Multicomponent prestack depth migration

Abstract

When prestack depth migration is applied to real data, migration artifacts or false images due to limited observation geometry often make it difficult to interpret the migrated images. To reduce such unwanted artifacts in migration images, I propose here that information about incident angles or polarization directions of scattered waves at a receiving point obtained from multi-component data be incorporated into the extrapolation of wavefields in migration. In this method, a given arrival of a scattered wave is extrapolated in the direction focused on its incident direction at a receiving point to create a more correct migration image. Numerical examples show that by comparison with the migration that uses single-component data, the multi-component migration presented here can largely decrease migration artifacts or false images due to limited observation geometry and provide more correct and reliable subsurface images.