DECOMPOSITION AND INVERSION OF SEISMIC DATA–AN INSTANTANEOUS SLOWNESS APPROACH*

Abstract

ABSTRACT Interpretation techniques are presented that aim at the estimation of seismic velocities. The application of localized slant stacks, weighted by coherency, produces a decomposition of multichannel seismic data into single trace instantaneous slowness p(x, t) components. Colour displays support the interpretation of seismic data relevant to the near surface velocity structure. Since p(x, t) is directly related to stacking velocities and the depth of reflection, or bottoming points, in the subsurface, this data transformation provides a powerful tool for the inversion of reflection and refraction data.