Surface Refraction

Surface refraction is a near-surface geophysical method that uses seismic waves to investigate subsurface layers, making it valuable for engineering site characterization. A seismic pulse generated at the ground surface travels through materials with different wave velocities; at a boundary, critically refracted waves can travel along the faster layer and return to the surface, where geophones record their first arrival times. Engineers analyze these travel times to estimate seismic velocities, layer thicknesses, and bedrock depth. The method supports foundation design, construction planning, and assessment of subsurface conditions while providing a noninvasive alternative to widely spaced boreholes.

Surface Refraction - Related Videos

Education

JoVE Science Education - Physics

Reflection and Refraction

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2023

Source: Derek Wilson, Asantha Cooray, PhD, Department of Physics & Astronomy, School of Physical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA Light travels at different speeds depending on the material through which it is propagating. When light travels from one material to another, it will either slow down or speed up. In order to conserve energy and momentum, the light must change the direction in which it propagates. This bending of light is known as refraction. Some fraction of the...

Research

JoVE Journal - Engineering

Fabrication of Refractive-index-matched Devices for Biomedical Microfluidics

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Cited by 6 •

2018

This protocol describes the fabrication of microfluidic devices from MY133-V2000 to eliminate artifacts that often arise in microchannels due to the mismatching refractive indices between microchannel structures and an aqueous solution. This protocol uses an acrylic holder to compress the encapsulated device, improving adhesion both chemically and mechanically.

Subjective Refraction Test Using a Smartphone for Vision Screening

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Cited by 1 •

2024

This paper presents the protocols and clinical validation data for using a smartphone app to subjectively measure refractive error.

Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling

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2025

During leveling, the Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction introduce deviations in the line of sight from a true horizontal reference. When the line of sight is leveled, it remains perpendicular to the plumb line only at a single point. Beyond this, it deviates due to the Earth’s curvature, represented by the correction C. For a sight distance D, the deviation can be derived using the relationship:This relationship shows that the deviation increases quadratically with distance. Over a...

Research

JoVE Journal - Engineering
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Evanescent Field Based Photoacoustics: Optical Property Evaluation at Surfaces

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Cited by 2 •

2016

Here we present a protocol to estimate material and surface optical properties using the photoacoustic effect combined with total internal reflection. This technique evanescent field-based photoacoustics can be used to create a photoacoustic metrology system to estimate materials' thicknesses, bulk and thin film refractive indices, and explore their optical properties.

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