Transformation to zero offset for mode‐converted waves

Geophysics ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 474-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Alfaraj ◽  
Ken Larner

The transformation to zero offset (TZO) of prestack seismic data for a constant‐velocity medium is well understood and is readily implemented when dealing with either P‐waves or S‐waves. TZO is achieved by inserting a dip moveout (DMO) process to correct data for the influence of dip, either before or after normal moveout (NMO) correction (Hale, 1984; Forel and Gardner, 1988). The TZO process transforms prestack seismic data in such a way that common‐midpoint (CMP) gathers are closer to being common reflection point gathers after the transformation.

Geophysics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 318-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Bellefleur ◽  
Christof Müller ◽  
David Snyder ◽  
Larry Matthews

Multioffset, multiazimuth downhole seismic data were acquired at Halfmile lake, New Brunswick, to image known massive sulfide lenses and to investigate the potential existence of a steeply dipping mineralized zone connecting them. The massive sulfide lenses, which have significantly higher elastic impedances than host rocks, produce strong scattering. The downhole seismic data show prominent scattered (P‐P and S‐S) and mode‐converted (P‐S and S‐P) waves originating from the deposit. Such complex scattering from massive sulfide ore was not observed previously in vertical seismic profiling data. Migration of the scattered and mode‐converted waves from several shot points imaged different parts of the deepest lens. The scattered S‐waves and mode‐converted waves provide additional imaging capabilities that should be considered when selecting downhole seismic methods for mining exploration.


Geophysics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 517-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benshan Zhong ◽  
Xixiang Zhou ◽  
Xuecai Liu ◽  
Yule Jiang

Raypaths for P-SV‐converted waves are asymmetrical and the reflected events are not hyperbolic. Consequently, standard routines for NMO correction of P‐waves cannot be applied in a straightforward manner. This is a major difficulty in data processing of P-SV‐converted waves. This paper proposes a new strategy for common conversion point (CCP) stacking. The technique accomplishes reflection point migration, nonhyperbolic moveout, and CCP stacking in one step.


1989 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 257
Author(s):  
D.R. Miles ◽  
G. Gassaway ◽  
L. Bennett ◽  
R. Brown

Three-component (3-C) amplitude versus offset (AVO) inversion is the AVO analysis of the three major energies in the seismic data, P-waves, S-waves and converted waves. For each type of energy the reflection coefficients at the boundary are a function of the contrast across the boundary in velocity, density and Poisson's ratio, and of the angle of incidence of the incoming wave. 3-C AVO analysis exploits these relationships to analyse the AVO changes in the P, S, and converted waves. 3-C AVO analysis is generally done on P, S, and converted wave data collected from a single source on 3-C geophones. Since most seismic sources generate both P and S-waves, it follows that most 3-C seismic data may be used in 3-C AVO inversion. Processing of the P-wave, S-wave and converted wave gathers is nearly the same as for single-component P-wave gathers. In split-spread shooting, the P-wave and S-wave energy on the radial component is one polarity on the forward shot and the opposite polarity on the back shot. Therefore to use both sides of the shot, the back shot must be rotated 180 degrees before it can be stacked with the forward shot. The amplitude of the returning energy is a function of all three components, not just the vertical or radial, so all three components must be stacked for P-waves, then for S-waves, and finally for converted waves. After the gathers are processed, reflectors are picked and the amplitudes are corrected for free-surface effects, spherical divergence and the shot and geophone array geometries. Next the P and S-wave interval velocities are calculated from the P and S-wave moveouts. Then the amplitude response of the P and S-wave reflections are analysed to give Poisson's ratio. The two solutions are then compared and adjusted until they match each other and the data. Three-component AVO inversion not only yields information about the lithologies and pore-fluids at a specific location; it also provides the interpreter with good correlations between the P-waves and the S-waves, and between the P and converted waves, thus greatly expanding the value of 3-C seismic data.


Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. R49-R57 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Germán Rubino ◽  
Danilo Velis

Prestack seismic data has been used in a new method to fully determine thin-bed properties, including the estimation of its thickness, P- and S-wave velocities, and density. The approach requires neither phase information nor normal-moveout (NMO) corrections, and assumes that the prestack seismic response of the thin layer can be isolated using an offset-dependent time window. We obtained the amplitude-versus-angle (AVA) response of the thin bed considering converted P-waves, S-waves, and all the associated multiples. We carried out the estimation of the thin-bed parameters in the frequency (amplitude spectrum) domain using simulated annealing. In contrast to using zero-offset data, the use of AVA data contributes to increase the robustness of this inverse problem under noisy conditions, as well as to significantly reduce its inherent nonuniqueness. To further reduce the nonuniqueness, and as a means to incorporate a priori geologic or geophysical information (e.g., well-log data), we imposed appropriate bounding constraints to the parameters of the media lying above and below the thin bed, which need not be known accurately. We tested the method by inverting noisy synthetic gathers corresponding to simple wedge models. In addition, we stochastically estimated the uncertainty of the solutions by inverting different data sets that share the same model parameters but are contaminated with different noise realizations. The results suggest that thin beds can be characterized fully with a moderate to high degree of confidence below tuning, even when using an approximate wavelet spectrum.


