Seismic wavefield modeling based on time-domain symplectic and Fourier finite-difference method

Seismic wavefield modeling is important for improving seismic data processing and interpretation. Calculations of wavefield propagation are sometimes not stable when forward modeling of seismic wave uses large time steps for long times. Based on the Hamiltonian expression of the acoustic wave equation, we propose a structure-preserving method for seismic wavefield modeling by applying the symplectic finite-difference method on time grids and the Fourier finite-difference method on space grids to solve the acoustic wave equation. The proposed method is called the symplectic Fourier finite-difference (symplectic FFD) method, and offers high computational accuracy and improves the computational stability. Using acoustic approximation, we extend the method to anisotropic media. We discuss the calculations in the symplectic FFD method for seismic wavefield modeling of isotropic and anisotropic media, and use the BP salt model and BP TTI model to test the proposed method. The numerical examples suggest that the proposed method can be used in seismic modeling of strongly variable velocities, offering high computational accuracy and low numerical dispersion. The symplectic FFD method overcomes the residual qSV wave of seismic modeling in anisotropic media and maintains the stability of the wavefield propagation for large time steps.     

基于广义正交多项式褶积微分算子的地震波场数值模拟方法

地震波场模拟方法研究对于与波动现象有关的地震学问题的重要性是不言而喻的.就目前现有的各种正演算法来说,精度较高的算法（如有限元法、谱元法、高阶有限差分法等）,其计算速度较慢;计算速度较快的算法（如低阶有限差分法、付氏伪谱法等）计算精度却比较低.为了兼顾地震波场模拟的精度与速度,本文推出了一种快速的、高精度地震波场模拟方法（基于Forsyte广义正交多项式的褶积微分算子法）,该方法是以计算数学中的Forsyte广义正交多项式插值函数为基础,构建一个新的褶积微分算子,并将该算子引入到地震波动方程的一阶速度-应力方程的空间微分运算中去,采用时间交错网格有限差分算子替代普通的差分算子以匹配高精度的褶积微分算子,从而构造一种全新的地震波场数值模拟方法.该方法同时具有广义正交多项式方法的高精度和短算子低阶有限差分算法的高速度.通过对算子长度的调节及算子系数的优化,可同时兼顾波场解的全局信息与局部信息.复杂非均匀介质模型中的波场数值模拟实验证实了该方法的可行性及优越性.     

Pure P- and S-wave equations in transversely isotropic media

Pure-mode wave propagation is important for applications ranging from imaging to avoiding parameter tradeoff in waveform inversion. Although seismic anisotropy is an elastic phenomenon, pseudo-acoustic approximations are routinely used to avoid the high computational cost and difficulty in decoupling wave modes to obtain interpretable seismic images. However, such approximations may result in inaccuracies in characterizing anisotropic wave propagation. We propose new pure-mode equations for P- and S-waves resulting in an artefact-free solution in transversely isotropic medium with a vertical symmetry axis. Our approximations are more accurate than other known approximations as they are not based on weak anisotropy assumptions. Therefore, the S-wave approximation can reproduce the group velocity triplications in strongly anisotropic media. The proposed approximations can be used for accurate modelling and imaging of pure P- and S-waves in transversely isotropic media.     

求解3D弹性波方程的并行WNAD方法及其TI介质中的波场模拟

准确模拟TTI介质中弹性波的传播是研究地震各向异性、AVO反演的基础. 在二维加权近似解析离散化(WNAD)算法的基础上, 本文发展的并行WNAD算法是一种研究三维横向各向同性(TI)介质中弹性波传播的、快速高效的数值模拟方法. 我们首先介绍三维WNAD方法的构造过程, 然后与经典的差分格式--交错网格(SG)算法进行了比较. 理论分析和数值算例表明, WNAD算法比交错网格算法更适合在高性能计算机上进行大规模弹性波场模拟. 同时, 本文利用并行的WNAD方法研究了弹性波在TTI介质中的传播规律, 观测了TI介质中弹性波传播的重要特征:横波分离、体波耦合和速度各向异性等. 在TTI介质分界面处, 弹性波产生更加复杂的折射、反射和波型转化, 使得波场非常复杂, 研究和辨别不同类型的波能够加深我们对由裂隙诱导的各向异性介质的认识.     

