Interval Velocities Inversion from Seismic Reflection Traveltime in 2-D Earth

A new inversion procedure to estimate the interval velocities model and the normal-incidence-point (NIP) wavefront attributes - the radius of curvature R, and the emergence angle Bo - is presented in this paper. Although we make use of the same formulas of the Common-Reflecting-Element (CRE) Method, in this new approach the searched-for NIP wavefront attributes are determined with help of the common-offset (CO) isochrone. In contrast, the original CRE method obtains the same parameters by using an auxiliary model of one a priori known near-surface constant velocity. The final result of this procedure is one full intervalar velocities model and as by-product the optimal R, and Bu for each two-way reflection time in zero-offset (ZO) section.