A method for transferring to a central control and recording assembly data corresponding to signals received by a set of seismic sensors spaced apart along a seismic profile to be prospected that is remote from said central control and recording assembly, in response to vibrations transmitted and reflected back by discontinuities in the subsoil, during successive transmission-reception cycles, these signals being collected by a plurality of acquisition apparatus adapted for sampling, digitizing and storing the signals received, said method including the steps of:
- providing each acquisition apparatus with a short range data flow transmission means and a narrow transmission band radio transmission and reception means for bidirectional communications with said central control and recording assembly;
- storing in an electronic random access memory seismic data collected during a seismic recording session formed of a given number of seismic transmission-reception cycles;
- transmitting data indicative of correct operation of each said acquisition apparatus directly by said narrow transmission band radio transmission means to said central control and recording assembly during an interval between successive transmission-reception cycles of a seismic recording session;
- transporting a high speed mass storage device to the vicinity of each said acquisition apparatus successively at the end of said seismic exploration session;
- transferring to said mass storage device from individual ones of said acquisition apparatus successively the seismic data stored by each said acquisition apparatus over a single data flow connection at a high data flow rate;
- and
- thereafter transmitting all the data collected in the mass storage device to the central control and recording assembly.