A THEORY OF ACOUSTIC DIFFRACTORS APPLIED TO 2-D MODELS*

Finite-offset seismic reflection modeling of acoustic waves, propagating in a two-dimensional depth section of arbitrary complexity, is discussed. The procedure developed employs the principles of simplified (far-field) diffractor theory and ray tracing. Each reflector is represented by a set of discrete secondary sources or diffractors and the wavefield associated with each diffractor is calculated directly in the time domain by ray tracing. Reflections and diffractions are subsequently built up by the numerical superposition of these wavefields. This superposition is nondispersive for all frequencies for which the Fresnel zones are large compared with the diffractor separation. All primary travel paths connecting the shot to diffractor and diffractor to geophone are accounted for together with phase changes induced by focal events. The method allows the modeling of arbitrary trace gathers for energy originating from selected reflectors. The nonsequential nature of the algorithm makes it suited to machines capable of carrying out many similar operations in parallel or concurrently. Diffractor theory also provides physical insight into wave scattering and focusing. In particular, the half-differential waveform associated with a line diffractor leads to an explanation of the 90° phase lead induced by a cylindrical focus and, similarly, the full differential waveform of a point diffractor can be used to explain the 180° phase shift induced by a point focus.     

基于谱元法数值模拟研究地震判定准则

本文以宁夏区域地震台网为例,分析了波形互相关法在判定重复地震中可能存在的问题并讨论了相应的处理方法,通过构建三维非均匀体模型并利用谱元法数值模拟地震波的传播,统计了不同台站观测到的地震对波形互相关系数的分布,进一步研究了互相关系数与非均匀体性质及震源机制解之间的关系。结果表明:针对宁夏区域地震台网,利用波形互相关法判定重复地震比地震定位方法更有效;互相关系数在不同台站的取值与震源附近三维非均匀体强度和直达波与尾波的振幅比有关,对于相同的震源间距,较弱震源、较弱非均匀体或者较强振幅的直达波均会导致波形互相关系数变高,因此应选取更高的互相关系数阀值来判定重复地震。宁夏区域地震台网平均台间距为30—50 km,通过选取直达波较弱的台站或只截取尾波窗口计算互相关系数并设定较高的阀值,利用波形互相关法可有效地判定M_L1.0—3.0重复地震,进而为重复地震的监测与研究提供依据。      

Diffraction imaging by prestack reverse‐time migration in the dip‐angle domain

Prestack image volumes may be decomposed into specular and non‐specular parts by filters defined in the dip‐angle domain. For space‐shift extended image volumes, the dip‐angle decomposition is derived via local Radon transform in depth and midpoint coordinates, followed by an averaging over space‐shifts. We propose to employ prestack space‐shift extended reverse‐time migration and dip‐angle decomposition for imaging small‐scale structural elements, considered as seismic diffractors, in models with arbitrary complexity. A suitable design of a specularity filter in the dip‐angle domain rejects the dominant reflectors and enhances diffractors and other non‐specular image content. The filter exploits a clear discrimination in dip between specular reflections and diffractions. The former are stationary at the specular dip, whereas the latter are non‐stationary without a preferred dip direction. While the filtered image volume features other than the diffractor images (for example, noise and truncation artefacts are also present), synthetic and field data examples suggest that diffractors tend to dominate and are readily recognisable. Averaging over space‐shifts in the filter construction makes the reflectors? rejection robust against migration velocity errors. Another consequence of the space‐shift extension and its angle‐domain transforms is the possibility of exploring the image in a multiple set of common‐image gathers. The filtered diffractions may be analysed simultaneously in space‐shift, scattering‐angle, and dip‐angle image gathers by means of a single migration job. The deliverables of our method obviously enrich the processed material on the interpreter's desk. We expect them to further supplement our understanding of the Earth's interior.     

Model‐based attenuation for scattered dispersive waves

Coherent noise in land seismic data primarily consists in source‐generated surface‐wave modes. The component that is traditionally considered most relevant is the so‐called ground roll, consisting in surface‐wave modes propagating directly from sources to receivers. In many geological situations, near?surface heterogeneities and discontinuities, as well as topography irregularities, diffract the surface waves and generate secondary events, which can heavily contaminate records. The diffracted and converted surface waves are often called scattered noise and can be a severe problem particularly in areas with shallow or outcropping hard lithological formations. Conventional noise attenuation techniques are not effective with scattering: they can usually address the tails but not the apices of the scattered events. Large source and receiver arrays can attenuate scattering but only in exchange for a compromise to signal fidelity and resolution. We present a model?based technique for the scattering attenuation, based on the estimation of surface‐wave properties and on the prediction of surface waves with a complex path involving diffractions. The properties are estimated first, to produce surface?consistent volumes of the propagation properties. Then, for all gathers to filter, we integrate the contributions of all possible diffractors, building a scattering model. The estimated scattered wavefield is then subtracted from the data. The method can work in different domains and copes with aliased surface waves. The benefits of the method are demonstrated with synthetic and real data.     

