Pulsed-laser source characterization in laboratory seismic experiments

Abstract The present study aimed to characterize the properties of a laser-generated seismic source for laboratory-scale geophysical experiments. This consisted generating waves in aluminum blocks and carbonate core via pulsed-laser impacts measuring wave-field displacement laser vibrometry. experimental data were quantitatively compared both theoretical predictions 2D/3D numerical simulations using finite element method. Two well-known distinct physical mechanisms wave generation identified characterized accordingly: thermoelastic regime which incident power was relatively weak, an ablation at higher powers. radiation patterns regimes experimentally measured with that typical ultrasonic transducer. showed this point-like, contact-free, reproducible, simple-to-use attractive alternative piezoelectric sources laboratory experiments, especially those concerning small scale, sub-meter measurements.