Double-plane-wave reverse time migration in the frequency domain

We have developed an efficient, accurate, and flexible plane-wave migration algorithm in the frequency domain by using a compressed and coupled-plane-wave data set, known as the double-plane-wave (DPW) data set. The DPW data set obtained by slant stacking of seismic shot profiles over source and receiver/offset represents seismic data in a fully decomposed plane-wave domain, which is called the DPW domain. A new DPW migration algorithm is derived under the Born approximation in the frequency domain, and it is referred to as the frequency-domain DPW reverse time migration (RTM). Frequency plane-wave Green’s functions need to be constructed and used during the migration. Time dips in shot profiles help to estimate the range of plane-wave decomposition. Therefore, the number of frequency plane-wave Green’s functions required for migration is limited. Furthermore, frequency plane-wave Green’s functions can be used for imaging each set of plane waves — either source or receiver/offset plane waves. As a result, the computational burden of computing Green’s function is substantially reduced; this results in increasing the migration efficiency. A selected range of plane-wave components can be migrated independently to image specific targets. Ray-parameter common-image gathers can be generated after migration without extra effort. The algorithm was tested on several synthetic data sets to show its feasibility and usefulness. The frequency-domain DPW RTM can also include anisotropy by constructing plane-wave Green’s function in anisotropic media.