6.

Seismic Anisotropy
A.Stovas, NTNU
2005

Definition (1)
Seismic anisotropy is the dependence of
seismic velocity upon angle

This definition yields both P- and S-waves

Definition (2)
Saying velocity we mean

ray veocity and wavefront velocity

group velocity and phase velocity
interval velocity and average velocity
NMO velocity and RMS velocity

Definition (3)
We have to distinguish between anisotropy
and heterogeneity
Heterogeneity is the dependence of
physical properties upon position
Heterogeneity on the small scale can
appear as seismic anisotropy on the large
scale

Notations
hi layer thickness
vi layer velocity
t0 vertical traveltime
vP0 vertical velocity
vNMO normal moveout velocity
, anisotropy parameters
S2 heterogeneity coefficient

Simple example of anisotropy

(two isotropic layers model)
v P0

h1 v1

isotropic

VTI

h 2 v2

isotropic

v 2NMO v 2P0 1 2

h1 h 2

v
1 v 2

S2 1 8

t0 2
v 2NMO

S2

h1 h 2
h1 h 2

v1 v 2

h1v1 h 2 v 2
h1 h 2

v1 v 2

h1 h 2

v
1 v 2
2
h1v1 h 2 v 2

h1v13 h 2 v32

1 h1h 2 v1 v 2
0
2 v1v 2 h1 h 2 2
2

h1h 2 v12 v 22

1
0
8 v1v 2 h1v1 h 2 v 2 2

v P0

hi layer thickness
vi layer velocity
t0 vertical traveltime
vP0 vertical velocity
vNMO normal moveout velocity
, anisotropy parameters
S2 heterogeneity coefficient

Elasticity tensor
Equation of motion

u i ij
2
t
x j
2

stress

Stress-strain relation (Hooks law)

CE

strain

The elasticity tensor

ui
um
2 Cijmn
t
x n x j
2

Symmetry
We convert stiffness tensor Cijmn to the stiffness matrix C

ij ji 11 22 33 23 13 12
1 2 3 4 5 6
C11
C
12

C12

C13

C14

C15

C22

C23

C24

C25

C13

C 23

C33

C34

C35

C14
C15

C24

C34

C44

C45

C25

C35

C 45

C55

C16

C26

C36

C46

C56

The worst case:

Triclinic symmetry
21 different elements
Lame parameters: and

C16
C 26
C36

C 46
C56

C66

2
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0

0
0

The best case:

Isotropic symmetry
2 different elements

0
0
0
0

0
0
0

0
0

Seismic anisotropy symmetries

C11
C 2C
66
11

C13

C11 2C66
C11
C13

C11
C
12

C13
C13
C33

C44

C13

C44

C66

Trasverse isotropy symmetry

5 different elements
(shales, thin-bed sequences

C13
C 23

C 23

C33

C 44

C12
C 22

C55

C66

Orthorombicic symmetry
9 different elements
(shales, thin-bed sequences
with vertical crack-sets)

VTI and HTI anisotropy

symmetry plane
VTI

HTI

symmetry axis

The phase velocities

(velocities of plane waves)
1
C33 C44 C11 C33 sin 2 D
2
1
2
vSV

C33 C44 C11 C33 sin 2 D

2
2
vSH
C44 cos2 C66 sin 2

v 2P

D C33 C 44
2

2 2 C13 C 44 C33 C 44 C11 C33 2C 44 sin 2

C11 C33 2C44 2 4 C13 C44 2 sin 4

stiffness coefficients
vi phase velocity
phase angle
Cij

Parametrization (Thomsen, 1984)

Vertical velocities

v P0

C33

C44
vS0

Anisotropy parameters

C11 C33

2C33
C13 C33 C33 C 44

2C33 C33 C 44
2

C66 C44

2C44

Interpretation of anisotropy
parameters
Isotropy reduction

v P0 P wave velocity

v P0 S wave velocity

0
Horizontal propagation

v v 2P0 1 2
2
2
2
vSV vS0
2
2
P

2
v vS0
1 2
2
2
SH

Weak anisotropy approximation

, , are small numbers

v P v P0 1 sin 2 cos 2 sin 4

v P0
2
2
vSV vS0 1

sin

cos

vSV0
vSH vS0 1 sin 2
2

Weak anisotropy
for laminated siltstone

vP, m/s

5200
5000
4800

Exact
Thomsen ( T, T)
Stovas&Ursin ( T, )

