Shallow subsurface imaging from footsteps recorded by DAS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v5i2.2182Abstract
Characterizing the shallow subsurface seismic structure is essential for a broad spectrum of geophysical analyses, including seismic event detection, ground motion monitoring, and the assessment of anthropogenic activities. However, data collection in urban areas is often constrained by practical or logistical challenges associated with the deployment of sources and receivers, particularly in scenarios requiring dense seismic data acquisition. This study seeks to address the practical limitations of traditional seismic sources in urban areas by utilizing footsteps as a novel data source recorded by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS). We show that footstep-generated seismic waves can be effectively used to calculate shear wave velocities and perform reflection imaging of the shallow subsurface. By inverting dispersion curves from footstep data, we generated a 2-D shear wave velocity profile, which was compared to an existing 3-D model obtained from conventional active sources. Our results indicate that footstep sources can provide high-resolution subsurface imaging to depths of 25m, enhancing seismic models in urban environments where traditional methods may be less practical. This innovative approach offers a potential solution for improving our understanding of subsurface structures in earthquake-prone regions.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Thomas Luckie, Robert Porritt, Christian Stanciu
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