CMP cross-correlation analysis of multi-channel surface-wave data

In this paper, we demonstrate that Common Mid-Point (CMP) cross-correlation gathers of multi-channel and multi-shot surface waves give accurate phase-velocity curves, and enable us to reconstruct two-dimensional (2D) velocity structures with high resolution. Data acquisition for CMP cross-correlation analysis is similar to acquisition for a 2D seismic reflection survey. Data processing seems similar to Common Depth-Point (CDP) analysis of 2D seismic reflection survey data, but differs in that the cross-correlation of the original waveform is calculated before making CMP gathers. Data processing in CMP cross-correlation analysis consists of the following four steps: First, cross-correlations are calculated for every pair of traces in each shot gather. Second, correlation traces having a common mid-point are gathered, and those traces that have equal spacing are stacked in the time domain. The resultant cross-correlation gathers resemble shot gathers and are referred to as CMP cross-correlation gathers. Third, a multi-channel analysis is applied to the CMP cross-correlation gathers for calculating phase velocities of surface waves. Finally, a 2D S-wave velocity profile is reconstructed through non-linear least squares inversion. Analyses of waveform data from numerical modelling and field observations indicate that the new method could greatly improve the accuracy and resolution of subsurface S-velocity structure, compared with conventional surface-wave methods.