Approximate Relation Between the Ray Vector and the Wave Normal in Weakly Anisotropic Media

Determination of the ray vector (the unit vector specifying the direction of the group velocity vector) corresponding to a given wave normal (the unit vector parallel to the phase velocity vector or slowness vector) in an arbitrary anisotropic medium can be performed using the exact formula following from the ray tracing equations. The determination of the wave normal from the ray vector is, generally, a more complicated task, which is usually solved iteratively. We present a first-order perturbation formula for the approximate determination of the ray vector from a given wave normal and vice versa. The formula is applicable to qP as well as qS waves in directions, in which the waves can be dealt with separately (i.e. outside singular directions of qS waves). Performance of the approximate formulae is illustrated on models of transversely isotropic and orthorhombic symmetry. We show that the formula for the determination of the ray vector from the wave normal yields rather accurate results even for strong anisotropy. The formula for the determination of the wave normal from the ray vector works reasonably well in directions, in which the considered waves have convex slowness surfaces. Otherwise, it can yield, especially for stronger anisotropy, rather distorted results.     

Converted PS-wave Reflection Coefficients in Weakly Anisotropic Media

—?I derive converted P S-wave reflection coefficients at a planar weak-contrast interface separating two weakly anisotropic half-spaces using first-order perturbation theory. The general expressions are further specified for the interface separating any of the two following media: isotropic, transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI), transversely isotropic with a horizontal symmetry axis (HTI) and orthorhombic. Relatively simple forms of small-angle reflection coefficients are also obtained. The coefficients are expressed as functions of Thomsen-type medium parameters and incidence and azimuthal phase angles. Derived expressions, as well as their application, are more complicated than the corresponding expressions for P P-wave reflection coefficients. General characteristics and pitfalls are discussed. Numerical tests reveal a good agreement between exact and approximate coefficients for most models presented.     

Improved First-Order Approximation of Group Velocities in Weakly Anisotropic Media

A first-order approximation of the group velocity is derived for qP and qS waves in weakly anisotropic media. The formula gives an explicit expression of the group velocity in terms of elastic parameters and wave normal and is independent of any reference isotropic media. The approximated group velocity differs from the first order phase velocity in direction and in magnitude, the difference being of the first order in direction and the second order in magnitude. The accuracy of the approximate formula is tested on two examples of TI media. The formula well approximates the qS-waves group velocity surface even in the presence of triplications.     

Errors Due to the Common Ray Approximations of the Coupling Ray Theory

The common ray approximation considerably simplifies the numerical algorithm of the coupling ray theory for S waves, but may introduce errors in travel times due to the perturbation from the common reference ray. These travel-time errors can deteriorate the coupling-ray-theory solution at high frequencies. It is thus of principal importance for numerical applications to estimate the errors due to the common ray approximation.We derive the equations for estimating the travel-time errors due to the isotropic and anisotropic common ray approximations of the coupling ray theory. These equations represent the main result of the paper. The derivation is based on the general equations for the second-order perturbations of travel time. The accuracy of the anisotropic common ray approximation can be studied along the isotropic common rays, without tracing the anisotropic common rays.The derived equations are numerically tested in three 1-D models of differing degree of anisotropy. The first-order and second-order perturbation expansions of travel time from the isotropic common rays to anisotropic-ray-theory rays are compared with the anisotropic-ray-theory travel times. The errors due to the isotropic common ray approximation and due to the anisotropic common ray approximation are estimated. In the numerical example, the errors of the anisotropic common ray approximation are considerably smaller than the errors of the isotropic common ray approximation.The effect of the isotropic common ray approximation on the coupling-ray-theory synthetic seismograms is demonstrated graphically. For comparison, the effects of the quasi-isotropic projection of the Green tensor, of the quasi-isotropic approximation of the Christoffel matrix, and of the quasi-isotropic perturbation of travel times on the coupling-ray-theory synthetic seismograms are also shown. The projection of the travel-time errors on the relative errors of the time-harmonic Green tensor is briefly presented.     

In-Plane Ray Tracing with Calculation of Out-of-Plane Geometrical Spreading in Anisotropic Media

The objective is to provide, in one single paper, a complete collection of equations governing kinematic and dynamic ray tracing related to a symmetry plane of an anisotropic medium. Well known systems for kinematic ray tracing and in-plane dynamic ray tracing are reformulated for the purpose of clarity, by taking advantage of a vector representation of the Christoffel matrix elements and related quantities. A generalized formula is derived for the integrand in out-of-plane dynamic ray tracing, pertaining to a monoclinic medium. Integrands corresponding to non-tilted orthorhombic and transversely isotropic media are obtained as special cases.     

