Quick-look velocity analysis and effects of errors
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| Series | Geophysical References Series |
|---|---|
| Title | Problems in Exploration Seismology and their Solutions |
| Author | Lloyd P. Geldart and Robert E. Sheriff |
| Chapter | 5 |
| Pages | 141 - 180 |
| DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1190/1.9781560801733 |
| ISBN | ISBN 9781560801153 |
| Store | SEG Online Store |
Problem 5.13a
Velocity analysis usually results in a plot of stacking velocity against traveltime. Bauer (private communication) devised a “quick look” method of determining the interval velocity, assuming horizontal layering and that the stacking velocity equals the average velocity. The method is shown in Figure 5.13a. A box is formed by the two picks between which the interval velocity is to be picked; the diagonal that does not contain the two picks when extended to the velocity axis gives the interval velocity. Prove that the method is valid and discuss its limitations.

Solution
We extend the diagonal of the box as shown in Figure 5.13a, thus giving $ V_{m} $. The interval velocity is given by
$ {\begin{aligned}V_{i}=\Delta z/\Delta t=\left(V_{2}t_{2}-V_{1}t_{1}\right)/\left(t_{2}-t_{1}\right)\\=\left[\left(V_{1}+\Delta V\right)t_{2}-V_{1}t_{1}\left]/\Delta t=\right[V_{1}\left(t_{2}-t_{1}\right)+t_{2}\Delta V\right]/\Delta t\\=\left(V_{1}\Delta t+t_{2}\Delta V\right)/\Delta t=V_{1}+t_{2}\left(\Delta V/\Delta t\right).\end{aligned}} $ ()
In Figure 5.13a the triangle with apices at the points $ V_{m} $, $ V_{1} $, and $ A $ is similar to the triangle with sides $ \Delta V $ and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta t , so we have
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} \Delta V/\Delta t=\left(V_{m} -V_{1} \right)/t_{2}. \end{align}
Substituting in equation (5.13a), we get
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} V_{i} =V_{1} +\left(V_{m} -V_{1} \right)=V_{m}. \end{align}
Thus the method gives the interval velocity provided the stacking velocity equals the average velocity. For horizontal velocity layering the stacking velocity is often about 2% higher than the average velocity, but the two may differ considerably if the reflectors are dipping.
Problem 5.13b
This method can be used to see the influence of measurement error. Discuss the sensitivity of interval-velocity calculations to
- errors in picking velocity values from this graph,
- errors in picking times,
- picking events very close together, and
- picking events late.
Solution
- Errors in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{1} or $ V_{2} $ change the slope of the diagonal and hence change Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{m} and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{i} ; the error is proportional to Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t/\left(t_{2} -t_{1}\right) where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t is either Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} or Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} .
- Changes in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} or Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} has an effect similar to that in (i).
- When both Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta V and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta t are small, the slope of the diagonal and Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{i} are very sensitive to errors.
- Picking each event late by the same amount Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta\tau will increase Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{i} by an amount proportional to $ \Delta \tau . $
We now derive mathematical expressions for the changes in (i) to (iv).
i) Equation (5.13a) is
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} V_{1} = (V_{2} t_{2}-V_{1} t_{1})/(t_{2} - t_1).\\ {\rm Thus},\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad {\rm d}V_{i} /{\rm d}V_{1} = -t_{1} /(t_{2} -t_{1}) = -t_{1} /\Delta t,\\ {\rm and}\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad {\rm d}V_{i} /{\rm d}V_{2} = t_{2} /(t_{2}-t_{1}) = t_{2} /\Delta t. \end{align}
Hence the error is directly proportional to either Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} or Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} and inversely proportional to Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): (t_{2} -t_{1}) ; it increases rapidly as Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} approaches $ t_{2} $.
ii) Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} \frac{{\rm d}V_{i} }{{\rm d}t_{1} } =-\frac{V_{1} }{\left(t_{2} -t_{1} \right)} +\frac{\left(V_{2} t_{2} -V_{1} t_{1} \right)}{(t_{2} -t_{1} )^{2} } =\frac{-V_{1} \left(t_{2} -t_{1} \right)+\left(V_{2} t_{2} -V_{1} t_{1} \right)}{(t_{2} -t_{1} )^{2} } \\ =\frac{(V_{2} -V_{1})t_{2}}{(t_{2} -t_{1} )^{2}}. \end{align}
Likewise,
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} \frac{{\rm d}V_{i}}{{\rm d}t_{2} } =\frac{-\left(V_{2} -V_{1} \right)t_{1}}{(t_{2} -t_{1} )^{2}}. \end{align}
Since Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} >t_{1} , errors in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} are more serious than errors in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} ; also, the errors increase rapidly as Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} approaches Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} .
iii) Let Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{2} =t_{1} +\Delta t , Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta t\approx 0 . Then using equation (5.13a),
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} V_{t} =\left[V_{2} \left(t_{1} +\Delta t\right)-V_{1} t_{1} \right]/\Delta t=V_{2} +\left(V_{2} -V_{1} \right)\left(t_{1} /\Delta t\right) . \end{align}
In general Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} \gg \Delta t , so the error in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{i} depends mainly on the factor Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): t_{1} /\Delta t .
iv) We assume that both events are late by the same amount Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta\tau . Then equation (5.13a) becomes
Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \begin{align} V_{i} +\Delta V_{i} =\left[V_{2} \left(t_{2} +\Delta \tau\right)-V_{1} \left(t_{1} +\Delta \tau\right)\right]/\left(t_{2} -t_{1} \right)\\ =V_{i} +\left(V_{2} -V_{1} \right)\Delta \tau/\left(t_{2} -t_{1} \right) ,\\ {\rm so} \qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad \Delta V_{i} =\Delta \tau\left[\left(V_{2} -V_{1} \right)/\left(t_{2} -t_{1} \right)\right]=\Delta\tau \tan \zeta , \end{align}
where Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \tan \zeta is usually fairly constant over a moderate range of depths; in this case the error in Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): V_{i} is proportional to the error Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://en.wikipedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): \Delta\tau.
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| Geometry of seismic waves | Characteristics of seismic events |
Also in this chapter
- Maximum porosity versus depth
- Relation between lithology and seismic velocities
- Porosities, velocities, and densities of rocks
- Velocities in limestone and sandstone
- Dependence of velocity-depth curves on geology
- Effect of burial history on velocity
- Determining lithology from well-velocity surveys
- Reflectivity versus water saturation
- Effect of overpressure
- Effects of weathered layer (LVL) and permafrost
- Horizontal component of head waves
- Stacking velocity versus rms and average velocities
- Quick-look velocity analysis and effects of errors
- Well-velocity survey
- Interval velocities
- Finding velocity
- Effect of timing errors on stacking velocity, depth, and dip
- Estimating lithology from stacking velocity
- Velocity versus depth from sonobuoy data
- Influence of direction on velocity analyses
- Effect of time picks, NMO stretch, and datum choice on stacking velocity