Diffraction imaging by uniform asymptotic theory and double exponential fitting

Seismic diffracted waves carry valuable information for identifying geological discontinuities. Unfortunately, the diffraction energy is generally too weak, and standard seismic processing is biased to imaging reflection. In this paper, we present a dynamic diffraction imaging method with the aim of enhancing diffraction and increasing the signal‐to‐noise ratio. The correlation between diffraction amplitudes and their traveltimes generally exists in two forms, with one form based on the Kirchhoff integral formulation, and the other on the uniform asymptotic theory. However, the former will encounter singularities at geometrical shadow boundaries, and the latter requires the computation of a Fresnel integral. Therefore, neither of these methods is appropriate for practical applications. Noting the special form of the Fresnel integral, we propose a least‐squares fitting method based on double exponential functions to study the amplitude function of diffracted waves. The simple form of the fitting function has no singularities and can accelerate the calculation of diffraction amplitude weakening coefficients. By considering both the fitting weakening function and the polarity reversal property of the diffracted waves, we modify the conventional Kirchhoff imaging conditions and formulate a diffraction imaging formula. The mechanism of the proposed diffraction imaging procedure is based on the edge diffractor, instead of the idealized point diffractor. The polarity reversal property can eliminate the background of strong reflection and enhance the diffraction by same‐phase summation. Moreover,the fitting weakening function of diffraction amplitudes behaves like an inherent window to optimize the diffraction imaging aperture by its decaying trend. Synthetic and field data examples reveal that the proposed diffraction imaging method can meet the requirement of high‐resolution imaging, with the edge diffraction fully reinforced and the strong reflection mostly eliminated.     

CGP叠加柱面波偏移成像方法

针对松辽盆地薄砂层油藏的地震勘探问题,提出了一种共检波器接收点(CGP)叠加柱面波偏移成像方法。该方法对小炮点距、小检波器点距、中间放炮观测系统采集地震资料,经CGP道集叠加组合成柱面波剖面;采用下行波射线法向下延拓和上行波波动方程向下延拓的方法,使柱面波剖面偏移成像。通过模型分析和对松辽盆地TK8157测线资料进行处理证明该方法的地震分辨率和保真度较高,在发现小砂体、小断层、地层尖灭等方面有较好的效果。     

EXTENDED MARINE ARRAYS VERSUS SIMULATED EXTENDED ARRAYS*

Two factors are responsible for the fact that an extended marine source array performs better than a point source: 1. a higher degree of transmission of the radiated seismic energy through the water-sediment interface providing a better penetration; 2. filtering effects. The higher degree of transmission is due to: (a) the directivity of extended sources, (b) the lower reflection coefficient at the water-sediment interface for seismic waves radiated from an extended source array than for spherical seismic waves radiated from a point source, (c) the lower amplitude decay of the pulses from an extended source than from a point source. In addition, signature characteristic of an extended source array and Fresnel zone of waves generated by such a source differ from those corresponding to a point source. The propagating wavelet radiated from a point source array may not be, in a sedimentary sequence below the sea-floor, the linear combination of wavelets emitted from point sources. In such cases, there is a noticeable difference between the performance of a field-implemented source array and that of the corresponding simulated source array. The performances of the field-implemented and simulated extended receiver arrays can be identical if the recording system is adequate and the processing technique appropriate.     

3D MODELLING OF DIFFRACTIONS OBSERVED ON DEEP REFLECTION LINE DEKORP 2-S1

DEKORP 2-S is the first profile carried out in the German continental reflection seismic programme. Besides numerous reflections in the lower crust, the seismic section is characterized by strongly curved events that are interpreted as diffractions. These diffractions occur as clusters, mainly in two areas of the profile: the Dinkelsbühl and the Spessart area. This paper deals with the Dinkelsbühl diffractions where three-dimensional control is available. The control is provided by two additional profiles P-1 and Q-40 which run parallel and perpendicular to the main line, DEKORP 2-S. The type and the location of the diffractors are determined by traveltime-modelling using crustal velocity functions derived from in-line wide-angle observations. A model with inclined line diffractors provides the best fit to the data for all three profiles. Projections of these line diffractors to the surface show that they are aligned parallel to the strike direction of the Variscides. This suggests that the diffractions are associated with the suture zone between the Saxothuringian and Moldanubian geological provinces.     

