Method of estimating the illumination fold in the migrated domain

Method for estimating the seismic illumination fold |({overscore (x)}, {overscore (p)}) in the migrated 3D domain at at least one image point {overscore (x)}, for at least one dip of vector {overscore (p)},

• Wherein the illumination fold I({overscore (x)},{overscore (p)};{overscore (s)},{overscore (r)}) for each (source {overscore (s)}, receiver {overscore (r)}) pair in the seismic survey is estimated, by applying the following steps:
• determination of the reflection travel time tr({overscore (x)}r({overscore (p)});
• {overscore (s)}, {overscore (r)}) from the source {overscore (s)} to the specular reflection point {overscore (x)}, on the plane reflector passing through the image point {overscore (x)} and perpendicular to the dip vector {overscore (p)} and then returning to the reflector {overscore (r)};
• starting from the diffraction travel time td({overscore (x)};
• {overscore (s)}, {overscore (r)}) from the source {overscore (s)} to the said image point x and then returning to the reflector {overscore (r)};
• incrementing the said illumination fold I({overscore (x)},{overscore (p)};{overscore (s)},{overscore (r)}) related to the said (source {overscore (s)}, receiver {overscore (r)}) pair as a function of the difference between the diffraction travel time td ({overscore (x)};{overscore (s)},{overscore (r)}) and the reflection travel time tr(xr({overscore (p)});
• {overscore (s)}, {overscore (r)}).