A New Look and an Old Source

A33 A NEW LOOK AND AN OLD SOURCE Introduction 1 In this paper we examine the performance and operation of a controllable surface referenced weight drop system which has the capability of generating very high amplitude but manageable impacts. The source is compared to conventional dynamite and the potential benefits are demonstrated. Background Seismic surveys conducted using weight drop sources have been used for many years but have fallen out of favor recently. Two years ago we examined the potential for high impact energy sources where a weight was dropped from a high altitude. While it was possible to generate