4600
4400
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

60

70

80

90

vSV, m/s

2600
Exact
Thomsen (T, T)
Stovas&Ursin ( )

2400
2200
2000
1800
1600
0

10

20

30

40

50

Phase angle, degrees

Mesaverde shale/sandstone
4,4
4,3

VP, [km/s]

4,2
4,1
4,0

Mesaverde shale

3,9
3,8

Mesaverde sandstone

3,7
0

VSV, [km/s]

2,85

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

70

80

Mesaverde shale

2,80

Mesaverde sandstone

2,75
2,70
2,65
0

10

20

30

40

50

Phase angle, [degrees]

60

Nonellipticity

v P v P0 1 sin 2 sin 4

v P0

vP0
2
4
vSV vS0 1
sin
sin

vSV0
vSV0

The anellipticity definitions

(T hom sen)

(Alkhalifah)
1 2
2 02

1 2 (Stovas and Ur sin)
2
1 2 0 1

Wave propagation in homogeneous

anisotropic medium v
2

2
2
Vgroup
vphase

W
av
ef
ro
nt

phase

no
rm

al

t
n
f ro
e
av
W

k wavenumber
Vgroup group velocity
angular frequency
vphase phase velocity
p horizontal slowness
group and phase angles

Vgroup cos v phase cos 1 tan

v phase

v phase
k
2
t

2
e Vgroup

n
k

a
t

tan
1

VP cos

pv3P vP
v 2P 1 p 2 v 2P
1

1 dv P
v P cos 1 tan

v
d

v P pvP

v 2P 1 p 2 v 2P

dv phase

The anisotropic moveout

The hyperbolic moveout

t 2 x t 02

x2
v 2NMO

(x offset ot source-receiver separation)

The Taylor series coefficient

1
v 2NMO

2 t

x 0

2
v 2P NMO v P0
1 2

The moveout velocity

2
vSV
NMO
2
vSH
NMO

v
2
P0
vS0 1 2 2
vS0

2
vS0
1 2

The anisotropic qP-traveltime

in p-domain
sin
p
v

The horizontal slowness

1 S H

The offset

x P 0 t P0 tan P p 02 t P0

The traveltime

0 t P0
1 p 2 02 H
tP
t P0
VP cos P
1 p 2 02 1 S

1
1
2

p
S
2
2
v P v P0

S a j p 0
j 0

2j

1 p 2 02 1 S

p dS
H
2 dp

S deviation of the slowness squared between VTI and isotropic cases

aj coefficients for expansion in order of slowness

The anisotropic traveltime

parameters
The P-wave

a P0 2

2 02
a P1 2 1 2
0 1

4
2 02
a P2 2 1 2 02
0 1
0 1

The vertical Vp-Vs ratio

The S-wave

v 2P0
2
vS0
2
0

a S0 2 02

a Sj 02 ja Pj

The moveout velocity

1
VP2

d t d p pt

x
d x d x d p
d t 2P

2
P

2
P

2
P

1 p 2 02 H

02 1 S H

The critical slowness

2
pc2 02 1 1 S 1 a 0 1 a 0 a1

VP2

p pc

02

1 S

02

a1
S2 3
2
1

0
P NMO
1

a
4

The velocity moments

0 1
2 v 02 1 a 0 v 2NMO
2

4 v 1 a 0 4a1

4
0

3
6 v 06 1 a 0 4 1 a 0 a1 8a 2

24
32
16 2 64
4
2
8
8 v0 1 a 0 1 a 0 a1 1 a 0 a 2 a1 a 3
5
5
5
5

v0 = 0

The heterogeneity coefficients

Sk

S2
S3
S4

2k

k 2,3,...

