Reverse-time Imaging of Dual-source 4C Marine Seismic Data Using Primaries, Ghosts, and Multiples

Novel technologies in marine seismic data acquisition allow for the recording of full vectoracoustic (VA) data: four-component recordings (pressure and three-component acceleration) of fields excited both by pressure-only as well as dipole/gradient sources. Here we present a wave-equation, nonlinear, reverse-time imaging method that takes full advantage of acoustic dual-source (monopole and dipole sources) multi-component data. The method’s formulation relies on source-receiver scattering reciprocity relations that make proper use of VA fields both in the wavefield extrapolation and imaging condition steps in a self-consistent manner. The new VA imaging method is capable of simultaneously focusing energy from upgoing and both receiver- and sourceside ghost arrivals, while jointly using information fromprimaries and multiples contained in each of these fields. Additionally, VA imaging handles image amplitudes better than conventional reversetime migration because it does not require far-field radiation assumptions, properly handling finite-aperture directivity information directly from dual-source four-component data. While the method does not require any deghosting as a preprocessing step, it can use previously separated up and downgoing fields to generate independent subsurface images. This allows for new approaches in the design of marine seismic acquisition. We demonstrate the method using synthetic examples, which include complex stratigraphic and structural subsurface features.