Lecture 13:

Deconvolution, part 2

Wiener filtering

Deconvolution design

Prewhitening

Prediction distances

Types of deconvolution

Spiking deconvolution

Predictive deconvolution

Waveshaping deconvolution

The convolutional model:

x(t) is the recorded seismogram

w(t) is the source wavelet

r(t) is the earths impulse response (e.g., the reflectivity
series)

n(t) is random ambient noise

The goal of deconvolution:

To remove the affect of the source wavelet and of
reverberations and short period multiples in order to
isolate the earths reflectivity

Yilmaz, 2001

Deterministic deconvolution

If the wavelet is known, we can design inverse filters
to remove the effect of the source and isolate the
reflectivity series of the earth

Filters with more terms provide results that are
closer to the desired output

Better results are achieved if the desired output
resembles the energy distribution of the input

For example, if the desired output is a spike with
zero time lag, minimum phase input is required
to achieve good results

Do we know the

source wavelet?

The farfield source signature of an
airgun array can be recorded with
a hydrophone (or modeled) and
used for deterministic
deconvolution

However, we usually do not really
know w(t) (or what we do know
does not account for all of the
affects on our seismogram besides
the earths reflectivity series )

Need to find a way of determining
a deconvolution filter that does
not require knowledge of the
source wavelet

Revisit example of least squares filtering

for minimum phase wavelet

Find the filter that has the minimum difference between
the squared difference of the desired output and the
actual output


Input wavelet: (1, -1/2)




Filter (a, b)

Desired output: (1,0, 0)


Sum of squared differences between desired and

actual output:

Revisit example of least squares filtering

for minimum phase wavelet

We seek to minimize L:

Find the minima:

slope=0

optimal

a

Least squares filtering for minimum

phase case expressed in matrix form

Re-arranging

Auto-correlation of the

input wavelet

Cross-correlation of the

desired output with the

input wavelet

Least squares filtering for maximum

phase case expressed in matrix form

Re-arranging

Auto-correlation of the

input wavelet

Cross-correlation of the

desired output with the

input wavelet

Earths reflectivity series: a white spectrum

The earths impulse response is assumed to be a white reflectivity

series and thus have a flat spectrum. This means that the
amplitude spectra of the seismogram is a scaled version of the
amplitude series of the source wavelet.

Autocorrelations and the convolutional model

Where rx, rw, and rr are the autocorrelations of the seismogram,

source wavelet and reflectivity series, respectively

Where r0 is the autocorrelation of a random series, which is

zero everywhere but the zero lag. Here it is the cumulative
energy contained in the time series.

Key point: The autocorrelation of the seismogram is an
approximation for the autocorrelation of the input wavelet

Auto-correlation of the

input wavelet

Approximate as the

auto-correlation of the

seismogram

Cross-correlation of the

desired output with the

input wavelet

Approximate as the

cross-correlation of the

desired output with the

seismogram

The Main Message:

We can approximate the source wavelet with
the seismogram because the reflectivity series
of the earth is random

As a result, we can design an inverse filter if
we know the seismogram and the desired
output!!

Yilmaz, 2001

Can also demonstrate by generalizing

least squares filter

Sum of squared differences between desired output (dt) and

actual output (yt)

where is the lag time

Autocorrelation of xt: rt

Cross-correlation of xt and dt: gt

The normal equations for Wiener filter

ri: autocorrelation of the input wavelet

ai: the desired filter

gi: crosscorrelation of the desired output with the input wavelet

Robinson & Treitel, 1980

This example demonstrates:

ri = r-i

r0 = x02+x12+x22+x32+x42

r1 = x0x1+x1x2+x2x3+x3x4

Wiener filter

Yilmaz, 2001

Assumptions of deconvolution

The primary reflection series is random

The source wavelet is minimum phase and is
doesn't vary though the earth (stationary).

The noise is random and is of minimal level.

The multiple period is fixed (stationary).

The data are zero offset and dip is ignored.

Consideration in deconvolution design

Pre-whitening

Filter length (also called operator length)

Noise

Design windows

Pre-whitening

The spectra of the spiking deconvolution
operator is approximately the inverse of the
amplitude spectra of the input data

If there are zeros in the original data, these are
blown up by deconvolution, causing artifacts

To avoid this, add white noise to the spectra
of the input spectra to stabilize deconvolution

Pre-whitening

Amplitude
spectrum of
input wavelet

Amplitude
spectrum of
inverse of
input wavelet

Result of
multiplying
the two

Yilmaz, 2001

Adding a constant to the zero lag of the autocorrelation is the

same as adding white noise to the spectrum

Other Effects of Prewhitening

Pre-whitening narrows the spectrum, but does not decrease its

flatness

Use a relatively small number: 0.1-1% prewhitening

Yilmaz, 2001

Filter length

Yilmaz, 2001

Filter length

Yilmaz, 2001

Effects of random noise

The autocorrelation of random noise should
be zero except for zero lag, where it will be a
constant (e.g., akin to pre-whitening)

In practice, it effects other lags as well

The unavoidable presence of random noise in
seismic data means that only a very small
amount of pre-whitening is need

Without noise

Yilmaz, 2001

With random noise

Yilmaz, 2001

Design windows

To account for changes in the source wavelet with depth/time
due to attenuation, etc, it is common to use windows for
deconvolution, which allow you to determine different filters and
apply them to different parts of the data. Considerations for
design window:

It needs to be much longer than the length of the filter (rule of
thumb: at least 10x the filter length)

It should avoid particularly noisy areas, multiples, etc

Ideally, merges between different windows should not occur in
particular areas of interest

Types of deconvolution

Spiking deconvolution: turn source into
ideal frequency content spike

Predictive deconvolution: remove
multiples and reverberations by specifying
prediction distance

Waveshaping: normalize wavelets from
different surveys, apply deconvolution to nonminimum phase data

Remove instrument effects

Spiking deconvolution
Purpose: sharpen the source

|G(f)|

Actual

Source

wavelet

Filter

Ideal

output

|H(f)|

Before

After

Yilmaz, 2001

After

Before

Bubble pulse

The normal equations for spiking

deconvolution

In the case where the desired output is a spike, g is a spike scaled

by the input wavelet

Designing spiking deconvolution

operators in practice

Minimum
phase or zero
phase

Length

Prewhitening

Filter after
deconvolution to
remove artifacts

Gates for the

determination
of an inverse
filter.

When spiking deconvolution does not work

Yilmaz, 2001

Predictive deconvolution

Used to remove ringy parts of source or
multiples

Seeking a time-advanced form of the input
series

For input series x(t), we seek x(t+) where is
the prediction lag

A common application of
predictive deconvolution:

Multiple suppression

Main steps of predictive deconvolution

Yilmaz, 2001

The normal equations for predictive

deconvolution

In the case where the desired output is a time-advanced version

of the input. is the prediction lag.

Choosing a prediction distance or lag

Measure off of seismic record

Sometimes it is possible to simply determine the
prediction distance by examining the data

Use autocorrelation

Peaks in the autocorrelation function indicate time
delays where the two traces are most similar

http://www.xsgeo.com/course/decon.htm

Before deconvolution

After deconvolution

Designing prediction deconvolution

operators in practice

Length

Prediction lag

Prewhitening

Filter after
deconvolution to
remove artifacts

Gates for the

determination
of an inverse
filter.

Waveshaping deconvolution: can be applied to

mixed phase or maximum phase wavelets

Input wavelet

Desired output

Shaping filter

Shaping filter

Yilmaz, 2001