Executive Summary: Seismic methods provide high-resolution images of geologic structures hosting mineral deposits and, in a few cases, can be used for direct targeting of deposits. Active reflection techniques have been successfully used in the minerals sphere, especially for structural control on deep targets. Although useful, a disadvantage of this methodology is that it is expensive and logistically difficult in locations without easy access for source generation. In contrast to active seismology, passive methods exploit ambient seismic noise and do not require specific seismic sources. In this report, we compare active and passive seismic methods in general and discuss different data processing sequences that have been used in previous passive seismic studies. The quality of the results in passive seismic methods strongly depends on (1) the spatial-temporal properties of the noise source distribution and (2) the number and disposition of seismic receiver pairs on which the noise correlation is performed. We then discuss how to apply these processing sequences to extract body-waves in the PACIFIC project, with a view to developing reflection seismic images analogous to active reflection seismic work.

Train traffic as a powerful noise source for monitoring active faults with seismic interferometry.

Laboratory experiments report that detectable seismic velocity changes should occur in the vicinity of fault zones prior to earthquakes. However, operating permanent active seismic sources to monitor natural faults at seismogenic depth is found to be nearly impossible to achieve. We show that seismic noise generated by vehicle traffic, and especially heavy freight trains, can be turned into a powerful repetitive seismic source to continuously probe the Earth's crust at a few kilometers depth. Results of an exploratory seismic experiment in Southern California demonstrate that correlations of train‐generated seismic signals allow daily reconstruction of direct P body waves probing the San Jacinto Fault down to 4‐km depth. This new approach may facilitate monitoring most of the San Andreas Fault system using the railway and highway network of California.

Executive summary: Permitting of the seismic survey and the acquisition of data are the first steps in WP3, the pilot test of the passive reflection seismic technique in the Marathon deposit. The processing and development stages of the Work Package rely directly on the successful acquisition of ambient seismic noise data from the Marathon test site.
Between September 17th and October 26th of 2018, at the Marathon test site, a 1025 sensor passive seismic survey was completed. The sensors equipment was rented from SAExploration. 1024 sensors were successfully deployed; however, only 1019 were recovered. The loss of sensors was due to animal activity or being buried by a rock slide.
The grid design was composed of two overlapping grids, a 416-sensor array and a 609-sensor profile line. The array had a grid spacing of 150m, while the profile line had a grid spacing of 50m. Both grids designs were configured along the main noise source of Lake Superior in the direction of 250deg to the west.
The sensors selected for the survey were ZL and C1, vertical direction sensors with a 10hz range. Once the sensors were retrieved, they were shipped back to SAExploration for download. The data was successfully downloaded and shipped to Sisprobe for analysis.

Executive summary: This report presents two versions of the flyer produced in the framework of the PACIFIC project. Both documents are included as annexes to this deliverable and can be downloaded on PACIFIC public website: https://www.pacific-h2020.eu/media/ 

The project flyer is a means to introduce PACIFIC to the public and more specifically to stakeholders in the project research domain. The initial version of the PACIFIC flyer produced at the start of the project (see section 2 - first item) sums up the project objectives, background and expected results. It also includes the list of partners
involved, as well as contact details for the project. This version was printed and distributed at partners' premises and during the PACIFIC internal and external events organised in the first two years of the project.

A digital update of the PACIFIC flyer has been prepared at the beginning of the third year (see section 2 ʹsecond item) to provide further information on the challenges addressed by the PACIFIC research activities, the expected results and their expected impact on mineral exploration. The list of project partners, the logo section and the coordination team section have also been updated as required. 

Noise-based passive ballistic wave seismic monitoring on an active volcano

Monitoring temporal changes of volcanic interiors is important to understand magma, fluid pressurization and transport leading to eruptions. Noise-based passive seismic monitoring using coda wave interferometry is a powerful tool to detect and monitor very slight changes in the mechanical properties of volcanic edifices. However, the complexity of coda waves limits our ability to properly image localized changes in seismic properties within volcanic edifices. In this work, we apply a novel passive ballistic wave seismic monitoring approach to examine the active Piton de la Fournaise volcano (La Réunion island). Using noise correlations between two distant dense seismic arrays, we find a 2.4 per cent velocity increase and −0.6 per cent velocity decrease of Rayleigh waves at frequency bands of 0.5–1 and 1–3 Hz, respectively. We also observe a −2.2 per cent velocity decrease of refracted P waves at 550 m depth at the 6–12 Hz band. We interpret the polarity differences of seismic velocity changes at different frequency bands and for different wave types as being due to strain change complexity at depth associated with subtle pressurization of the shallow magma reservoir. Our results show that velocity changes measured using ballistic waves provide complementary information to interpret temporal changes of the seismic properties within volcanic edifices.

 Charlie Beard's presentation can be viewed on the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_qdwQGHNhs