological modeling, which in turn require a thorough understanding of aquifer stratigraphy. In order to help guide remediation efforts at the site, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U...
Authors
Seth Haines, Bethany L. Burton, Lewis Hunter
Seismoelectric imaging of shallow targets Seismoelectric imaging of shallow targets
We have undertaken a series of controlled field experiments to develop seismoelectric experimental methods for near-surface applications and to improve our understanding of seismoelectric phenomena. In a set of off-line geometry surveys (source separated from the receiver line), we place seismic sources and electrode array receivers on opposite sides of a man-made target (two sand-filled...
Authors
S.S. Haines, S.R. Pride, S.L. Klemperer, B. Biondi
Seismoelectric data processing for surface surveys of shallow targets Seismoelectric data processing for surface surveys of shallow targets
The utility of the seismoelectric method relies on the development of methods to extract the signal of interest from background and source-generated coherent noise that may be several orders-of-magnitude stronger. We compare data processing approaches to develop a sequence of preprocessing and signal/noise separation and to quantify the noise level from which we can extract signal events...
Authors
S.S. Haines, A. Guitton, B. Biondi
Seismoelectric numerical modeling on a grid Seismoelectric numerical modeling on a grid
Our finite-difference algorithm provides a new method for simulating how seismic waves in arbitrarily heterogeneous porous media generate electric fields through an electrokinetic mechanism called seismoelectric coupling. As the first step in our simulations, we calculate relative pore-fluid/grain-matrix displacement by using existing poroelastic theory. We then calculate the electric...
Authors
S.S. Haines, S.R. Pride
Geophysical evaluation of the Success Dam foundation, Porterville, California Geophysical evaluation of the Success Dam foundation, Porterville, California
Success Dam is a zonedearth fill embankment located near Porterville, CA. Studies of Success Dam by the recent Dam Safety Assurance Program (DSAP) have demonstrated the potential for seismic instability and large deformation of the dam due to relatively low levels of earthquake shaking. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted several phases of investigations to determine the...
Authors
L. Hunter, M.H. Powers, S. Haines, T. Asch, B.L. Burton, D.C. Serafini
Design and application of an electromagnetic vibrator seismic source Design and application of an electromagnetic vibrator seismic source
Vibrational seismic sources frequently provide a higher-frequency seismic wavelet (and therefore better resolution) than other sources, and can provide a superior signal-to-noise ratio in many settings. However, they are often prohibitively expensive for lower-budget shallow surveys. In order to address this problem, I designed and built a simple but effective vibrator source for about...
Authors
S.S. Haines
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 71
PP and PS interferometric images of near-seafloor sediments PP and PS interferometric images of near-seafloor sediments
I present interferometric processing examples from an ocean-bottom cable OBC dataset collected at a water depth of 800 m in the Gulf of Mexico. Virtual source and receiver gathers created through cross-correlation of full wavefields show clear PP reflections and PS conversions from near-seafloor layers of interest. Virtual gathers from wavefield-separated data show improved PP and PS...
Authors
S.S. Haines
Hydrogeologic structure underlying a recharge pond delineated with shear-wave seismic reflection and cone penetrometer data Hydrogeologic structure underlying a recharge pond delineated with shear-wave seismic reflection and cone penetrometer data
With the goal of improving the understanding of the subsurface structure beneath the Harkins Slough recharge pond in Pajaro Valley, California, USA, we have undertaken a multimodal approach to develop a robust velocity model to yield an accurate seismic reflection section. Our shear-wave reflection section helps us identify and map an important and previously unknown flow barrier at...
Authors
S.S. Haines, Adam Pidlisecky, R. Knight
Electrical Resistivity and Seismic Surveys at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, April 2007 Electrical Resistivity and Seismic Surveys at the Nevada Test Site, Nevada, April 2007
In April 2007, the USGS collected direct-current (DC) electrical resistivity data and shear- (S) and compressional- (P) wave seismic data to provide new detail of previously mapped, overlapping fault splays at two administrative areas in the Nevada Test Site (NTS). In NTS Area 7, we collected two-dimensional DC resistivity data along a transect crossing the Yucca Fault parallel to, and...
