Page 179 - Geochemical Remote Sensing of The Sub-Surface

156 V.T. Jones, M.D. Matthews and D.M. Richers

200 -- Methane
Hydrogen
Propane
22--
...-.
D.
z T 12oo
LU O.
~ W
a I ~" z
>-
-r A ~ I ~ I Z "1-
~

SW NE
Feet Metem
SEA

1000 ,.--

- 9
ooo-i_ o/,

,-,,..,,, ER,.,,.,,
2100

9O00
Fig. 5-13. Relation of near-surface gases to proposed deep fault adjacent to Lost Hills oil field,
San Joaquin Basin, California (reproduced with permission of the American Association of
Petroleum Geologists, whose permission is required for future use, from Jones and Drozd, 1983,
AAPG Bull., vol. 67, no. 6, Fig. 13, p. 943, AAPG 9

environments, large areas covered rapidly. A drawback is that diffusive and convecting
mixing in the atmosphere decreases the signal strength with distance from the sediment
or soil surface. Nevertheless, the capability of detecting gases in the atmosphere has seen
significant developments over the past 10-15 years. Research has resulted in the
development of approaches based on microwave energy, infrared lasers and adsorbed
hydrocarbons on aerosols carried into the atmosphere by thermals.
The microwave approach has been developed by Owen (1972), Goumay (1979) and
Thompson (1981). Although Thompson (198 l) has stated that "conclusive proof does