Least‐squares migration of incomplete reflection data

Geophysics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 208-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamas Nemeth ◽  
Chengjun Wu ◽  
Gerard T. Schuster

A least‐squares migration algorithm is presented that reduces the migration artifacts (i.e., recording footprint noise) arising from incomplete data. Instead of migrating data with the adjoint of the forward modeling operator, the normal equations are inverted by using a preconditioned linear conjugate gradient scheme that employs regularization. The modeling operator is constructed from an asymptotic acoustic integral equation, and its adjoint is the Kirchhoff migration operator. We tested the performance of the least‐squares migration on synthetic and field data in the cases of limited recording aperture, coarse sampling, and acquisition gaps in the data. Numerical results show that the least‐squares migrated sections are typically more focused than are the corresponding Kirchhoff migrated sections and their reflectivity frequency distributions are closer to those of the true model frequency distribution. Regularization helps attenuate migration artifacts and provides a sharper, better frequency distribution of estimated reflectivity. The least‐squares migrated sections can be used to predict the missing data traces and interpolate and extrapolate them according to the governing modeling equations. Several field data examples are presented. A ground‐penetrating radar data example demonstrates the suppression of the recording footprint noise due to a limited aperture, a large gap, and an undersampled receiver line. In addition, better fault resolution was achieved after applying least‐squares migration to a poststack marine data set. And a reverse vertical seismic profiling example shows that the recording footprint noise due to a coarse receiver interval can be suppressed by least‐squares migration.

Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. S87-S100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Hu ◽  
Yike Liu ◽  
Yingcai Zheng ◽  
Xuejian Liu ◽  
Huiyi Lu

Least-squares migration (LSM) can be effective to mitigate the limitation of finite-seismic acquisition, balance the subsurface illumination, and improve the spatial resolution of the image, but it requires iterations of migration and demigration to obtain the desired subsurface reflectivity model. The computational efficiency and accuracy of migration and demigration operators are crucial for applying the algorithm. We have developed a test of the feasibility of using the Gaussian beam as the wavefield extrapolating operator for the LSM, denoted as least-squares Gaussian beam migration. Our method combines the advantages of the LSM and the efficiency of the Gaussian beam propagator. Our numerical evaluations, including two synthetic data sets and one marine field data set, illustrate that the proposed approach could be used to obtain amplitude-balanced images and to broaden the bandwidth of the migrated images in particular for the low-wavenumber components.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song Guo ◽  
Huazhong Wang

Abstract Assuming that an accurate background velocity is obtained, least-squares migration (LSM) can be used to estimate underground reflectivity. LSM can be implemented in either the data domain or image domain. The data domain LSM (DDLSM) is not very practical because of its huge computational cost and slow convergence rate. The image domain LSM (IDLSM) might be a flexible alternative if estimating the Hessian matrix using a cheap and accurate approach. It has practical potential to analyse convenient Hessian approximation methods because the Hessian matrix is too huge to compute and save. In this paper, the Hessian matrix is approximated with non-stationary matching filters. The filters are calculated to match the conventional migration image to the demigration/remigration image. The two images are linked by the Hessian matrix. An image deblurring problem is solved with the estimated filters for the IDLSM result. The combined sparse and total variation regularisations are used to produce accurate and reasonable inversion results. The numerical experiments based on part of Sigsbee model, Marmousi model and a 2D field data set illustrate that the non-stationary matching filters can give a good approximation for the Hessian matrix, and the results of the image deblurring problem with combined regularisations can provide high-resolution and true-amplitude reflectivity estimations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Zwinger ◽  
J. C. Moore

Abstract. We present steady state (diagnostic) and transient (prognostic) simulations of Midtre Lovénbreen, Svalbard performed with the thermo-mechanically coupled full-Stokes code Elmer. This glacier has an extensive data set of geophysical measurements available spanning several decades, that allow for constraints on model descriptions. Consistent with this data set, we included a simple model accounting for the formation of superimposed ice. Diagnostic results indicated that a dynamic adaptation of the free surface is necessary, to prevent non-physically high velocities in a region of under determined bedrock depths. Observations from ground penetrating radar of the basal thermal state agree very well with model predictions, while the dip angles of isochrones in radar data also match reasonably well with modelled isochrones, despite the numerical deficiencies of estimating ages with a steady state model. Prognostic runs for 53 years, using a constant accumulation/ablation pattern starting from the steady state solution obtained from the configuration of the 1977 DEM show that: 1 the unrealistic velocities in the under determined parts of the DEM quickly damp out; 2 the free surface evolution matches well measured elevation changes; 3 the retreat of the glacier under this scenario continues with the glacier tongue in a projection to 2030 being situated ≈500 m behind the position in 1977.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 1839
Author(s):  
Xu Meng ◽  
Sixin Liu ◽  
Yi Xu ◽  
Lei Fu

Full waveform inversion (FWI) can yield high resolution images and has been applied in Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for around 20 years. However, appropriate selection of the initial models is important in FWI because such an inversion is highly nonlinear. The conventional way to obtain the initial models for GPR FWI is ray-based tomogram inversion which suffers from several inherent shortcomings. In this paper, we develop a Laplace domain waveform inversion to obtain initial models for the time domain FWI. The gradient expression of the Laplace domain waveform inversion is deduced via the derivation of a logarithmic object function. Permittivity and conductivity are updated by using the conjugate gradient method. Using synthetic examples, we found that the value of the damping constant in the inversion cannot be too large or too small compared to the dominant frequency of the radar data. The synthetic examples demonstrate that the Laplace domain waveform inversion provide slightly better initial models for the time domain FWI than the ray-based inversion. Finally, we successfully applied the algorithm to one field data set, and the inverted results of the Laplace-based FWI show more details than that of the ray-based FWI.


