Theory of interval traveltime parameter estimation in layered anisotropic media

Conclusions

We have derived novel exact formulas for averaging and inverting the interval quartic coefficients of the reflection traveltime expansion in a general layered anisotropic medium. Expressions for the specific case of a stack of aligned orthorhombic layers are compared with the previous approximations of using VTI averaging formulas. The specific expressions in the case of a stack of azimuthally rotated orthorhombic layers are also provided. The proposed formulas for both averaging interval coefficients and their direct inversion are readily applicable to 3D seismic processing in layered anisotropic media.