Synthesis of a Virtual Reflector by Processing Recorded Seismic Signals

We present a method to process the signals produced by seismic sources and recorded by seismic receivers deployed in suitable locations to obtain new signals as if in the position of the receivers there was an ideal reflector, even if a reflector is not effectively present in the position of the receivers. With this method we obtain the signals of a "virtual reflector". The proposed algorithm performs the convolution and the sum of the real traces, and does not need subsurface model information to process the data. It can be used in combination with interferometry to separate wavefields and process the reflection events. We describe the application with synthetic examples, including stationary phase analysis, and real data in which the virtual reflector signal can be appreciated.