Determination of seismic-wave attenuation by complex trace analysis

Abstract

A new method to estimate seismic-wave attenuation is presented on the basis of complex trace analysis. Various distortions occuring in "classical' time-domain and Fourier-frequency-domain methods are not present in this method. As a by-product, an accurate estimate of the group traveltime can be derived. The effect of the dispersion, which is always associated with attenuation, can either be taken into account or can be disregarded by application of the method of the autocovariance functions of the wavelets. -Author