Paper Summary
Among the various types of converted waves, those involving conversion at both the top and base of the salt—such as PSPP and PPSP modes—are especially problematic due to their strong amplitudes and complex moveout behaviour. Symmetrical conversions like PSSP, although theoretically possible, are rarely observed in practice due to their weaker amplitudes and longer travel times. Traditional suppression techniques, such as velocity-based filtering or targeted muting using travel-time models, often fall short in regions with complex or irregular salt geometries.
To more effectively address these issues, we investigate a modelling-based attenuation method that leverages dual acoustic simulations. This involves running two 3D acoustic models—one that includes the base salt interface and another that excludes it—to isolate the energy associated with converted waves (Kumar et al., 2018). The synthetic data generated allows for a more precise estimation of the converted wavefield, which can then be subtracted from the original data before migration. This technique offers a more robust suppression of mode-converted noise, particularly in geologically complex settings.
In this paper, we apply this modelling-based strategy to newly acquired multisensor seismic datasets from the Eastern Mediterranean. The results demonstrate that this approach significantly enhances image clarity, supports amplitude-preserving processing workflows,
and improves the accuracy of velocity model building in areas affected by strong P-to-S wave conversions.