Predictive deconvolution

The attenuation of short-period multiples (most notably reverberations from relatively flat, shallow water-bottom) can be achieved with predictive deconvolution. The periodicity of the multiples is exploited to design an operator that identifies and removes the predictable part of the wavelet (multiples), leaving only its non-predictable part (signal). The key assumption is that genuine reflections come from an earth reflectivity series that can be considered random and therefore not predictable (Yilmaz, 1987). In general, for other than short-period multiples, only moderate success can be achieved with this simple, one-dimensional procedure.

In principle, deterministic deconvolution can be used to remove water-bottom reverberations when the exact depth and speed of sound of the water layer are known. Since these conditions are rarely met, deterministic deconvolution is not widely used, despite the elegance of its closed, exact mathematical formulation (, ).