Image reconstruction in exploration geophysics

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · IEEE Trans. Sonics Ultrason.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/T-SU.1984.31506· OSTI ID:5215358

Robinson, E A

Geophysical inversion seeks to determine the structure of the interior of the earth from data obtained at the surface. The entire seismic experiment can be described as a propagating wavefield, and the observed seismic data represent the values of this wavefield measured at the surface of the earth. The seismic data processing technique known as migration represents a method of first reconstructing this wavefield, and then extracting from this wavefield an image of the subsurface structure. More specifically, migration may be described as the process of the depropagation of the surface seismic data backward in time, and the required image is obtained when time is reduced to zero. Because the depropagation process itself requires knowledge of the unknown structure, various types of migration processes have evolved to overcome this difficulty. In the popular methods of constant-velocity migration and stratified-velocity migration, statistical arguments are used as justification, whereas in the method known as depth migration, an iterative improvement approach can be used.

• Research Organization: University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
• OSTI ID: 5215358
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Sonics Ultrason.; (United States), Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Sonics Ultrason.; (United States) Vol. SU-31:4; ISSN IESUA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580203* -- Geophysics-- Geophysical Survey Methods-- (1980-1989)
DATA PROCESSING
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
IMAGE PROCESSING
ITERATIVE METHODS
PROCESSING
REMOTE SENSING
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES
SURVEYS
WAVE PROPAGATION