Reformulated Kinematic and Dynamic Ray Tracing Systems for Arbitrarily Anisotropic Media

I reformulate well-established systems for kinematic and dynamic ray tracing in 3D heterogeneous media with arbitrary anisotropy. Matrices of size 3 × 3, e.g. the Christoffel matrix, are substituted by six-component vectors, and the Christoffel matrix elements are expressed explicitly in terms of the elements of the 6 × 6 matrix of elastic coefficients, written in Voigt notation. Thereby, I find it easier to see the effects on the ray tracing systems of vanishing elastic coefficients and Christoffel matrix elements and of vanishing derivatives with respect to spatial coordinates and slowness vector components. The eigenvalue of the current wave and its derivatives with respect to the ray parameters are included explicitly, which may be favorable for ray tracing processes optimized with respect to speed. With the ANRAY program as a reference, I show that the new formulation requires less optimization than the conventional one.     

Weak Contrast PP Wave Displacement R/T Coefficients in Weakly Anisotropic Elastic Media

—Approximate PP plane wave displacement coefficients of reflection and transmission for weak contrast interfaces separating weakly but arbitrarily anisotropic elastic media are presented. The PP reflection coefficient for such an interface has been derived recently by Vavry?uk and P?en?ík (1997). The PP transmission coefficient presented in this paper was derived by the same approach. The coefficients are given as a sum of the coefficient for the weak contrast interface separating two nearby isotropic media and a term depending linearly on contrasts of the so-called weak anisotropy (WA) parameters (parameters specifying deviation of properties of the medium from isotropy), across the interface. While the reflection coefficient depends only on 8 of the complete set of the WA parameters describing P-wave phase velocity in weakly anisotropic media, the transmission coefficient depends on their complete set. The PP reflection coefficient depends on "shear-wave splitting parameter" γ. Tests of accuracy of the approximate formulae are presented on several models.     

Asymptotic Ray Theory for Seismic Surface Waves in Laterally Inhomogeneous Media

A recurrence procedure is outlined for constructing asymptotic series for surface wave field in a half-space with weak lateral heterogeneity. Both horizontal variations of the elastic parameters and of the wave field are assumed small on the distances comparable with the wavelength. This is equivalent to the condition that the frequency is large. The Surface Wave Asymptotic Ray Theory (SWART) is an analog of the asymptotic ray theory (ART) for body waves. However the case of surface waves presents additional difficulty: the rate of amplitude variation is different in vertical and horizontal directions. In vertical direction it is proportional to the large parameter . To overcome this difficulty the transformation equalizing vertical and horizontal coordinated is suggested, Z = z. In the coordinates x,y,Z the wave field is represented as an asymptotic series in inverse powers of . The amplitudes of successive terms of the series are determined from a recurrent system of equations. Attention is paid to similarity and difference of the procedures for constructing the ray series in SWART and ART. Applications of SWART to interpretation of seismological observations are discussed.     

Azimuthal Seismic Amplitude Variation with Offset and Azimuth Inversion in Weakly Anisotropic Media with Orthorhombic Symmetry

Seismic amplitude variation with offset and azimuth (AVOaz) inversion is well known as a popular and pragmatic tool utilized to estimate fracture parameters. A single set of vertical fractures aligned along a preferred horizontal direction embedded in a horizontally layered medium can be considered as an effective long-wavelength orthorhombic medium. Estimation of Thomsen’s weak-anisotropy (WA) parameters and fracture weaknesses plays an important role in characterizing the orthorhombic anisotropy in a weakly anisotropic medium. Our goal is to demonstrate an orthorhombic anisotropic AVOaz inversion approach to describe the orthorhombic anisotropy utilizing the observable wide-azimuth seismic reflection data in a fractured reservoir with the assumption of orthorhombic symmetry. Combining Thomsen’s WA theory and linear-slip model, we first derive a perturbation in stiffness matrix of a weakly anisotropic medium with orthorhombic symmetry under the assumption of small WA parameters and fracture weaknesses. Using the perturbation matrix and scattering function, we then derive an expression for linearized PP-wave reflection coefficient in terms of P- and S-wave moduli, density, Thomsen’s WA parameters, and fracture weaknesses in such an orthorhombic medium, which avoids the complicated nonlinear relationship between the orthorhombic anisotropy and azimuthal seismic reflection data. Incorporating azimuthal seismic data and Bayesian inversion theory, the maximum a posteriori solutions of Thomsen’s WA parameters and fracture weaknesses in a weakly anisotropic medium with orthorhombic symmetry are reasonably estimated with the constraints of Cauchy a priori probability distribution and smooth initial models of model parameters to enhance the inversion resolution and the nonlinear iteratively reweighted least squares strategy. The synthetic examples containing a moderate noise demonstrate the feasibility of the derived orthorhombic anisotropic AVOaz inversion method, and the real data illustrate the inversion stabilities of orthorhombic anisotropy in a fractured reservoir.     

