The LArge-n Seismic Survey in Oklahoma (LASSO) experiment

Abstract

In 2016, the U.S. Geological Survey deployed more than 1,800 vertical-component nodal seismometers in Grant County, Oklahoma to study induced seismic activity associated with production of the Mississippi Limestone Play. The LArge-n Seismic Survey in Oklahoma (LASSO) array operated for approximately one month, covering a 25-km-by-32-km region with a nominal station spacing of ~400 m. Primary goals of the deployment were to detect microseismic events not captured by the sparser regional network stations and to provide nearly unaliased records of the seismic wavefield. A more complete record of earthquakes allows us to map the spatiotemporal evolution of induced event sequences and illuminates the structures on which the events occur. Dense records of the seismic wavefield also provide improved measurements of the earthquake source, including focal mechanisms and stress drops. Taken together, we can use these findings to glean insights into the processes that induce earthquakes. Here, we describe the array layout, features of the nodal sensors, data recording configurations, and the field deployment. We also provide examples of earthquake waveforms recorded by the array to illustrate data quality and initial observations. LASSO array data provide a significant resource for understanding the occurrence of earthquakes induced by wastewater disposal.