1
1

4a1

1 a0

4a1

1 a0

8a 2

1 a0

24
a1
32 a 2
16 a12
64 a 3
1

2
3
4
5 1 a0
5 1 a0
5 1 a0
5 1 a0 4

The Taylor series

t 2 x t 02 1 x%2 c 2 x%4 c3 x%6 c 4 x%8 ...
x%2

x2
v

c2

2
2
NMO 0

The normalized offset squared

1
S2 1
4

1
2
c3 2 S2 1 3 S2 1 S3 1

8
1
3
2
c4
24 S2 1 63 S2 1 30 S2 1

64
24 S2 1 S3 1 20 S3 1 5 S4 1

The traveltime approximations

1
2

t x t0 1
1 x%S2 1

S2

t2 x

4
%
S

1
x

t 2 1 x%2 2
0

4 1 Bx%2

Shifted hyperbola

Continued fraction

c 2 v P2 2

3 S2

Tsvankin T hom sen (1994)

2
2
4
v P NMO v P 2

c3 2S22 S2 S3

c2
2 S2 1

Ur sin Stovas (2004)

The continued fraction

approximations
Tsvankin-Thomsen

x2
lim t x : 2
x
vP 2
2

Correct

Ursin-Stovas

c3

S3

S22 S2 1, Layered isotropic medium

S22 1
,
2

Single VTI layer

The heterogeneity coefficient S2

S2 1 8 1

Alkhalifah and Tsvankin:

Ursin and Stovas:

S2 1

4a1

1 a0

1 2

2 02
1
1 2
2
1 2 0 1

S2 (Ursin and Stovas) reduces to

S2 (Alkhalifah and Tsvankin) if is large
(acoustic approximation)

The traveltime approximations

(single VTI layer)
Equation (20)
Equation (19)
Equation (21)
Equation (14)

[ms]

6
4

PP

2
0
0,0

0,2

0,4

[ms]

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

2,0

v P0 2.0 km s, vS0 1.0 km s,

Equation (30)
Equation (29)
Equation (31)
Equation (26)

H 1km, 0.1, 0.05

SS

2
0
0,0

0,2

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

Equation (38)
Equation (37)
Equation (39)
Equation (36)

[ms]

0,4

6
4

PS

2
0
0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

Offset [km]

1,4

1,6

1,8

Bold two terms Taylor

Empty circles shifted hyperbola
Filled circles Tsvankin-Thomsen
Empty stars Stovas-Ursin

The traveltime approximations

(stack of VTI layers)
4
4

tSVSV [m s ]

t PP [m s]

-1

-1

-2

-2

-3

-3

-4
0,0

-4
0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

Offset [km]

1,0

Offset [km]
4
4
3
3
2
2
1

t S HSH [ m s ]

t P S V [ m s]

-1

-1

-2

-2
-3
-3
-4
0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

Offset [km]

0,8

1,0

-4
0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

Offset [km]

0,8

1,0

Layering against anisotropy

4

PP

2,4

2,0

VTI
ISO

1,8

1,6

S3

S3

SVSV

VTI
ISO

2,2

1,4

-2

1,2

-4
1,0
0,8
0,9

1,0

1,1

1,2

1,3

1,4

1,5

1,6

1,7

1,8

-6
-0,2

0,0

0,2

0,4

S2

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

S2

PSV

16

0,6

SHSH

VTI

8
14

VTI
ISO

12

7
6
5

S3

S3

10
8
6

4
3

1
1,8

2,0

2,2

2,4

2,6

2,8

S2

3,0

3,2

3,4

3,6

1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

S2

2,0

2,2

2,4

VNMO for dipping reflector

v NMO

v
cos

1
1
v
tan
1
v

2 v

is the angle for dipping reflector

Tsvankin, 1995

VTI DMO operator

Operator shape depends on the sign of
a)

b)

Midpoint, km
0,0

-0,6

-0,4

-0,2

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

Midpoint, km
0,0

-0,4

-0,2

0,0

t0=0.1 s

p1=-0.26 s/km
0,2

t0=0.1 s

0,2

p2=-0.145 s/km
0,4

h=0.4 km, VNMO(0)=2.0 km/s

0,8

1,0

Time, s

Time, s

0,4

0,6

p2=-0.22 s/km

0,2

0,8

p1=-0.46 s/km
1,0

t0=1.0 s

1,2

p4=-0.085 s/km
p3=-0.175 s/km

0,6

p1=-0.42 s/km

Stovas, 2002

p2=-0.195 s/km
p1=-0.44 s/km

p2=-0.195 s/km
t0=1.0 s

0,4

h=0.4 km, VNMO(0)=2.0 km/s

p3=p4=-0.11 s/km

If we ignore anisotropy in poststack time migration

Dipping reflectors are mispositioned
laterally. Mislocation is a function of:
- magnitude of the average foroverburden
- dip of the reflector
- thickness of anisotropic overburden

Diffractions are not completely collapsed,

leaving diffraction tails, etc.
Alkhalifah and Larner, 1994

Determining
Use VP-NMO from well-log
The residual moveout gives

Dix-type equations (1)

