Finite-difference solutions of the 3-D eikonal equation

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:542999

Fei, Tong; Fehler, M C; Hildebrand, S T ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)

Prestack Kirchhoff depth migration requires the computation of traveltimes from surface source and receiver locations to subsurface image locations. In 3-D problems, computational efficiency becomes important. Finite-difference solutions of the eikonal equation provide computationally efficient methods for generating the traveltime information. Here, a novel finite-difference solutions of the eikonal equation provide computationally efficient methods for generating the traveltime information. Here, a novel finite-difference method for computing the first arrival traveltime by solving the eikonal equation has been developed in Cartesian coordinates. The method, which is unconditionally stable and computationally efficient, can handle instabilities due to caustics and provide information about head waves. The comparison of finite-difference solutions of the acoustic wave equation with the traveltime solutions from the eikonal equation in various structure models demonstrate that the method developed here can provide correct first arrival traveltime information even in areas of complex velocity structure.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 542999
• Report Number(s): CONF-951013--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPLORATION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES
VELOCITY
WAVE PROPAGATION