Locating near-surface scatterers using non-physical scattered waves resulting from seismic interferometry

We use controlled-source seismic interferometry (SI) and inversion in a unique way to estimate the location of near-surface scatterers and a corner diffractor by using non-physical (ghost) scattered surface and body waves. The ghosts are arrivals obtained by SI due to insufficient destructive interference in the summation process of correlated responses from a boundary of enclosing sources. Only one source at the surface is sufficient to obtain the ghost scattered wavefield. We obtain ghost scattered waves for several virtual-source locations. To determine the location of the scatterer, we invert the obtained ghost traveltimes by solving the inverse problem. We demonstrate the method using scattered surface waves. We perform finite-difference numerical simulations of a near-surface scatterer starting with a very simple model and increase the complexity by including lateral inhomogeneity. Especially for the model with lateral variations, we show the effectiveness of the method and demonstrate the estimation of the subsurface location of a corner diffractor using S-waves. In all models we obtain very good estimations of the location of the scatterer.     

Anisotropy parameter inversion in vertical axis of symmetry media using diffractions

Diffractions play a vital role in seismic processing as they can be utilized for high‐resolution imaging applications and analysis of subsurface medium properties like velocity. They are particularly valuable for anisotropic media as they inherently possess a wide range of dips necessary to resolve the angular dependence of velocity. However, until recently, the focus of diffraction imaging or inversion algorithms have been only on the isotropic approximation of the subsurface. Using diffracted waves, we develop a framework to invert for the effective η model. This effective model is obtained through scanning over possible effective η values and selecting the one that best fits the observed moveout curve for each diffractor location. The obtained effective η model is then converted to an interval η model using a Dix‐type inversion formula. The inversion methodology holds the potential to reconstruct the true η model with sufficiently high accuracy and resolution properties. However, it relies on an accurate estimation of diffractor locations, which in turn requires good knowledge of the background velocity model. We test the effectiveness and applicability of our method on the vertical transverse isotropic Marmousi model. The inversion results yield a reasonable match even for the complex Marmousi model.     

Suppression of near‐surface scattered body‐to‐surface waves: a steerable and nonlinear filtering approach

We present an approach based on local‐slope estimation for the separation of scattered surface waves from reflected body waves. The direct and scattered surface waves contain a significant amount of seismic energy. They present great challenges in land seismic data acquisition and processing, particularly in arid regions with complex near‐surface heterogeneities (e.g., dry river beds, wadis/large escarpments, and karst features). The near‐surface scattered body‐to‐surface waves, which have comparable amplitudes to reflections, can mask the seismic reflections. These difficulties, added to large amplitude direct and back‐scattered surface (Rayleigh) waves, create a major reduction in signal‐to‐noise ratio and degrade the final sub‐surface image quality. Removal of these waves can be difficult using conventional filtering methods, such as an filter, without distorting the reflected signal. The filtering algorithm we present is based on predicting the spatially varying slope of the noise, using steerable filters, and separating the signal and noise components by applying a directional nonlinear filter oriented toward the noise direction to predict the noise and then subtract it from the data. The slope estimation step using steerable filters is very efficient. It requires only a linear combination of a set of basis filters at fixed orientation to synthesize an image filtered at an arbitrary orientation. We apply our filtering approach to simulated data as well as to seismic data recorded in the field to suppress the scattered surface waves from reflected body waves, and we demonstrate its superiority over conventional techniques in signal preservation and noise suppression.     