TSS 0

0
0
TPP 0 0

2
1

TPP 0 v 2PP 2
0
02
1 12

TPP 0 2

2
TSS 0 vSS

TSS 0

2 2
1

TPP 0

TPP 0 v

4
1 TPP 0 v PP
SPP TPP 0

1
2
2

2
0
TPP 0 v PP

0 TPP 0
2

1 2 02
1 2

2
0

0 0
0

2
PP

2
0

Ursin and Stovas, 2004

1 1 TPP 0 v PP
1
2
2 0
TPP 0

2
2

1 1 TPP 0 v PP TSS 0 vSS

1
1 2
2

2 0
TPP 0
TSS 0
0

Dix-type equations (2)

(error in parameters due to error in
S2
2,70

Estimated values of 0
Correct value

2,60

1,04

2,55

1,02

z, [km]

[km/s]

2,65

2,50
2,45

Estimated values of z
Correct value

1,06

1,00

0,98
2,40
0,96

2,35
2,30
2,00

2,02

2,04

2,06

2,08

2,10

2,12

2,14

2,16

2,18

2,20

0,94
2,00

2,02

2,04

2,06

2,08

SPP

2,12

2,14

2,16

2,18

2,20

SPP

0,30

0,12

Estimated values of
Correct value

Estimated values of
Correct value

0,10

0,25

0,08

delta

epsilon

2,10

0,20

0,06
0,04
0,02

0,15

0,00

0,10
2,00

2,02

2,04

2,06

2,08

2,10

SPP

2,12

2,14

2,16

2,18

2,20

-0,02
2,00

2,02

2,04

2,06

2,08

2,10

SPP

2,12

2,14

2,16

2,18

2,20

Wave propagation in VTI medium

b U z ,S r , S z ,U r T

0 A
db

B
0
dz

1
c 33
A
1

c
c
13 33 p

1
c 13 c 33
p
2 1
p 2 c 11 c 13
c 33

B
p

1
c 44

Uz and Ur are transformed verical and

horizontal displacement components;
Sz and Sr are transformed vertical and
horizontal stress components

Stovas and Ursin, 2003

Up- and down-wave decomposition

With linear transformation

u
b L
d

dz

u
F
i q 0

d

0
i q
G

G

F

u
d

q diag q , q
q and q are verical slownesses for P- and S-wave

The transformation matrix

1 iL1 iL1
L

2 L 2 L 2
with the symmetries

LT2 L1 L 2 LT1 I

Scattering matrices
1 T dL1
T dL 2
F L2
L1
2
dz
dz
1 T dL1
T dL 2
G L2
L1
2
dz
dz
Symmetry relations

F F T

0
F
f

G GT

g 11
G
g 12

g 12

g 22

The vertical slowness

The vertical slownesses squared are the eigenvalues of the matrix

H A *B
and are found by solving the characteristic equation

q 4 TrHq 2 det H 0

The R/T coefficients

TD 2 C D

R D C D C D 1
with

C L2

D L1

L1
2

L2
2

CD T I

where superscripts (1) and (2) denote the upper and lower medium, respectively

The weak-contrast R/T coefficients

1
p2 1
p 2 c33
2 2 c44
g11 2 2 1 2
1 2
2p 0

4
c 44
2q 0
2q 0
q 0 4
q 0 c33
p 4 02

g 22

p 2 02
c44
1
1
1
2 2

1
2p 0
2 2
2
2 2 02 q 2 0
4

q 0 c 44
0

g12

p2

p
2 q 0 q 0

p
2 q 0 q 0

q 0
2
2 c44
2 2
2 0 q 0 q 0 p

2p 0

c 44 q 0 q 0

q 0
2
2 c44
2 2
2 0 q 0 q 0 p

2p 0

c 44 q 0 q 0

q is the vertical slowness

The weak-contrast R/T coefficients

(Rueger, 1996)
R PP

R PS

1 VP0
1 Z 1 VP0
2
2
4

4 0
sin

sin
2 Z 2 VP0

2 VP0

1

2 0

sin
2
1 0
02 1

1 0 4
1

0 0

sin 3
4 1 0
1 0

4 2

is shear wave bulk modulus:

