Seismic Imaging and Inversion: Volume 1
Application of Linear Inverse Theory

Describes the use of inverse scattering theory in seismic imaging for seismic processing practitioners and theoretical geophysicists.

Robert H. Stolt (Author), Arthur B. Weglein (Author)

9781108446662, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 1 March 2018

416 pages, 119 b/w illus. 1 table 43 exercises
24.5 x 17 x 2.9 cm, 0.75 kg

'… suitable for use as a textbook for a graduate-level geophysics course …' Michael McCormack, The Leading Edge

Extracting information from seismic data requires knowledge of seismic wave propagation and reflection. The commonly used method involves solving linearly for a reflectivity at every point within the Earth, but this book follows an alternative approach which invokes inverse scattering theory. By developing the theory of seismic imaging from basic principles, the authors relate the different models of seismic propagation, reflection and imaging - thus providing links to reflectivity-based imaging on the one hand and to nonlinear seismic inversion on the other. The comprehensive and physically complete linear imaging foundation developed presents new results at the leading edge of seismic processing for target location and identification. This book serves as a fundamental guide to seismic imaging principles and algorithms and their foundation in inverse scattering theory, and is a valuable resource for working geoscientists, scientific programmers and theoretical physicists.

1. Introduction: modeling, migration, imaging, and inversion
2. Basic migration concepts
3. Prestack migration
4. Migration limitations
5. Models for wave propagation and reflection
6. Green's functions
7. The scattering potential
8. Reflectivity
9. Synthesizing reflection data
10. f-k migration
11. Asymptotic modeling and migration
12. Residual asymptotic migration
13. Asymptotic data mapping and continuation
14. Least-squares asymptotic migration
Appendix A. Conventions and glossary of terms
Appendix B. Coordinates, vectors, and identities
Appendix C. Fourier and radon transforms
Appendix D. Surface and pointwise reflectivity
Appendix E. Useful filters
Appendix F. The phase integral and the stationary phase approximation
Appendix G. The diffraction integral
Appendix H. Wave-based, ray-based and reflector-based coordinates.

Subject Areas: Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Earth sciences [RB]