Multisource multireceiver method and system for geophysical exploration

A method of conducting geophysical exploration of the earth's subterranean formations including the steps of:

• imparting seismic energy into the earth's subterranean formations at selected locations in a seismic survey with a shear wave source having SH orientation;
• detecting horizontal shear and vertical shear wave components of the imparted seismic energy at selected locations in the seismic survey;
• imparting seismic energy into the earth's subterranean formations at selected locations in the seismic survey with a shear wave source having SV orientation;
• and
• detecting horizontal shear wave and vertical shear wave components of the imparted seismic energy at selected locations in the seismic survey.

A system for collecting a concord of seismic signals comprising:

• sets of seismic sources deployed at selected locations in a seismic survey;
• at least two source elements in each set of seismic sources having linearly independent lines of action for imparting seismic energy;
• sets of seismic receivers deployed at selected locations in the seismic survey;
• and
• at least two receiver elements in each set of seismic receivers having linearly independent lines of action, each receiver element being adapted to detect the seismic wave energy imparted by each source element in the sets of seismic sources.

A method of seismic exploration employing seismic sources s.sub.j having at least two linearly independent lines of action j with respect to a survey line and seismic receivers r.sub.i having at least two linearly independent lines of action i with respect to the survey line, comprising the steps of:

• imparting seismic energy into the earth with seismic sources s.sub.j ;
• recording the earth's respnse to the imparted seismic energy with receivers r.sub.i ;
• and
• collecting a concord of seismic signals .phi..sub.ij, wherein the seismic signal .phi..sub.ij represents the earth's response to the seismic energy imparted by seismic source s.sub.j and recorded by seismic receiver r.sub.i and the concord of seismic signals .phi..sub.ij comprises at least the seismic signals:
• ______________________________________ .phi..sub.11 .phi..sub.12 .phi..sub.21 .phi..sub.22 ______________________________________