Geophysics ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. J7-J16 ◽  
Author(s):  
John H. Bradford

In the early 1990s, it was established empirically that, in many materials, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) attenuation is approximately linear with frequency over the bandwidth of a typical pulse. Further, a frequency-independent [Formula: see text] parameter characterizes the slope of the band-limited attenuation versus frequency curve. Here, I derive the band-limited [Formula: see text] function from a first-order Taylor expansion of the attenuation coefficient. This approach provides a basis for computing [Formula: see text] from any arbitrary dielectric permittivity model. For Cole-Cole relaxation, I find good correlation between the first-order [Formula: see text] approximation and [Formula: see text] computed from linear fits to the attenuation coefficient curve over two-octave bands. The correlation holds over the primary relaxation frequency. For some materials, this relaxation occurs between 10 and [Formula: see text], a typical frequency range for many GPR applications. Frequency-dependent losses caused by scattering and by the commonly overlooked problem of frequency-dependent reflection make it difficult or impossible to measure [Formula: see text] from reflection data without a priori understanding of the materials. Despite these complications, frequency-dependent attenuation analysis of reflection data can provide valuable subsurface information. At two field sites, I find well-defined frequency-dependent attenuation anomalies associated with nonaqueous-phase liquid contaminants.


Geophysics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. R625-R640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bowu Jiang ◽  
Jianfeng Zhang

We have developed an explicit inverse approach with a Hessian matrix for the least-squares (LS) implementation of prestack time migration (PSTM). A full Hessian matrix is divided into a series of computationally tractable small-sized matrices using a localized approach, thus significantly reducing the size of the inversion. The scheme is implemented by dividing the imaging volume into a series of subvolumes related to the blockwise Hessian matrices that govern the mapping relationship between the migrated result and corresponding reflectivity. The proposed blockwise LS-PSTM can be implemented in a target-oriented fashion. The localized approach that we use to modify the Hessian matrix can eliminate the boundary effects originating from the blockwise implementation. We derive the explicit formula of the offset-dependent Hessian matrix using the deconvolution imaging condition with an analytical Green’s function of PSTM. This avoids the challenging task of estimating the source wavelet. Moreover, migrated gathers can be generated with the proposed scheme. The smaller size of the blockwise Hessian matrix makes it possible to incorporate the total-variation regularization into the inversion, thus attenuating noises significantly. We revealed the proposed blockwise LS-PSTM with synthetic and field data sets. Higher quality common-reflection-point gathers of the field data are obtained.


Geophysics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. H61-H69
Author(s):  
Niklas Allroggen ◽  
Stéphane Garambois ◽  
Guy Sénéchal ◽  
Dominique Rousset ◽  
Jens Tronicke

Crosshole ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is applied in areas that require a very detailed subsurface characterization. Analysis of such data typically relies on tomographic inversion approaches providing an image of subsurface parameters. We have developed an approach for processing the reflected energy in crosshole GPR data and applied it on GPR data acquired in different sedimentary settings. Our approach includes muting of the first arrivals, separating the up- and the downgoing wavefield components, and backpropagating the reflected energy by a generalized Kirchhoff migration scheme. We obtain a reflection image that contains information on the location of electromagnetic property contrasts, thus outlining subsurface architecture in the interborehole plane. In combination with velocity models derived from different tomographic approaches, these images allow for a more detailed interpretation of subsurface structures without the need to acquire additional field data. In particular, a combined interpretation of the reflection image and the tomographic velocity model improves the ability to locate layer boundaries and to distinguish different subsurface units. To support our interpretations of our field data examples, we compare our crosshole reflection results with independent information, including borehole logs and surface GPR data.


Geophysics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. S195-S206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mrinal Sinha ◽  
Gerard T. Schuster

Imaging seismic data with an erroneous migration velocity can lead to defocused migration images. To mitigate this problem, we first choose a reference reflector whose topography is well-known from the well logs, for example. Reflections from this reference layer are correlated with the traces associated with reflections from deeper interfaces to get crosscorrelograms. Interferometric least-squares migration (ILSM) is then used to get the migration image that maximizes the crosscorrelation between the observed and the predicted crosscorrelograms. Deeper reference reflectors are used to image deeper parts of the subsurface with a greater accuracy. Results on synthetic and field data show that defocusing caused by velocity errors is largely suppressed by ILSM. We have also determined that ILSM can be used for 4D surveys in which environmental conditions and acquisition parameters are significantly different from one survey to the next. The limitations of ILSM are that it requires prior knowledge of a reference reflector in the subsurface and the velocity model below the reference reflector should be accurate.


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