Finite-difference modelling of S-wave splitting in anisotropic media

We have implemented a 3D finite‐difference scheme to simulate wave propagation in arbitrary anisotropic media. The anisotropic media up to orthorhombic symmetry were modelled using a standard staggered grid scheme and beyond (monoclinic and triclinic) using a rotated staggered grid scheme. The rationale of not using rotated staggered grid for all types of anisotropic media is that the rotated staggered grid schemes are more expensive than standard staggered grid schemes. For a 1D azimuthally anistropic medium, we show a comparison between the seismic data generated by our finite‐difference code and by the reflectivity algorithm; they are in excellent agreement. We conducted a study on zero‐offset shear‐wave splitting using the finite‐difference modelling algorithm using the rotated staggered grid scheme. Our S‐wave splitting study is mainly focused on fractured media. On the scale of seismic wavelenghts, small aligned fractures behave as an equivalent anisotropic medium. We computed the equivalent elastic properties of the fractures and the background in which the fractures were embedded, using low‐frequency equivalent media theories. Wave propagation was simulated for both rotationally invariant and corrugated fractures embedded in an isotropic background for one, or more than one, set of fluid‐filled and dry fractures. S‐wave splitting was studied for dipping fractures, two vertical non‐orthogonal fractures and corrugated fractures. Our modelling results confirm that S‐wave splitting can reveal the fracture infill in the case of dipping fractures. S‐wave splitting has the potential to reveal the angle between the two vertical fractures. We also notice that in the case of vertical corrugated fractures, S‐wave splitting is sensitive to the fracture infill.     

各向异性介质中地震波前面的偏微分方程

从含２１个弹性参数的各向异性介质中关于位移分量ｕ_ｘ、ｕ_ｙ与ｕ_ｚ的偏微分波动方程组出发，通过假定平面波位移函数解，导出准Ｐ波、准ＳＶ波与准ＳＨ波的波前面偏微分控制方程，进而对各类特殊各向异性介质（横向各向同性介质、椭圆及立方体各向异性介质）中地震波前面偏微分方程进行了讨论．以上结果为研究各向异性介质中地震波传播规律以及进行正、反演研究奠定了理论基础．     

双相各向异性介质中偶数阶精度有限差分数值模拟

To improve the accuracy of the conventional finite-difference method, finitedifference numerical modeling methods of any even-order accuracy are recommended. We introduce any even-order accuracy difference schemes of any-order derivatives derived from Taylor series expansion. Then, a finite-difference numerical modeling method with any evenorder accuracy is utilized to simulate seismic wave propagation in two-phase anisotropic media. Results indicate that modeling accuracy improves with the increase of difference accuracy order number. It is essential to find the optimal order number, grid size, and time step to balance modeling precision and computational complexity. Four kinds of waves, static mode in the source point, SV wave cusps, reflection and transmission waves are observed in two-phase anisotropic media through modeling.     

Modelling of viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media using decoupled fractional Laplacians

A new wave equation is derived for modelling viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media under acoustic transverse isotropy approximation. The formulas expressed by fractional Laplacian operators can well model the constant-Q (i.e. frequency-independent quality factor) attenuation, anisotropic attenuation, decoupled amplitude loss and velocity dispersion behaviours. The proposed viscoacoustic anisotropic equation can keep consistent velocity and attenuation anisotropy effects with that of qP-wave in the constant-Q viscoelastic anisotropic theory. For numerical simulations, the staggered-grid pseudo-spectral method is implemented to solve the velocity–stress formulation of wave equation in the time domain. The constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method is used to cope with spatial variable-order fractional Laplacians for efficient modelling in heterogeneous velocity and Q media. Simulation results for a homogeneous model show the decoupling of velocity dispersion and amplitude loss effects of the constant-Q equation, and illustrate the influence of anisotropic attenuation on seismic wavefields. The modelling example of a layered model illustrates the accuracy of the constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method. Finally, the Hess vertical transversely isotropic model is used to validate the applicability of the formulation and algorithm for heterogeneous media.     