Geophysics ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Devaney ◽  
M. L. Oristaglio

We describe a method to decompose a two‐dimensional (2-D) elastic wave field recorded along a line into its longitudinal and transverse parts, that is, into compressional (P) waves and shear (S) waves. Separation of the data into P-waves and S-waves is useful when analyzing vector seismic measurements along surface lines or in boreholes. The method described is based on a plane‐wave expansion for elastic wave fields and is illustrated with a synthetic example of an offset vertical seismic profile (VSP) in a layered elastic medium.


Geophysics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 589-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Schleicher ◽  
Peter Hubral ◽  
German Höcht ◽  
Frank Liptow

When a seismic common midpoint (CMP) stack or zero‐offset (ZO) section is depth or time migrated with different (constant) migration velocities, different reflector images of the subsurface are obtained. If the migration velocity is changed continuously, the (kinematically) migrated image of a single point on the reflector, constructed for one particular seismic ZO reflection signal, moves along a circle at depth, which we call the Thales circle. It degenerates to a vertical line for a nondipping event. For all other dips, the dislocation as a function of migration velocity depends on the reflector dip. In particular for reflectors with dips larger than 45°, the reflection point moves upward for increasing velocity. The corresponding curves in a Time‐migrated section are parabolas. These formulas will provide the seismic interpreter with a better understanding of where a reflector image might move when the velocity model is changed. Moreover, in that case, the reflector image as a whole behaves to some extent like an ensemble of body waves, which we therefore call remigration image waves. In the same way as physical waves propagate as a function of time, these image waves propagate as a function of migration velocity. Different migrated images can thus be considered as snapshots of image waves at different instants of migration velocity. By some simple plane‐wave considerations, image‐wave equations can be derived that describe the propagation of image waves as a function of the migration velocity. The Thales circles and parabolas then turn out to be the characteristics or ray trajectories for these image‐wave equations.


Geophysics ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1373-1411 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Lash

Evidence that shear (S) waves are much more important in seismic surveys than currently believed was found in each of two deep well tests conducted some time ago. Wave tests were recorded along vertical lines, following procedures which are now designated “vertical seismic profiling.” The results may be divided into (1) evidence that shear (S) waves are produced by in‐hole dynamite charges and by the resulting compressional (P) waves, and (2) evidence that the S‐waves subsequently produce P‐waves. The proof of S‐wave production is quite conclusive. Even if we say that only P‐waves are set up in the immediate vicinity of the shot, some S‐waves are then generated within a radius of 10 to 100 ft to form what we will call a direct or “source S wave.” Other S‐waves are set up by conversion of P‐wave energy to S‐wave energy at interfaces hundreds and thousands of feet from the dynamite charge. In contrast to the P to S conversion, the evidence for S to P conversion is less conclusive. The source S‐wave generated near the shot was found to have a long‐period character, with many cycles which are believed to be controlled by the layering near the shot. The PS converted waves, which appear later, resemble the P‐waves that produce them. The interference to primary reflections by multiple reflections and/or converted waves produces complex signals at points deep in the well which require directional discrimination to separate up‐traveling waves from down‐traveling waves.


Geophysics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 1299-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Schleicher ◽  
Claudio Bagaini

Configuration transform operations such as dip moveout, migration to zero offset, and shot and offset continuation use seismic data recorded with a certain measurement configuration to simulate data as if recorded with other configurations. Common‐shot migration to zero offset (CS‐MZO), analyzed in this paper, transforms a common‐shot section into a zero‐offset section. It can be realized as a Kirchhoff‐type stacking operation for 3D wave propagation in a 2D laterally inhomogeneous medium. By application of suitable weight functions, amplitudes of the data are either preserved or transformed by replacing the geometrical‐spreading factor of the input reflections by the correct one of the output zero‐offset reflections. The necessary weight function can be computed via 2D dynamic ray tracing in a given macrovelocity model without any a priori knowledge regarding the dip or curvature of the reflectors. We derive the general expression of the weight function in the general 2.5D situation and specify its form for the particular case of constant velocity. A numerical example validates this expression and highlights the differences between amplitude preserving and true‐amplitude CS‐MZO.


Geophysics ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1006-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting‐Fan Dai ◽  
John T. Kuo

Although Kirchhoff integral migration has attracted considerable attention for seismic data processing since the early 1970s, it, like all other seismic migration methods, is only applicable to compressional (P) waves. Because of a recent surge of interest in shear (S) waves, Kuo and Dai (1984) developed the Kirchhoff elastic (P and S) wave migration (KEWM) formulation and migration principle for the case of source and receiver noncoincidence. They obtained encouraging results using two‐dimensional (2-D) synthetic surface data from various geometric elastic models, including a dipping layer, a composite dipping and horizontal layer, and two layers over a half‐space.


1985 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Oristaglio ◽  
A. J. Devaney ◽  
A. Track

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