Time-shift imaging condition for converted waves |
Migration velocity analysis after migration by wavefield extrapolation requires image decomposition in scattering angles relative to reflector normals. Several methods have been proposed for such decompositions (Soubaras, 2003; Rickett and Sava, 2002; Xie and Wu, 2002; Biondi et al., 2003; Fomel, 2004; Prucha et al., 1999; Mosher and Foster, 2000; de Bruin et al., 1990; Sava and Fomel, 2003). These procedures require decomposition of extrapolated wavefields in variables that are related to the reflection angle.
A key component of such image decompositions is the imaging condition. A careful implementation of the imaging condition preserves all information necessary to decompose images in their angle-dependent components. The challenge is efficient and reliable construction of these angle-dependent images for velocity or amplitude analysis.
In migration with wavefield extrapolation, a prestack imaging condition based on spatial shifts of the source and receiver wavefields allows for angle-decomposition (Rickett and Sava, 2002; Sava and Fomel, 2005a). Such formed angle-gathers describe reflectivity as a function of reflection angles and are powerful tools for migration velocity analysis (MVA) or amplitude versus angle analysis (AVA). However, due to the large expense of space-time cross-correlations, especially in three dimensions, this imaging methodology is not yet used routinely in data processing.
A different form of imaging condition involves time-shifts instead of space-shifts between wavefields computed from sources and receivers (Sava and Fomel, 2006). Similarly to the space-shift imaging condition, an image is built by space-time cross-correlations of subsurface wavefields, and multiple lags of the time cross-correlation are preserved in the image. Time-shifts have physical meaning that can be related directly to reflection geometry, similarly to the procedure used for space-shifts. Furthermore, time-shift imaging is cheaper to apply than space-shift imaging, and thus it might alleviate some of the difficulties posed by costly cross-correlations in 3D space-shift imaging condition.
The time-shift imaging concept is applicable to Kirchhoff migration, migration by wavefield extrapolation, or reverse-time migration. This concept is also applicable to migration of single-mode (PP) or converted-mode (PS) waves. In this paper, we develop the theory and show examples of angle decomposition after time-shift imaging of converted waves. All formulas developed for this purpose reduce to the previously-derived formulas for decomposition of single-mode images (Sava and Fomel, 2006,2005a).
Time-shift imaging condition for converted waves |