VS02

Parametrization

Stiffness coefficients
Velocities
Impedances
Mixed

Effect of anisotropy
0,3
0,1

Exact TIV
Weak TIV
Isotropic

0,2

0,0

-0,1
0,1

-0,2

Re rPP
0,0
0,00

0,05

Re rPS
0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,0020
0,0000
0,0015
-0,0004
0,0010
-0,0008
0,0005
-0,0012
0,0000

-0,0005

Im rPP

-0,0016

-0,0020
-0,0010
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

0,25

0,30

Im rPS

0,00

0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

Different parametrizations
Isotropic background
Exact TIV
Linear:
(cij,)
(Iij,)
( ,,Iii,)
(T,T,Iii,)

0,3

0,2

0,1

0,1

0,0

0,0

Re rPP

0,00

0,05

Re rPS
0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,0020

0,30 0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,0000

0,0015
-0,0004
0,0010
-0,0008
0,0005
-0,0012
0,0000

-0,0005

Im rPP

-0,0010
0,00

-0,0016

-0,0020
0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/km]

0,25

0,30 0,00

Im rPS
0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

Contribution from the contrasts

0,4

Total
Contribution from:
c11
c13
c33
c44

0,2

0,1

0,0
0,0

Re rPS

Re rPP

-0,2
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

-0,1
0,30 0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,003

0,0000
0,002
-0,0004
0,001

Im rPP

-0,0008

0,000
-0,0012

-0,001
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

0,25

0,30

Im rPS

0,00

0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

Second-order R/T

1 2
1

2
2
1 g11 g12 f
f g12 g11 g 22

2
2
2

TD
1 2
f 1 g g g
2
2
1

12 11
22
12
22
2
2

g11 g12 f

RD

g 1 f g g
11 22
12
2

g12 f g11 g 22
2

g 22 g12 f

Effect of second-order R/T

0,3
0,1

Exact TIV
TIV background
(cij, )-parametrization
Linear
Quadratic

0,2

0,1
0,0

0,0

Re rPS

Re rPP

0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,0020
0,0000
0,0015
-0,0004
0,0010
-0,0008
0,0005
-0,0012
0,0000

-0,0005

Im rPP

-0,0016

-0,0020
-0,0010
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

0,25

0,30

0,00

Im rPS
0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

Visco-elastic parameters
Linear solid model (Carcione, 1997)

c 11

c 13
c
33
c
44

M1 1

M1 1

2
M 1
1

0
1
0
0

M1 1

M 2 M1
2

M1 1
2 M 2 M 1
2

M1 1
M 2 M1
2

0
M2

The real coefficients

cij lim cij

0

c11

c13
c
33
c
44

The relaxation times

The modified comples Zener moduli

Mj

1 i

1 i
j

Q0 j

Q 02 j 1 1

Q0 j

Q 02 j 1 1

Complex stiffness coefficients

versus frequency
0.99

0.98

c11
c13
c33
c44

0.97

0.96
0

50

100

150

200

250

200

250

Frequency, Hz
0.020
0.015
0.010
0.005
0.000
0

Clay shale

50

100

150

Frequency, Hz

(real part is to the top, imaginary part is to the bottom)

The effect of viscoelasticity (1)

0,5
0,1
0,4

0,3

Exact TIV (f=40 Hz):

Q01=100, Q02=50
Q01=50, Q02=20
Q01=20, Q02=10

0,0

0,2
-0,1
0,1

Re rPP
0,0
0,00

0,000

0,05

Re rPS
0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

Im rPP

-0,2
0,30 0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,000

-0,001
-0,002
-0,002

-0,003

-0,004

-0,004
-0,006
-0,005
-0,008
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

0,25

0,30 0,00

Im rPS
0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

The effect of viscoelasticity (2)

0,5

0,1

Exact TIV (Q01=100, Q02=50):

f=10 Hz
f=40 Hz
f=100 Hz

0,4

0,3

0,0

0,2

0,1

-0,1

Re rPP

Re rPS
-0,2

0,0
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30 0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,10

0,15

0,20

0,25

0,30

0,0005

0,0000

0,0000

Im rPP

Im rPS

-0,0005
-0,0005
-0,0010

-0,0015
-0,0010
-0,0020
0,00

0,05

0,10

0,15

0,20

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

0,25

0,30 0,00

0,05

Horizontal slowness [ms/m]

Transmission fot the stack of the

layers

Conclusion
In practice the weak-anisotropy
approximation is very useful