High-productivity seismic data acquisition using calendar-time-based sweep initiation

A controller for actuating plural sets of vibratory seismic sources, the controller comprising:

• an interface for
• receiving a subset duration time Lsub,
• receiving a tapering function W having a time length of Lsub, and
• receiving a calendar time tsweep;
• and
• a processor connected to the interface and configured to,
• calculate a continuous signal Cn that is made as a periodic repetition of a template pn, wherein the template pn includes a swept-frequency signal,
• compute a product Sn of a subset of the continuous signal Cn and the tapering function W, wherein the subset of the continuous signal Cn starts at the calendar time tsweep and lasts for the duration time Lsub, and
• actuate a set n of the plural sets of vibratory sources at the calendar time tsweep, wherein each vibratory source of the set n of vibratory sources is actuated based on the product Sn.

A system for actuating plural sets of vibratory seismic sources, the system comprising:

• a land seismic carrier configured to move with a seismic source;
• and
• a controller located on the land seismic carrier,
• wherein the controller includes,
• an interface for
• receiving a subset duration time Lsub,
• receiving a tapering function W having a time length of Lsub, and
• receiving a calendar time tsweep;
• and
• a processor connected to the interface and configured to,
• calculate a continuous signal Cn that is made as a periodic repetition of a template pn, wherein the template pn includes a swept-frequency signal,
• compute a product Sn of a subset of the continuous signal Cn and the tapering function W, wherein the subset of the continuous signal Cn starts at the calendar time tsweep and lasts for the duration time Lsub, and
• actuate a set n of the plural sets of vibratory sources at the calendar time tsweep, wherein each vibratory source of the set n of vibratory sources is actuated based on the product Sn.