The effects of source array crossline directivity on 3D migration

In this article we demonstrate that damaging effects can occur to seismic reflection data after 3D migration when source arrays of even modest lateral extent are used to acquire the data. Arrays of airguns and other sources have been used on countless occasions in the last 15 years or so to acquire 3D seismic data. Seismic source arrays are characterized by a relatively small number of parameters, as discussed for example in the excellent review by Dragoset (1990), which provides an invigorating dose of scientific method into an area more commonly characterized by the arcane.