Seismic attenuation: Effects of interfacial impedance on wave-induced pressure diffusion

Abstract

Seismic attenuation and dispersion in layered sedimentary structures are often interpreted in terms of the classical White model for wave-induced pressure diffusion across the layers. However, this interlayer flow is severely dependent on the properties of the interface separating two layers. This interface behaviour can be described by a pressure jump boundary condition involving a non-vanishing interfacial impedance. In this paper, we incorporate the interfacial impedance into the White model by solving a boundary value problem in the framework of quasi-static poroelasticity. We show that the White model predictions for attenuation and dispersion substantially change. These changes can be attributed to petrophysically plausible scenarios such as imperfect hydraulic contacts or the presence of capillarity.