Dublin Seismic Network

We analyse passive seismic data recorded across the southern border of the Dublin basin (Ireland) for the reconstruction of the local isotropic and anisotropic seismic structure. The geothermal potential of the area, associated with the main basinbounding fault (Blackrock-Newcastle Fault, BNF), has attracted both industry and academia in the last years. For this reason, a number of geophysical surveys have been carried out across the area, including active seismic profiles and pilot boreholes. To complement these geophysical datasets, six broadband seismic stations have been deployed with an interstation distance of about 1 km, in a linear configuration normal to the BNF. Seismic stations recorded continuously for 2 years, and teleseismic data have been analysed for computing RF.

The SIM-CRUST project installed and maintained six temporary seismic stations equipped with broadband seismometers (Guralp CMG-6T). The stations have been deployed along a linear array with an interstation distance of about 1km. The linear array has been deployed almost normally to the main geological bounday, namely the Blackrock-Newcastle. Teleseismic waves have be used to map the main anomalies in the seismic velocities at depth, and the presence of seismic anisotropy within the shallow (0-5km depth) crust.

Figure: (a) Location of the seismic stations deployed in the Dublin Basin and geology map of the area. Grey bars indicate the strike of the fast plane for the shallowest layer retrieved from Receiver Function inversion. (b) Lithostratigraphies from boreholes NGE1 and NGE2 with sonic log (grey line) and average interval velocities (blue line) from NGE1. Location of the boreholes is indicated in (a) with black circles. (c) Seismic reflection profile with interpretations of the main reflectors. Location of the profile is indicated with a green line in (a).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are very grateful to Martin Möllhoff from UCD, Ray McBennett, James Fitzgibbons, Donal Griffin, John Murphy and Marvin Eaogh for the support before, during and after the deployment of the stations in the Dublin Basin. Special thanks are due to GT Energy and in particular to Riccardo Pasquali for sharing the results of the geophysical surveys conducted in the Dublin Basin. We are deeply in debt with the UCD Seismology Laboratory who gave us the seismic stations for the linear array.

PUBLICATIONS and MEETING ABSTRACTS

Licciardi, A. and N. Piana Agostinetti (2016) Sedimentary basin exploration with receiver functions: seismic structure and anisotropy of the Dublin Basin (Ireland), accepted for publication on Geophysics

Licciardi, A. and N. Piana Agostinetti (2015) Exploring Sedimentary Basins with High Frequency Receiver Function: the Dublin Basin Case Study. AGU fall meeting, San Francisco, CA

Piana Agostinetti, N. and A. Licciardi (2015) SIM-CRUST: seismic imaging and monitoring of the upper crust: exploring the potential low-enthalpy geothermal resources of Ireland, Proceeding of the 2015 World Geothermal Congress, Melbourne, Australia

Licciardi, A. and N. Piana Agostinetti (2014) High frequency Receiver Functions in the Dublin Basin: application to a geothermal potential site, Energy Procedia,59, 221 – 226, doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.10.370

Licciardi, A. and N. Piana Agostinetti (2014) High frequency Receiver Functions in the Dublin Basin: application to a geothermal potential site, Geophysical Research Abstracts, 16, EGU2014-6908

Piana Agostinetti, N. (2013) Geothermal exploration via passive seismic analysis, 56th Ireland Geological Research Meeting, Derry

Piana Agostinetti, N. (2013) SIM-CRUST: Seismic imaging and monitoring of the upper crust: exploring the potential low-enthalpy geothermal resources of Ireland, Geothermal Association Ireland meeting, Dublin