Elastic wave propagation in inhomogeneous anisotropic media

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Modelling the wave phenomena in acoustic and elastic media with sharp variations of physical properties using the grid‐characteristic method

This paper introduces a novel method of modelling acoustic and elastic wave propagation in inhomogeneous media with sharp variations of physical properties based on the recently developed grid‐characteristic method which considers different types of waves generated in inhomogeneous linear‐elastic media (e.g., longitudinal, transverse, Stoneley, Rayleigh, scattered PP‐, SS‐waves, and converted PS‐ and SP‐waves). In the framework of this method, the problem of solving acoustic or elastic wave equations is reduced to the interpolation of the solutions, determined at earlier time, thus avoiding a direct solution of the large systems of linear equations required by the FD or FE methods. We apply the grid‐characteristic method to compare wave phenomena computed using the acoustic and elastic wave equations in geological medium containing a hydrocarbon reservoir or a fracture zone. The results of this study demonstrate that the developed algorithm can be used as an effective technique for modelling wave phenomena in the models containing hydrocarbon reservoir and/or the fracture zones, which are important targets of seismic exploration.     

SEISMIC MIGRATION IN ELLIPTICALLY ANISOTROPIC MEDIA1

The study of wave propagation in media with elliptical velocity anisotropy shows that seismic energy is focused according to the horizontal component of the velocity field while the vertical component controls the time-to-depth relation. This implies that the vertical component cannot be determined from surface seismic velocity analysis but must be obtained using borehole or regional geological information. Both components of the velocity field are required to produce a correctly focused depth image. A paraxial wave equation is developed for elliptical anisotropic wave propagation which can be used for modelling or migration. This equation is then transformed by a change of variable to a second paraxial equation which only depends on one effective velocity field. A complete anisotropic depth migration using this transformed equation involves an imaging step followed by a depth stretching operation. This allows an approximate separation or splitting of the focusing and depth conversion steps of depth migration allowing a different velocity model to be used for each step. This split anisotropic depth migration produces a more accurate result than that obtained by a time migration using the horizontal velocity field followed by an image-ray depth conversion using the vertical velocity field. The results are also more accurate than isotropic depth migration and yield accurate imaging in depth as long as the lateral variations in the anisotropy are slow.     

Finite-difference modeling with variable grid-size and adaptive time-step in porous media

Forward modeling of elastic wave propagation in porous media has great importance for understanding and interpreting the influences of rock properties on characteristics of seismic wavefield. However,the finite-difference forward-modeling method is usually implemented with global spatial grid-size and time-step; it consumes large amounts of computational cost when small-scaled oil/gas-bearing structures or large velocity-contrast exist underground. To overcome this handicap,combined with variable grid-size and time-step,this paper developed a staggered-grid finite-difference scheme for elastic wave modeling in porous media. Variable finite-difference coefficients and wavefield interpolation were used to realize the transition of wave propagation between regions of different grid-size. The accuracy and efficiency of the algorithm were shown by numerical examples. The proposed method is advanced with low computational cost in elastic wave simulation for heterogeneous oil/gas reservoirs.     

各向异性介质qP波传播描述I：伪纯模式波动方程

地球介质相对于地震波波长尺度的定向非均匀性会导致波速的各向异性,进而影响地震波场的运动学与动力学特征．各向异性弹性波动方程是描述该类介质波场传播的基本工具,在正演模拟、偏移成像与参数反演中起着关键作用．为了面向实际应用构建灵活、简便的各向异性波场传播算子,人们一直在寻求简化的各向异性波动方程．本文借鉴各向异性弹性波波型分离思想,通过对平面波形式的弹性波方程(即Christoffel方程)实施一种代表向波矢量方向投影的相似变换,推导出了一种适应任意各向异性介质、运动学上与原始弹性波方程完全等价,在动力学上突出qP波的新方程,即qP波伪纯模式波动方程．文中以横向各向同性(TI)介质为例,给出了相应的qP波伪纯模式波动方程及其声学与各向同性近似,并在此基础上开展了正演模拟和逆时偏移试验,展示了这种描述各向异性波场传播的新方程的特点与优势．     

