One-way representations of seismic data

A general one-way representation of seismic data can be obtained by substituting a Green’s one-way wavefield matrix into a reciprocity theorem of the convolution type for one-way wavefields. From this general one-way representation, several special cases can be derived. By introducing a Green’s one-way wavefield matrix for primaries, a generalized Bremmer series representation is obtained. Terminating this series after the first-order term yields a primary representation of seismic reflection data. According to this representation, primary seismic reflection data are proportional to a reflection operator, ‘modified ’ by primary propagators for downgoing and upgoing waves. For seismic imaging, these propagators need to be inverted. Stable inverse primary propagators can easily be obtained from a one-way reciprocity theorem of the correlation type. By introducing a Green’s one-way wavefield matrix for generalized primaries, an alternative representation is obtained in which multiple scattering is organized quite differently (in comparison with the generalized Bremmer series representation). According to the generalized primary representation, full seismic reflection data are proportional to a reflection operator, ‘modified ’ by generalized primary propagators for downgoing and upgoing waves. Internal multiple scattering is fully included in the generalized primary propagators (either via a series expansion or in a parametrized way). Stable inverse generalized primary propagators can be obtained from the one-way reciprocity theorem of the correlation type. These inverse propagators are the nucleus for seismic imaging techniques that take the angle-dependent dispersion effects due to fine-layering into account. Key words: Green’s functions, inverse problem, wave equation