Some improvements in subbasalt imaging using pre-stack depth migration

Flecha, I.; Carbonell, R.; Hobbs, R.W.; Zeyen, H.

doi:10.5194/se-2-1-2011

Some improvements in subbasalt imaging using pre-stack depth migration

Flecha, I.; Carbonell, R.; Hobbs, R.W.; Zeyen, H.

Authors

I. Flecha

R. Carbonell

R.W. Hobbs

H. Zeyen

Abstract

Subbasalt imaging can be improved by carefully applying pre-stack depth migration. Pre-stack depth migration requires a detailed velocity model and an accurate traveltime calculation. Ray tracing methods are fast but, often fail in calculating traveltimes in complex models, specially, when they feature high velocity contrasts. Finitte difference solutions of the eikonal are more stable and can produce a traveltime field for the whole model avoiding shadow zones. A synthetic test was carried out to check the performance of a new pre-stack depth migration algorithm in a model that features a high velocity layer surrounded by lower velocities. The results reasonably reproduce the original model. The same scheme was used to process long-offset reflection data from the Faroe Shelf where conventional techniques (stack) were insufficient to assess the structure under a basalt layer. Pre-stack depth migration produced an improved image which recovered the main features in the stacked section and allowed to identify some subbasalt coherent events.

Citation

Flecha, I., Carbonell, R., Hobbs, R., & Zeyen, H. (2011). Some improvements in subbasalt imaging using pre-stack depth migration. Solid Earth, 2(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2-1-2011

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Nov 22, 2010
Online Publication Date	Jan 3, 2011
Publication Date	Jan 3, 2011
Deposit Date	Jan 16, 2012
Publicly Available Date	May 18, 2017
Journal	Solid Earth and Discussions
Print ISSN	1869-9510
Publisher	European Geosciences Union
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	2
Issue	1
Pages	1-7
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2-1-2011