Seismic Sounding of Shallow Depths

After a short review of the development of “artificial seismology” a description is given of the modern field procedure when using the seismic refraction method for measuring of small depths, of the order of only a few meters. A small portable instrument equipment used for this purpose is described. The theoretical and physical basis for the seismic exploration method is briefly discussed, and by an example it is shown that laboratory tests on rock samples can be used to calculate the transmission velocity of seismic waves. Some examples are given on the use of the seismic refraction method for civil engineering work. It is also related how the small portable instrument equipment previously described was used to measure the thickness of a glacier by means of the seismic reflection method. Repeated reflections (reverberations) were obtained and the smallest depth accurately determined in this way was 96 m.