Optimizing 3D Refraction And Reflection Survey Design

A useful approach to optimal seismic survey design is to simulate the seismic response for a suite<br>of a priori subsurface models and shot-receiver templates. We present a method for estimating an<br>effective source-receiver distribution for resolving an assumed 3D structure. To design the receiver<br>distribution, we calculate continuous traveltime slices at the surface from a given source template<br>and plot the RMS curvatures of the wavefronts. The spatial density of the receiver coverage should<br>be in proportion to the locally varying magnitude of the RMS curvature. Similarly, to determine<br>the optimal source distribution, we sum the RMS curvatures of the wavefront traveltimes due to<br>each source in the entire survey area. In the same way, the magnitude of the curvatures suggest<br>the most important areas for source locations.