Fully Worked Exam Answer Key (All 77 Questions)
Fully Worked Answer Key (All 77 Solutions)
TRUE / FALSE (1–44)
1. False — Data reduction simplifies/corrects data; noise removal is filtering.
2. True — A profile is a plot of data vs. position along a traverse.
3. True — Stacking improves S/N by √N.
4. False — Inverse problems are generally hard + non-unique.
5. False — Noise means anything not the target signal, not only sound.
6. False — An anomaly is deviation from regional field, not equal to it.
7. True — Fourier analysis decomposes signals into sinusoids/harmonics.
8. True — Undersampling produces aliasing.
9. False — Nyquist frequency = half the sampling frequency.
10. True — Low-pass = passes long wavelengths (low freq).
11. True — Harmonics fit integer half-wavelengths.
12. True — Running average smooths high-frequency variations.
13. True — Must sample smaller than smallest feature to resolve.
14. True — S-waves cannot propagate in fluids.
15. False — Rays bend away from normal going into faster medium.
16. True — Ray parameter p is constant in spherically layered Earth.
17. False — P-wave shadow is due to refraction, not absorption.
18. True — Moho = seismic velocity jump crust→mantle.
19. True — vP > vS in same material.
20. True — Epicentral angle is angle at Earth’s center.
21. False — Velocity usually increases with depth.
22. True — Tomography images gradational 3■D structures.
23. False — P-waves DO pass through liquid outer core.
24. False — Head waves refract at the critical angle, not 90°.
25. False — Beyond critical distance, refracted arrival is first.
26. True — Forward + reverse shots allow dip determination.
27. False — Slope on t–x plot is 1/v, not v.
28. True — Critical refraction needs v2 > v1.
29. True — Intercept time gives depth to refractor.
30. True — sinθc = v1/v2.
31. True — Free-air correction increases g with height.
32. True — Bouguer correction adds gravity for rock slab.
33. False — Positive anomaly ⇒ higher density, not lower.
34. True — Gravity inversion is non-unique.
35. False — Drift is instrument-related; tides are separate.
36. False — Gravity stronger at poles, weaker at equator.
37. False — Sedimentary rocks generally lower density.
38. True — Airy: thicker crustal roots under mountains.
39. True — Pratt: varying density columns.
40. True — Lithosphere rigid; asthenosphere ductile.
41. True — Free■air anomaly near zero for isostatic equilibrium.
42. False — Bouguer anomaly over mountains often NEGATIVE.
43. True — Compensation depth = equal pressure horizontally.
44. False — Rebound is slow, viscous, not instantaneous.
SHORT ANSWER (45–54)
45. Forward modeling computes data from a model; inverse modeling infers model from data.
46. Stacking averages repeated measurements ⇒ reduces random noise.
47. Aliasing = undersampling; avoid by sampling > 2× highest frequency.
48. S-waves need shear rigidity; liquids lack it.
49. Moho = velocity increase from crust to mantle.
50. Head wave = critically refracted along faster layer; emerges at critical angle.
51. Forward/reverse shots reveal dip by different slopes/intercepts.
52. Gravity non-unique because many mass distributions fit same anomaly.
53. Airy = thickness varies; Pratt = density varies.
54. Lithosphere behaves brittle; asthenosphere flows ductilely.
NUMERICAL (55–62)
55. Snell’s law gives θ2 ≈ 49°.
56. θc = arcsin(v1/v2) = arcsin(2/3) ≈ 42°.
57. Depth h1 ≈ 140 m.
58. v = 1/slope = 2 km/s.
59. Free-air correction: +62 mGal.
60. Infinite slab anomaly ≈ +0.2 mGal.
61. Isostatic uplift U = (ρice/ρasth)H ≈ 0.56 km.
62. Gravity of sphere: ∆gz = (G·4/3πa³∆ρ z)/(x²+z²)^(3/2) (requires diagram numbers).
MULTI-LAYER & TRAVEL-TIME (63–75)
63. Root thickness R ≈ 28 km.
64. Ray parameter p constant; takeoff = 8°; boundary angles from p = r sinθ / v.
65. Series 1 = direct wave.
66. Series 2 = head wave from layer 2.
67. Series 3 = reflected or deeper refractor wave.
68. Series 4 = deeper head wave (fastest).
69. Three layers present.
70. Determine 2 thicknesses (top two).
71. Determine 3 velocities.
72. Critical distance ≈ 50 m.
73. Second crossover distance ≈ 100 m.
74. Sketch: three layers, direct + head waves.
75. v1 ≈ 2, v2 ≈ 10, v3 ≈ 20; h1 ≈ 20 m; h2 ≈ 30 m.
76–77. Sketch t–x diagrams for flat and dipping layers: straight-line branches, intercept differences,
slope differences indicating dip direction.