In recent times, seismic imaging efforts around the
world have focused on increasingly complex earth
models that are not only heterogeneous, but
anisotropic as well. Focusing my investigation on
the simplest realistic heterogeneous anisotropic
model --- factorized VTI (transversely isotropic
with a vertical symmetry axis) medium with constant
vertical and lateral gradients in vertical velocity,
I develop insights into how anisotropy and
heterogeneity are coupled, and determine what
parameters can be estimated uniquely from surface
seismic data. I then outline a robust parameter
estimation algorithm that is suitable for building a
spatially varying anisotropic velocity field for
depth imaging. Application of my algorithm to two
field lines from West Africa confirms the presence
of anisotropy and lateral heterogeneity and results
in better images than those previously obtained. The
analysis should help towards increasing our
understanding of seismic imaging and tomography, and
should be useful to Geoscientists studying seismic
images, or anyone else interested in wave
propagation in the earth.
world have focused on increasingly complex earth
models that are not only heterogeneous, but
anisotropic as well. Focusing my investigation on
the simplest realistic heterogeneous anisotropic
model --- factorized VTI (transversely isotropic
with a vertical symmetry axis) medium with constant
vertical and lateral gradients in vertical velocity,
I develop insights into how anisotropy and
heterogeneity are coupled, and determine what
parameters can be estimated uniquely from surface
seismic data. I then outline a robust parameter
estimation algorithm that is suitable for building a
spatially varying anisotropic velocity field for
depth imaging. Application of my algorithm to two
field lines from West Africa confirms the presence
of anisotropy and lateral heterogeneity and results
in better images than those previously obtained. The
analysis should help towards increasing our
understanding of seismic imaging and tomography, and
should be useful to Geoscientists studying seismic
images, or anyone else interested in wave
propagation in the earth.