AbstractThe apparent reflectivity estimation is a fundamental issue in seismic data processing, usually it is obtained by the inversion approach. In this paper, based on the combination of seismic migration and seismic linear inverse theory, and using the preserved amplitude one‐way wave propagator, the preserved amplitude wave equation prestack migration algorithm, and the techniques of angle‐domain wave equation migration and illumination compensation in imaging space, an apparent reflectivity estimation method for subsurface reflector is presented through the one‐way wave equation migration. Some numerical tests on theoretical models are implemented. The apparent reflectivity estimation obtained by the method presented in this paper is the reflectivity of small incident angle close to the normal direction.