Deconvolution

Convolution was the forward operation

source(t) * refectivity(t) = signal(t)

Deconvolution is the reverse operation

reflectivity(t) = signal(t) *-1 source(t)

Deconvolution
Objectives of deconvolution
Make source into spike
Reshape source signal
Remove multiples

How do we do this
We need to decide two things
How small to compress the source
How long a source we want to compress

We will use the cross-correlation and autocorrelation functions to do this

Autocorrelogram
Cross-correlation
just like convolution, but we use a + instead
of a
+

a(t + )b( )d

Autocorrelation
Cross-correlate the signal with itself
+

a(t + )a( )d

Cross and Auto correlations

Cross correlation tells us how much two
signals are alike (we get closer to a spike
if they are similar)
Autocorrelation tells us how much a signal
is like itself
Noise autocorrelates to a spike since it is,
by definition, random and should be
nothing like itself after shifting.

Correlation examples
Boxcar with boxcar (same as convolution
because they are symmetric)
Boxcar with right triangle
Noise with noise (gives single spike)

Autocorrelogram
Here is an example of an autocorrelogram
of a seismic signal
Primary with 2nd multiple
Signal

Autocorrelation

2nd multiple

Primary
1rst multiple

Autocorrelation
of basic wavelet
Primary with multiple

Autocorrelogram
Here is how we would estimate the
predicted wavelet size and how much of it
to compress from the autocorrelogram
Define source length to exclude multiples

Compress source to
size of first wiggle

0.1s

Starting wavelet length

Ending wavelet length
Decon in 1 stp
Plus decon out the multiples
Shape the primary first
Plus shape the primary
Decon out the multiples first
signal
Spike plus multiples
Original spike

original

multiples

Note sharper
reflections

before

After, reflections are sharper

Vibroseis source signal

Here is what a vibroseis source signal
looks like. It is often called the sweep
because it sweeps through the frequency
range.
4 second Sweep

Low frequencies to start

High-frequencies at end

Autocorrelation of vibroseis source

The autocorrelation of the vibroseis source
gives a klauder wavelet, which is
compact
0.1 s
Note symmetrical shape;
4 seconds of sweep is
compressed into 0.1 s
wavelet

Vibroseis recording
So to get the vibroseis source out of the
vibroseis data, we simply cross-correlate it
with the original vibroseis sweep signal
4-s sweep
Recorded signal

Cross-correlation of sweep and signal,

each reflector now has the shape of a
Klauder wavelet. This is the signal.

Vibroseis recording
4-s sweep as recorded
from the sweep signal
in the vibroseis truck
Recorded signal recorded
at each geophone

Cross-correlation of sweep and signal.

This is often done in the field as the signal
is recorded in the truck. Because the
vibroseis correlation compressed the data,
some data space savings is achieved.