Authors
Seth Haines, Bethany L. Burton, Donald S. Sweetkind, Theodore H. Asch
A Hammer-Impact, Aluminum, Shear-Wave Seismic Source A Hammer-Impact, Aluminum, Shear-Wave Seismic Source
Near-surface seismic surveys often employ hammer impacts to create seismic energy. Shear-wave surveys using horizontally polarized waves require horizontal hammer impacts against a rigid object (the source) that is coupled to the ground surface. I have designed, built, and tested a source made out of aluminum and equipped with spikes to improve coupling. The source is effective in a...
Authors
Seth Haines
Field Demonstrations of Five Geophysical Methods that Could Be Used to Characterize Deposits of Alluvial Aggregate Field Demonstrations of Five Geophysical Methods that Could Be Used to Characterize Deposits of Alluvial Aggregate
Personnel from the U.S. Geological Survey and Martin Marietta Aggregates, Inc., conducted field demonstrations of five different geophysical methods to show how these methods could be used to characterize deposits of alluvial aggregate. The methods were time-domain electromagnetic sounding, electrical resistivity profiling, S-wave reflection profiling, S-wave refraction profiling, and P...
Authors
K.J. Ellefsen, B.L. Burton, J.E. Lucius, S.S. Haines, D.V. Fitterman, J.A. Witty, David Carlson, B. Milburn, W. Langer
Seismic Shear Wave Reflection Imaging at the Former Fort Ord, Monterey, California Seismic Shear Wave Reflection Imaging at the Former Fort Ord, Monterey, California
At the former Fort Ord in Monterey County, California, contamination threatens an aquifer that provides drinking water for local communities. Assessment and remediation require accurate hydrological modeling, which in turn require a thorough understanding of aquifer stratigraphy. In order to help guide remediation efforts at the site, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U...
Authors
Seth Haines, Bethany L. Burton, Lewis Hunter
Seismoelectric imaging of shallow targets Seismoelectric imaging of shallow targets
We have undertaken a series of controlled field experiments to develop seismoelectric experimental methods for near-surface applications and to improve our understanding of seismoelectric phenomena. In a set of off-line geometry surveys (source separated from the receiver line), we place seismic sources and electrode array receivers on opposite sides of a man-made target (two sand-filled...
Authors
S.S. Haines, S.R. Pride, S.L. Klemperer, B. Biondi
Seismoelectric data processing for surface surveys of shallow targets Seismoelectric data processing for surface surveys of shallow targets
The utility of the seismoelectric method relies on the development of methods to extract the signal of interest from background and source-generated coherent noise that may be several orders-of-magnitude stronger. We compare data processing approaches to develop a sequence of preprocessing and signal/noise separation and to quantify the noise level from which we can extract signal events...
Authors
S.S. Haines, A. Guitton, B. Biondi
Seismoelectric numerical modeling on a grid Seismoelectric numerical modeling on a grid
Our finite-difference algorithm provides a new method for simulating how seismic waves in arbitrarily heterogeneous porous media generate electric fields through an electrokinetic mechanism called seismoelectric coupling. As the first step in our simulations, we calculate relative pore-fluid/grain-matrix displacement by using existing poroelastic theory. We then calculate the electric...
Authors
S.S. Haines, S.R. Pride
Geophysical evaluation of the Success Dam foundation, Porterville, California Geophysical evaluation of the Success Dam foundation, Porterville, California
Success Dam is a zonedearth fill embankment located near Porterville, CA. Studies of Success Dam by the recent Dam Safety Assurance Program (DSAP) have demonstrated the potential for seismic instability and large deformation of the dam due to relatively low levels of earthquake shaking. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted several phases of investigations to determine the...
Authors
L. Hunter, M.H. Powers, S. Haines, T. Asch, B.L. Burton, D.C. Serafini
Design and application of an electromagnetic vibrator seismic source Design and application of an electromagnetic vibrator seismic source
Vibrational seismic sources frequently provide a higher-frequency seismic wavelet (and therefore better resolution) than other sources, and can provide a superior signal-to-noise ratio in many settings. However, they are often prohibitively expensive for lower-budget shallow surveys. In order to address this problem, I designed and built a simple but effective vibrator source for about...
Authors
S.S. Haines