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Receiver Function Migration Imaging of Sedimentary Structures in the Qaidam Basin

Description: 

Qaidam basin, situated on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, hosts a massive Cenozoic sedimentary sequence reaching thicknesses of approximately 15 km. While the architecture of the basin has been constrained by active-source seismic profiles from hydrocarbon exploration, the high attenuation inherent in thick sedimentary cover often limits the penetration depth of such surveys. Passive seismic methods, taking advantage of high-energy earthquakes, offer superior penetration capabilities. Furthermore, recent advancements in nodal array technology allow for recording passive seismic data at unprecedented spatial density, providing new opportunities to image deep basin structures.

In this study, we investigate the feasibility of utilizing passive seismic data to resolve internal basin architectures. We analyzed one month of earthquake data recorded by 84 nodal stations deployed across the western margin of the Qaidam Basin with an average spacing of 4 km. By calculating high-frequency receiver functions (RFs) of up to 2.5 Hz, we applied array-based denoising techniques to suppress the strong ambient noise and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Subsequently, a recently developed least-squares migration technique was employed to improve the imaging resolution. Our results reveal significant variation in the basement topography, reaching a maximum depth of 10 km and shallowing toward the basin margins. Beyond the basement, we successfully imaged a distinct intra-sedimentary interface at about 3 km depth, potentially representing the transition from unconsolidated to consolidated sediments. The RF-derived structures show excellent agreement with a nearby active-source reflection profile. This study demonstrates that the passive seismic method is a robust, cost-effective approach for delineating first-order basin architecture, serving as a powerful complement to traditional active source seismic surveys.

Session: New Frontiers in Seismic Observations and Modeling with Innovative Methods and Emerging Data on Earth and Other Planets [Poster]

Type: Poster

Date: 4/17/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Pengfei Zuo

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 110

Authors