Land seismic technology: Where do we go from here?

In this article, Ian Jack of BP*, provides an overview of land seismic technology today serving as an introduction to our Special Topic on land seismic which includes articles on sensor technology, optimising the pilot sweep of vibratory sources, and seismic applications in archaeology investigations. Jack says that pressure is mounting for changes in land seismic technology. These pressures come from research findings of ways to improve geophysical methodology, and from hardware, operational, societal and cost issues which are encountered while using existing technology stretching it into higher and higher channel counts. They also come from the development of technology in parallel industries.