USGS banner and link to home page

Reconnaissance Shallow Seismic Investigation of Depth-to-Bedrock and Possible Methane-bearing Coalbeds, Galena, Alaska

By William J. Stephenson, Robert Williams, Jack Odum, David Worley, Charles Barker, Arthur Clark and James Clough

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02-450

Version 1.0

A reconnaissance shallow seismic reflection/refraction investigation in and around the city of Galena, Alaska suggests that Tertiary and/or Cretaceous bedrock, and possible coalbeds within the Cretaceous, is at least as deep as 550 feet in the immediate vicinity of town. Bedrock could be deeper than 1000 feet under alternate interpretations. Reflections recorded in these data are believed to be from the sediment/bedrock interface. Analysis of these reflections and associated refractions indicates that this interface, interpreted at most of the six profile locations, has a high seismic velocity, possibly indicating volcanic or igneous rock.


Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format. The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader or similar software is required to view it. If you wish to download the latest version of Acrobat Reader free of charge, click here.

OFR-02-450 PDF file (7.2 MB)
(This version of the report is accessible as defined in Section 508.)


USA.gov logo