Method of determining the response caused by model alterations in seismic simulations

Abstract

Described is a finite-difference methodology for efficiently computing the seismic response from a seismic model subject to several changes within sub-volumes. Initially, the response from an original model is calculated and the wave field is recorded at receivers and along closed surfaces around the sub-volumes. As changes occur, the recorded seismograms can be updated by simulating the response on small models encompassing the immediate neighborhood of the regions of change, the recording locations, and the parts of model that contribute to subsequent reflections and scattering recorded at the receivers. The recorded wave field can then be added to the reference wave field to obtain the seismic responses of alterations to the model without having to recalculate the full altered model.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.