High Order Generalized Screen Propagator for Wave Equation Prestack Depth Migration

Abstract

AbstractDifferent from the scattering theory used in the derivation of conventional generalized screen propagator, in this paper, a high order formula of generalized screen propagator for one‐way wave equation is proposed by using the asymptotic expansion of single‐square‐root operator. The high order generalized screen propagator improves not only the calculation precision of conventional generalized screen propagator, but also the suitability of generalized screen propagator to the media with strong lateral‐velocity variation. Applying the high order generalized screen propagator to wave equation prestack depth migration can get a better migration result than that of conventional generalized screen propagator. The higher the order number of generalized screen propagator, the higher the calculation precision, and the more the calculation amount. Using the wave equation prestack depth migration on SEG‐EAGE 2‐D salt dome model as an example, the second‐order generalized screen propagator increases 30% calculation work relative to the conventional (one‐order) generalized screen propagator. The presentation of high order generalized screen propagator is a theoretic development and improvement to the conventional generalized screen propagator.