Seismic modelling with the reflectivity method

Yongwang Ma, Luiz Lucchesi Loures, Gary F. Margrave

Numerical seismic modelling is a powerful tool in seismic imaging, interpretation and inversion. Wave propagation in complicated earth models can be simulated, thanks to sophisticated modelling algorithms and high performance computing technology. Although wave equation based modelling methods and other well developed modelling techniques, such as finite difference method and ray tracing methods (Carcione, Herman, and Kroode, 2002), are playing more and more important roles in numerical modelling, reflectivity modelling is still widely used due to its unique properties. This method can model almost all kinds of waves propagating in elastic or anelastic media with high numerical stability and accuracy but relatively less computation cost. Reflectivity modelling can also simulate wave propagation in fine layered earth models. The main purpose of this paper is to give an introduction on the reflectivity modelling method, demonstrate the modelling results using the reflectivity modelling method and release our modelling software to our sponsors.