The new geophysics: Shear-wave splitting provides a window into the crack-critical rock mass

In this article, I suggest a new style of geophysics as a critical system, which has profound implications for almost all aspects of prefracturing deformation in the crust, particularly reservoir characterization, time-lapse seismics, and hydrocarbon recovery. One of the most important features of the new geophysics for the oil industry is that the high-resolution details of fluid-saturated reservoirs and rocks vary with time and place. Current techniques using conventional technology and conventional geophysics may well be near their limit in resolution. Further enhancements will monitor the new geophysics where sensitivity to seemingly negligible disturbances is expected, and has now been observed.