Seismic intensity distribution of shallow earthquakes due to rupture velocities and faulting modes

Isoseismals of seismic intensity distributions are represented by earthquake source size, faulting mode, and rupture velocity of fault propagation. Unilateral faulting forms egg—shaped isoseimals, while bilateral faulting forms elliptical ones. It is found that the ratio of major to minor axes of isoseismals is sensitive to rupture velocity. Rupture velocity, faulting mode, and fault trend have been determined from the seismic intensity maps of the 1964 Niigata and the 1983 Japan Sea earthquakes in China by matching theoretical isoseismals. Rupture velocities thus estimated are mostly 70% to 90% of shear wave velocity. The difference would be considered as follows: short—waves which determine the seismic intensity are strongly dependent on the rupture of small—scale fault heterogeneities and on the jerky—onsets and abrupt terminations of local rupture propagations. On the other hand, rupture velocity from long—waves represents an average rupture propagation along the whole fault length. Faulting mode and fault trend estimated from seismic intensity maps match with each earthquake faulting independently determined. This suggests that the present method would be applicable to some historical earthquakes with known seismic intensity distribution to obtain detailed information on the faulting process.     

Coda waves: A review

The analysis and interpretation of coda waves have received increasing attention since the early seventies. In the past few years interest in this subject has spread worldwide, and the study of high-frequency seismic coda waves has become a very important seismological topic. As a conclusion of the studies accomplished in this time, coda waves are considered the result of scattering processes caused by heterogeneities acting on seismic waves.P andS waves play a particularly important role in this interaction. The process introduces an attenuation which, added to the intrinsic absorption, gives the observed apparent attenuation. Therefore, coda waves constitute a thumbprint left by the heterogeneities on the seismograms. Coda waves offer decisive information about the mechanism of how scattering and attenuation take place. This review describes coda waves in detail, and summarizes the work done in this subject to 1986. The relation between coda waves and attenuation in the context of research on seismic scattering problems is stressed. Particular attention has been given to the application of coda waves to estimate source and medium parameters. The state-of-the-art of the temporal variations of coda wave shape, and the possible use of these variations as an earthquake precursor also are presented. Care has been taken to introduce the statistical models used to deal with the heterogeneities responsible for scattering.     

Precise arrival time detection of polarized seismic waves using the spectral matrix

I present a statistical method for detecting the arrival times of polarized seismic waves on three-component seismic observations in the time and frequency domains. In this method, the polarization, which is a representation of the 3D particle motion of seismic waves, is evaluated on the basis of a spectral matrix in the time and frequency domains and the statistical parameters are defined by using the eigenvalues of the spectral matrix for detecting the arrival times of linearly and elliptically polarized waves, where the idea of a statistical test of hypothesis is introduced. An evaluation of a synthetic signal revealed that the method can detect the arrival times of linearly and elliptically polarized waves within 10 sampling points at signal-to-noise ratios of −7 dB. Application of the method to an earthquake suggested that it can be used to detect the arrival times of both linearly and elliptically polarized waves, which are difficult to identify manually.     

Automatic pickup of arrival time of channel wave based on multi-channel constraints

Accurately detecting the arrival time of a channel wave in a coal seam is very important for in-seam seismic data processing. The arrival time greatly affects the accuracy of the channel wave inversion and the computed tomography (CT) result. However, because the signal-to-noise ratio of in-seam seismic data is reduced by the long wavelength and strong frequency dispersion, accurately timing the arrival of channel waves is extremely difficult. For this purpose, we propose a method that automatically picks up the arrival time of channel waves based on multi-channel constraints. We first estimate the Jaccard similarity coefficient of two ray paths, then apply it as a weight coefficient for stacking the multichannel dispersion spectra. The reasonableness and effectiveness of the proposed method is verified in an actual data application. Most importantly, the method increases the degree of automation and the pickup precision of the channel-wave arrival time.     

Seismic recognition of local inhomogeneities

A simple method to contour local inhomogeneities using seismic data is proposed. It formalizes an approximate inversion method which is based on the interpretation of local inhomogeneities as making the differences between an actual seismic data set and a previous reference model. It uses the optimal statistical criteria of parameter estimation and recognition and the ray representation of the waves spreading. Any combination of direct, reflected and/or other types of waves may be used as the database. Inhomogeneities, having a size two times above the wavelength of the seismic waves, can be resolved. Laboratory experiments, using ultrasonic waves and analysis of data from field experiments, confirmed the theoretical results. The method can be used to search for ore bodies, kimberlite cubes, oiltraps, etc.     

