Refraction Statics Correction in Sand Dunes

Modeling and field studies show that sand dunes exhibit vertical velocity profiles. Ignoring this property in processing seismic data collected over sand dunes can lead to errors. In this study, I present a V(z) function derived from Hertz-Mindlin and Gassmann theories and use it to calculate the refraction static correction in a sand dune. I then compare this static correction to that calculated while assuming a vertically homogenous sand dune. Modeling results show that the absolute error due to ignoring the dune’s vertical velocity profile does not exceed 6% for sand dunes with porosities, water saturations, and thicknesses ranging 0.2-0.7, 0-0.9, and 0-200 m, respectively.