Velocity Independent Seismic Imaging
, by Richard Ottolini
Normally, to image seismic data, one needs to know the velocity at every
sub-surface location. However, it is possible to image seismic data by
knowing the time dip(s) of the seismic data at every point on the recorded
seismic data. The advantage of this second scheme is that time dips, in
contrast to cvelocitiesm can be measured automatically without picking.
The algorithm in this paper is to decompose the seismic data into sections
of constant time dip, apply a velocity independent imaging operation to
each dip section, and finally recompose the dip sections into an image.
This method applies where there are laterally redundant reflections from
the same sub-suface point in the form of a hyperbola. This includes zero
offset section diffractions, stacking, and migration before stack in depth
variable velocity media.
STANFORD