A Generalization of RTM Inverse Scattering Imaging Conditions

Reverse time migration (RTM) imaging can have significant artifacts which are generated by backscattered and turning waves, where the source and receiver wavefields are in phase. This paper gives a tutorial on an inverse scattering based imaging condition, in which a significant reduction of these artifacts can be achieved. The basic principle has been discussed by others, but we give a simple explanation of the components of the method and then extend it to be more generally applicable to shot, stacks and angle domains. The method is based on an imaging kernel that is the weighted combination of two separate imaging kernels – the time derivative product and the gradient dot product of the source and receiver wavefields respectively. Applications of this method are given for the cases of imaging of single shots, the sum of shots and RTM angle data.