f The cost of reliability in marine seismic networks

Other papers have examined various networks of positioning sensors in marine seismic (cable compasses, acoustics, active tail buoys, etcetera), their normalized tost and their node and horizontal midpoint (HMP) accuracy (Houston, 1991, Zinn, 1991). Accuracy improves with more elaborate positioning networks, but costs also increase. Improved accuracy does not, however, guarantee improved reliability. Reliability (defined below) is more sensitive than accuracy to observational redundancy, i.e. the surplus of observations over unknowns in an adjustment. Accuracy analysis assumes that observations are free of bias and blunder, a rare occurrence in the real world. Observational redundancy and some "data snooping" strategy (or strategies) are required to eliminate observational bias and blunder. This paper analyzes some contemporary marine seismic networks for reliability, as well as accuracy and colt.