地方震尾波震级的初步研究

地方震尾波由地壳横向不均匀性而产生的反向散射波组成。从这一观点出发,根据尾波随掠过时间的衰减特性,结合地震矩对数和地方震里克特地震级的线性关系,导出利用任一掠过时间的震尾来计算的尾波震级Mc公式。它的简化形式可以和持续时间震级的表达式近似一致。尾波震级可作为持续时间震级的一种广义形式,它是直接从震源地震矩导出的震级标度,从而为解释持续时间震级物理基础提供了可能的途径。应用于丹江地震台的资料,得到丹江口及邻区的尾波品质因子和介质函数以及地震矩对数和震级的期望关系,同时得到实用于该台的持续时间震级和简化尾波震级公式。     

BLOCKING SURFACE WAVES BY A CUT PHYSICAL SEISMIC MODEL RESULTS1

High resolution seismic reflection exploration for minerals places severe demands on field practice so as to maximize the signal-to-noise bandwidth. In particular, all horizontally propagating coherent noise, especially ground roll, must be attenuated. The blocking effect of a trench between source and receiver has been investigated by means of two-dimensional physical seismic model experiments. Rectangular, circular and wedge-shaped saw-cuts of various dimensions were studied. The results show that thin rectangular cuts of depth equal to one-quarter of the Rayleigh wave noise wavelength produce a 12 dB or better improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. Rayleigh wave attenuation is greater than 30 dB at a cut depth of one wavelength. In the field applications envisaged, this corresponds to trenches up to a few metres deep. The trenches should be filled with foam or loose sand to dampen out mode conversion and diffraction noise. There are obvious practical difficulties of implementing such a technique in routine CMP operations. The technical effectiveness of the saw-cut is illustrated by imaging a deeply-buried small hole (diffractor) in an aluminium plate. Without the saw-cut between source and receiver, the seismic record is dominated by Rayleigh wave noise, masking P-wave arrivals from the target diffractor. However, with a saw-cut of depth three-quarters of a Rayleigh wave wavelength, the improvement is dramatic, making it easy to detect and identify the hole. When scaled to the field situation, this is equivalent to imaging a 6 m tunnel at a depth of 400 m, using a surface trench of depth 2 m to block ground roll.     

Increasing illumination and sensitivity of reverse‐time migration with internal multiples

Reverse‐time migration is a two‐way time‐domain finite‐frequency technique that accurately handles the propagation of complex scattered waves and produces a band‐limited representation of the subsurface structure that is conventionally assumed to be linear in the contrasts in model parameters. Because of this underlying linear single‐scattering assumption, most implementations of this method do not satisfy the energy conservation principle and do not optimally use illumination and model sensitivity of multiply scattered waves. Migrating multiply scattered waves requires preserving the non‐linear relation between the image and perturbation of model parameters. I modify the extrapolation of source and receiver wavefields to more accurately handle multiply scattered waves. I extend the concept of the imaging condition in order to map into the subsurface structurally coherent seismic events that correspond to the interaction of both singly and multiply scattered waves. This results in an imaging process referred to here as non‐linear reverse‐time migration. It includes a strategy that analyses separated contributions of singly and multiply scattered waves to a final non‐linear image. The goal is to provide a tool suitable for seismic interpretation and potentially migration velocity analysis that benefits from increased illumination and sensitivity from multiply scattered seismic waves. It is noteworthy that this method can migrate internal multiples, a clear advantage for imaging challenging complex subsurface features, e.g., in salt and basalt environments. The results of synthetic seismic imaging experiments, including a subsalt imaging example, illustrate the technique.     

Arctangent function‐based third derivative attribute for characterisation of faults

Using seismic attributes such as coherence and curvature to characterise faults not only can improve the efficiency of seismic interpretation but also can expand the capability to detect faults. The coherence and curvature have been widely applied to characterising faults for years. These two methods detect faults based on the similarity of seismic waveforms and shapes of the reflectors, respectively, and they are complementary to each other and both have advantages and disadvantages in fault characterisation. A recent development in fault characterisation based on reflector shapes has been the use of the rate of change of curvature. Through an application to the seismic data from Western Tazhong of the Tarim Basin, China, it was demonstrated that the rate of change of curvature is more capable of detecting subtle faults having quite small throws and heaves. However, there often exist multiple extreme values indicating the same fault when applying the rate of change of curvature, which significantly degrades the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the computation result for multiple extrema interfering with each other. To resolve this problem, we propose the use of a linear combination of arctangent and proportional functions as the directrix of a cylindrical surface to fit the fault model and calculate its third derivative, which can then be used to characterise the fault. Through an application to the 3D seismic data from Western Tazhong of the Tarim Basin, the results show that the proposed method not only retains the same capability to detect subtle faults having small throws as the curvature change rate but also greatly improves the signal‐to‐noise ratio of the calculated result.