Comparison of high-order elastic modelling methods for AVO verification

The AVO method with its inherent uncertainties and solution degeneracy requires the input from statistical methods to improve its reliabilty, and verification by forward modelling for quality control purposes. Its usual formulation does not account for transmission loses or AVO effects being imparted to the zone of interest for which the AVO analysis is actually being conducted. Furthermore if the velocity gradient is high, or the structure fairly arbitrary, ray trace modelling is unable to match the total elastic modelling. It is therefore neccessary to quality control the conclusions drawn from the AVO analysis by forward modelling.