Reverse time migration of CMP-gathers an effective tool for the determination of interval velocities

One of the most important steps in the conventional processing of reflection seismic data is common midpoint (CMP) stacking. However, this step has considerable deficiencies. For instance the reflection or diffraction time curves used for normal moveout corrections must be hyperbolae. Furthermore, undesirable frequency changes by stretching are produced on account of the dependence of the normal moveout corrections on reflection times. Still other drawbacks of conventional CMP stacking could be listed.One possibility to avoid these disadvantages is to replace conventional CMP stacking by a process of migration to be discussed in this paper. For this purpose the Sherwood-Loewenthal model of the exploding reflector has to be extended to an exploding point model with symmetry to the lineP _EX M whereP _EX is the exploding point, alias common reflection point, andM the common midpoint of receiver and source pairs.Kirchhoff summation is that kind of migration which is practically identical with conventional CMP stacking with the exception that Kirchhoff summation provides more than one resulting trace.In this paper reverse time migration (RTM) was adopted as a tool to replace conventional CMP stacking. This method has the merit that it uses the full wave equation and that a direct depth migration is obtained, the velocityv can be any function of the local coordinatesx, y, z. Since the quality of the reverse time migration is highly dependent on the correct choice of interval velocities such interval velocities can be determined stepwise from layer to layer, and there is no need to compute interval velocities from normal moveout velocities by sophisticated mathematics or time consuming modelling. It will be shown that curve velocity interfaces do not impair the correct determination of interval velocities and that more precise velocity values are obtained by avoiding or restricting muting due to non-hyperbolic normal moveout curves.Finally it is discussed how in the case of complicated structures the reverse time migration of CMP gathers can be modified in such a manner that the combination of all reverse time migrated CMP gathers yields a correct depth migrated section. This presupposes, however, a preliminary data processing and interpretation.     

Mitteilungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Role of renewable energy in climate mitigation: a synthesis of recent scenarios

The role of renewable energy in climate change mitigation is explored through a review of 162 recent medium- to long-term scenarios from 15 large-scale, energy-economic and integrated assessment models. The current state of knowledge from this community is assessed and its implications drawn for the strategic context in which policymakers and other decision-makers might consider renewable energy. The scenario set is distinguished from previous ones in that it contains more detailed information on renewable deployment levels. All the scenarios in this study were published during or after 2006. Within the context of a large-scale assessment, the analysis is guided primarily by four questions. What sorts of future levels of renewable energy deployment are consistent with different CO₂ concentration goals? Which classes of renewable energy will be the most prominent energy producers and how quickly might they expand production? Where might an expansion in renewable energy occur? What is the linkage between the costs of mitigation and an expansion of renewable energy?     

Ein submariner RÜcken im Arktischen Mittelmeer

Summary American and Soviet-Russian researches within the range of the so called pole of relative inaccessibility in the polar region are the subject of the foregoing concise report which leads up to the statement that the American explorers were the first to discover the Polar Ridge. Proceeding from the Polar Ridge as such, the existence of which is not in dispute, and considering the cartographic representations by the Russian explorers, it may be convenient to remember here Harris' hypothesis of a possible existence of the so called Harris-Land and to propose to call the recently newly discovered polar ridge—in contrast to the Russian explorers—Harris Ridge instead of Lomonosov Range.

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Une dorsale sousmarine polaire

Résumé Les recherches des savants américains et des explorateurs soviétiques dans le voisinage du »pÔle d'inaccessibilité relative« de la Région Polaire font l'object de ce rapport concis qui a conduit l'auteur à constater que les savants américains furent les premiers à découvrir la Dorsale Polaire. La Dorsale Polaire en soi, dont l'existence n'est pas contestée, et l'étude des représentations cartographiques des explorateurs soviétiques donnent lieu à rappeler ici l'hypothèse de Harris par rapport à la présence eventuelle de la Terre dite Harris. Il convient donc de proposer ici d'appeler cette dorsale sousmarine polaire découverte récemment — contrairement à l'habitude des savants russes—Dorsale Harris au lieu de Chaine Lomonosoff.

     

Interbasinal marker intervals—A case study from the Jurassic basins of Kachchh and Jaisalmer,western India

The Kachchh Basin and the Jaisalmer Basin are two neighboring Mesozoic sedimentary basins at the western margin of the Indian craton. The Jurassic succession of the Kachchh Basin is more complete and more fossiliferous than that of the Jaisalmer Basin. Consequently, intrabasinal correlation of the sedimentary units has been possible in the Kachchh Basin, but not in the Jaisalmer Basin. However, some marker beds existing in the Kachchh Basin can be recognized also in the Jaisalmer Basin. Ammonite evidence shows that they are time-equivalent. The following four units form marker intervals in both basins: (1) the pebbly rudstone unit with Isastrea bernardiana and Leptosphinctes of the Kaladongar Formation (Kachchh Basin) and the Isastrea bernardiana-bearing rudstone of the Jaisalmer Formation (Jaisalmer Basin) both represent transgressive systems tract deposits dated as Late Bajocian; (2) bioturbated micrites with anomalodesmatan bivalves within the Goradongar Yellow Flagstone Member (Kachchh Basin) and bioturbated units in the Fort Member (Jaisalmer Basin) represent maximum flooding zone deposits of the Middle to Late Bathonian; (3) trough-crossbedded, sandy pack- to grainstones of the Raimalro Limestone Member (Kachchh Basin) and the basal limestone-sandstone unit of the Kuldhar section of the Jaisalmer Formation (Jaisalmer Basin) correspond to Late Bathonain transgressive systems tract deposits; and (4) ferruginous ooid-bearing carbonates with hardgrounds of the Dhosa Oolite member (Kachchh Basin) and the middle part of the Jajiya Member (Jaisalmer Basin) are Oxfordian transgressive systems tract deposits. The fact that in both basins similar biofacies prevailed during certain time intervals demonstrates a common control of their depositional history. As the two basins represent different tectonic settings, the most likely controlling factors were the relative sea-level changes produced by eustatic processes, a common subsidence history of the northwestern margin of the Indian craton, and the paleoclimate.     

In Memoriam

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Großkreisdifferenzgleichen

Summary Echo soundings of the U.S. Cruiser Milwaukee in the Puerto Rico Trough in 1939 are briefly discussed, and two depths of 30246 feet or 9219 m, found at 19° 36 N, 68° 20.5 W and at 19° 35N, 68° 8.75W, are stated to be the greatest depths which are known so far in the Atlantic Ocean.     

Improved Determination of Ethane (C2H6) Abundance in Titan's Stratosphere

Ethane spectral lines were observed in emission from Titan in August 1993, October 1995, and September 1996, at a spectral resolution of λ/Δλ≈10⁶, at wavelength 11.7−11.9 μm using the Goddard Infrared Heterodyne Spectrometer at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The ethane mole fraction is determined to be (8.8±2.2)×10⁻⁶ (68.3% confidence limits, “1σ”), averaging the retrievals from each observing run obtained using the “recommended” thermal profile of R. V. Yelle, D. Strobel, E. Lellouch, and D. Gautier (1997, in Huygens: Science, Payload, and Mission (J.-P. Lebreton, Ed.), pp. 243-256, European Space Agency SP-1177).