Complex frequency-shifted multi-axial perfectly matched layer for frequency-domain seismic wavefield simulation in anisotropic media

Seismic anisotropy has an important influence on seismic data processing and interpretation. Although the frequency-domain seismic wavefield simulation has a problem of solving the large scale linear sparse matrix due to the computational limitations, it has some advantages over the time-domain seismic wavefield simulation including efficient inversion using only a limited number of frequency components and easy implementation of multiple sources. To accurately simulate seismic wave propagation in the frequency domain, we also need to choose the absorbing boundary conditions to absorb artificial reflections from edges of the model as we do in the time domain. Compared with the classical boundary conditions including the perfectly matched layer and complex frequency-shifted perfectly matched layer, the complex frequency-shifted multi-axial perfectly matched layer has been proven to effectively suppress the unwanted reflections at grazing incidence and solve the instability problem in the time-domain seismic numerical modelling in anisotropic elastic media. In this paper, we propose to extend the complex frequency-shifted multi-axial perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary condition to the frequency-domain seismic wavefield simulation in anisotropic elastic media. To test the validity of our proposed algorithm, we compare the results (snapshots and seismograms) of the frequency-domain seismic wavefield simulation with those of the time-domain modelling. The model studies indicate that the complex frequency-shifted multi-axial perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary condition is stable in the frequency-domain seismic wavefield simulation in anisotropic media, and provides better absorbing performance than the complex frequency-shifted perfectly matched layer boundary condition.     

裂缝诱导各向异性双孔隙介质波场传播特征

基于裂缝诱导各向异性和双相介质理论,对裂缝诱导的具有水平对称轴的横向各向同性（HTI）双孔隙介质的本构关系进行了研究,与等效连续介质模型相结合,综合考虑裂缝系统和基质孔隙系统的两种孔隙度和两种渗透率参数,得到裂缝诱导HTI双孔隙介质的等效孔隙度和等效渗透率,进而得到介质的运动平衡方程;并进一步推导出介质的一阶速度-应力方程.采用交错网格高阶有限差分法对模型进行了数值模拟,结果揭示了介质中两套系统的存在对其波场传播特征的影响,为进一步研究实际地球介质的波场特征奠定了基础.     

Numerical analysis of one-dimensional nonlinear acoustic wave

Numerical investigations on one-dimensional nonlinear acoustic wave with third and fourth order nonlinearities are presented using high-order finite-difference (HFD) operators with a simple flux-limiter (SFL) algorithm. As shown by our numerical tests, the HFDSFL method is able to produce more stable, accurate and conservative solutions to the nonlinear acoustic waves than those computed by finite-difference combined with the flux-corrected-transport algorithm. Unlike the linear acoustic waves, the nonlinear acoustic waves have variable phase velocity and waveform both in time-space (t-x) domain and frequency-wavenumber (f-k) domain; of our special interest is the behaviour during the propagation of nonlinear acoustic waves: the waveforms are strongly linked to the type of medium nonlinearities, generation of harmonics, frequency and wavenumber peak shifts. In seismic sense, these characteristics of nonlinear wave will introduce new issues during such seismic processing as Normal Moveout and f-k filter. Moreover, as shown by our numerical experiment for a four-layer model, the nonlinearities of media will introduce extra velocity errors in seismic velocity inversion.     

Paraxial ray methods in inhomogeneous anisotropic media: Initial conditions

Paraxial ray methods have found broad applications in the seismic ray method and in numerical modelling and interpretation of high-frequency seismic wave fields propagating in inhomogeneous, isotropic or anisotropic structures. The basic procedure in paraxial ray methods consists in dynamic ray tracing. We derive the initial conditions for dynamic ray equations in Cartesian coordinates, for rays initiated at three types of initial manifolds given in a three-dimensional medium: 1) curved surfaces (surface source), 2) isolated points (point source), and 3) curved, planar and non-planar lines (line source). These initial conditions are very general, valid for homogeneous or inhomogeneous, isotropic or anisotropic media, and for both a constant and a variable initial travel time along the initial manifold. The results presented in the paper considerably extend the possible applications of the paraxial ray method.