Velocity and Attenuation Characterization of the LIGO Site near Livingston, Louisiana

In April of 2009 a seismic survey utilizing explosive charges took place in Livingston parish, Louisiana. The area of the survey encompassed the location of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Livingston interferometer. In this paper, we present an analysis of seismic data recorded with three of the LIGO seismometers and a geophone array that was deployed during the time of the survey. In particular, the geophone-array data are used to study the propagation of surface waves, whereas first-arrival measurements with the LIGO seismometers provide estimates of the speed of compressional seismic waves as a function of depth. We find that fundamental Rayleigh waves have a speed close to 205 m/s consistent with results from previous borehole tests and that speed of compressional waves is 1650 m/s at 25 m depth, increasing to 2300 m/s at 1 km depth. Blast spectra are further investigated to determine the Q value of the ground medium experienced by Rayleigh waves (f > 1 Hz) and body waves deeper underground. The estimated Q value is approximately 50 for the surface waves and exceeds a value of 190 for body waves propagating at depths below 100 m.