再论各向异性介质转换波地震学,第一部分:理论

我们业已研发了计算各向异性、非均质介质中P- SV转换波(C-波)的转换点和旅行时的新理论。据此 可以利用诸如相似性分析、迪克斯模型建模、克契 霍夫求和等常规方法来完成各向异性的处理和各向 异性处理,并使各向异性的处理成为可能。这里将 我们的新发展分作两部分来介绍。第一部分为理 论,第二部分为对速度分析和参数计算的应用。第 一部分理论包括转换点的计算和动校正的分析。     

Inversion of Travel Times in Weakly Anisotropic Rock Samples

Based on the perturbation theory, inversion formulae for travel time of qP and qS waves in arbitrary weak anisotropy media are presented. The inversion formulae are linear expressions of elastic parameters expressed in terms of weak anisotropy (WA) parameters. The formulae of qS₁ and qS₂ waves have the same form and they can be used without identifying which wave is considered. A synthetic experiment similar to the measurement of rock sample in the laboratory is carried out to illustrate the efficiency of the presented inversion formulae. Two data sets for qP wave travel time from rock samples in the laboratory are inverted and 15 WA parameters are obtained.     

Computation of Ray Integrals and Ray Amplitudes in Radially Symmetric Media

A new approximation of the velocity-depth distribution in radially symmetric media is suggested. This approximation guarantees the continuity of velocity and its first and second derivatives, and does not generate false low-velocity layers. It removes false anomalies from the amplitude-distance curve and considerably increases its stability. The evaluation of ray integrals and ray amplitudes using this velocity-depth approximation does not require the computation of any transcendental function and is, therefore, very fast. Numerical examples are presented.     

Ray Tracing in Elastic and Viscoelastic Media

—We consider several extensions of ray tracing (uniform asymptotics, complex rays, space-time rays) interrelated by the fact that they must be used jointly in order to deal with both focusing and attenuation. Two representative models of acoustic wave propagation are considered: elasticity and viscoelasticity. Basic ideas behind canonical functions and Maslov integrals for uniformly asymptotic evaluation of the wave field from ray field parameters are discussed. Complex space-time ray tracing algorithms for dispersive and attenuating media are presented. Two models of attenuation in a viscoelastic medium are compared: (1) complex space-time ray methods for general attenuation/dispersion, (2) real ray methods for weak attenuation.     

应力诱导各向异性介质中地震波的传播

主要讨论了应力变化如何影响各向异性介质中波速度的问题。推导了一般各向异性介质在初始应力下的Christoffel方程,得到介质中3种波的相速度和初始应力的关系表达式;通过实验数据验证了单轴应力能够诱导各向异性,当施加单轴应力时,速度在沿应力的方向增加最大,在垂直应力的方向增加最小,实验结果与理论推导一致;用Christoffel方程的数值解模拟在3种对称情况下的弹性各向异性介质中初始应力对波速度的影响。数值结果表明:初始应力对各向异性介质中波传播速度的影响,随着各向异性强度的增加而增大,而且速度越慢,影响越大。     

Computation of Ray Amplitudes in Inhomogeneous Media with Curved

The TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) satellite altimeter data from January 1, 1993 to January 3, 2001 (cycles 11–305) was used for investigating the long-term variations of the geoidal geopotential W ₀ and the geopotential scale factor R ₀ = GM÷W ₀ (GM is the adopted geocentric gravitational constant). The mean values over the whole period covered are W ₀ = (62 636 856.161 ± 0.002) m²s^-2, R ₀ = (6 363 672.5448 ± 0.0002) m. The actual accuracy is limited by the altimeter calibration error (2–3 cm) and it is conservatively estimated to be about ± 0.5 m²s^-2 (± 5 cm). The differences between the yearly mean sea surface (MSS) levels came out as follows: 1993–1994: –(1.2 ± 0.7) mm, 1994–1995: (0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1995–1996: (0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1996–1997: (0.1 ± 0.7) mm, 1997–1998: –(0.5 ± 0.7) mm, 1998–1999: (0.0 ± 0.7) mm and 1999–2000: (0.6 ± 0.7) mm. The corresponding rate of change in the MSS level (or R ₀) during the whole period of 1993–2000 is (0.02 ± 0.07) mm÷y. The value W ₀ was found to be quite stable, it depends only on the adopted GM, and the volume enclosed by surface W = W ₀. W ₀ can also uniquely define the reference (geoidal) surface that is required for a number of applications, including World Height System and General Relativity in precise time keeping and time definitions, that is why W ₀ is considered to be suitable for adoption as a primary astrogeodetic parameter. Furthermore, W ₀ provides a scale parameter for the Earth that is independent of the tidal reference system. After adopting a value for W ₀, the semi-major axis a of the Earth's general ellipsoid can easily be derived. However, an a priori condition should be posed first. Two conditions have been examined, namely an ellipsoid with the corresponding geopotential which fits best W ₀ in the least squares sense and an ellipsoid which has the global geopotential average equal to W ₀. It is demonstrated that both a-values are practically equal to the value obtained by the Pizzetti's theory of the level ellipsoid: a = (6 378 136.7 ± 0.05) m.     

