THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DIFFRACTION IN THE INVESTIGATION OF FAULTS

Abstract

Seismic reflection records taken across faults frequently show an overlapping of reflections from the displaced blocks. It is demonstrated that diffraction of seismic waves is a cause and the effect may be used in interpretation. Overlapping is increased if a seismic profile crosses a fault at an acute angle. Plotted dips will be inaccurate unless diffraction is taken into account. Further, the diffraction oscillation pattern will also be obtained if a reflection horizon terminates for a reason other than faulting, for example, at a wedgeout or reef edge, or at a sudden change of facies. The facts developed are demonstrated by practical examples in which attention is directed to the approximations involved in plotting the boundaries of discontinuities.