Classes of Anisotropic Media: A Tutorial

The purpose of the present article is to give a precise definition and analysis from first principals of anisotropy, as the term applies to elastic media, taking care to avoid unnecessary assumptions. Two fundamental concepts, material invariance and symmetry group of a material, are defined purely in terms of the stress-strain relation. The implications of material symmetry, or in other words, of anisotropy, for the structure of the stiffness tensor are then investigated. Using the reduced notation of Voigt, these results are presented as the well-known simplifications in the form taken by the six-by-six stiffness matrix that represents the material's stiffness tensor. A new, simple proof is given for the remarkable fact that an elastic medium cannot have rotational symmetry by an angle of less than 90° without being transversely isotropic. In addition, the mutual relation that the notions of elastic symmetry and crystal symmetry have with respect to the so-called orthogonal group is sketched. Despite the historical association between anisotropic elastic materials and the study of crystals, the given presentation shows that conceptually the notion of anisotropy in elastic media is entirely independent of that of crystal symmetry.     

Inhomogeneous Harmonic Plane Waves in Viscoelastic Anisotropic Media

In viscoelastic media, the slowness vector p of plane waves is complex-valued, p = P + iA. The real-valued vectors P and A are usually called the propagation and the attenuation vector, repectively. For P and A nonparallel, the plane wave is called inhomogeneousThree basic approaches to the determination of the slowness vector of an inhomogeneous plane wave propagating in a homogeneous viscoelastic anisotropic medium are discussed. They differ in the specification of the mathematical form of the slowness vector p. We speak of directional specification, componental specification and mixed specification of the slowness vector. Individual specifications lead to the eigenvalue problems for 3 × 3 or 6 × 6 complex-valued matrices.In the directional specification of the slowness vector, the real-valued unit vectors N and M in the direction of P and A are assumed to be known. This has been the most common specification of the slowness vector used in the seismological literature. In the componental specification, the real-valued unit vectors N and M are not known in advance. Instead, the complex-valued vactorial component p of slowness vector p into an arbitrary plane with unit normal n is assumed to be known. Finally, the mixed specification is a special case of the componental specification with p purely imaginary. In the mixed specification, plane represents the plane of constant phase, so that N = ±n. Consequently, unit vector N is known, similarly as in the directional specification. Instead of unit vector M, however, the vectorial component d of the attenuation vector in the plane of constant phase is known.The simplest, most straightforward and transparent algorithms to determine the phase velocities and slowness vectors of inhomogeneous plane waves propagating in viscoelastic anisotropic media are obtained, if the mixed specification of the slowness vector is used. These algorithms are based on the solution of a conventional eigenvalue problem for 6 × 6 complex-valued matrices. The derived equations are quite general and universal. They can be used both for homogeneous and inhomogeneous plane waves, propagating in elastic or viscoelastic, isotropic or anisotropic media. Contrary to the mixed specififcation, the directional specification can hardly be used to determine the slowness vector of inhomogeneous plane waves propagating in viscoelastic anisotropic media. Although the procedure is based on 3 × 3 complex-valued matrices, it yields a cumbersome system of two coupled equations.     

The Transition Between the Scale Domains of Ray and Effective Medium Theory and Anisotropy: Numerical Models

The anisotropy of a periodically layered isotropic medium is numerically modeled in order to study the effect of the scale of heterogeneity on seismic observations. An important motivation is to delineate the wavelength ranges over which a pulse propagating obliquely through the structure will be described by either ray (short wavelength) or effective medium (long wavelength) theory. The same band-limited pulse is propagated obliquely at a variety of incidence angles through a compositionally uniform layered structure as a function of the layer thicknesses. The resulting seismograms display similar behavior to that encountered for normal incidence including the effects of stop- and pass-bands. Velocities determined from time picks on these seismograms show a large difference in velocities between the long and short wavelength limits as has been previously demonstrated for normal incidence propagation. The bulk of the transition between these two limits is independent of incidence angle and occurs when the ratio between the wavelength and the layering thickness is near a value of 10. Two more geologically reasonable models show that these effects are diminished with smaller contrasts between the layers.