Target-oriented Q-compensated reverse-time migration by using optimized pure-mode wave equation in anisotropic media

Research on seismic anisotropy and attenuation plays a significant role in exploration geophysics. To enhance the imaging quality for complicated structures, we develop several effective improvements for anisotropic attenuation effects in reverse-time migration (Q-RTM) on surface and vertical seismic profiling (VSP) acquisition geometries. First, to suppress pseudo-shear wave artifact and numerical instability of the commonly used anisotropic pseudo-acoustic wave equations, an optimized pure P-wave dispersion relation is derived and the corresponding pure-mode wave equation is solved by combining the finite-difference and Possion methods. Second, a simplified anisotropic pure-mode visco-acoustic wave equation (PVAWE) based on standard linear solid model is established. Third, a time-dispersion correlation strategy is applied to improve the modeling accuracy. Fourth, we extend a target-oriented scheme to anisotropic attenuated modeling and imaging. Instead of the conventional wavefield modeling and RTM, the proposed approach can extract available wavefield information near the target regions and produce high imaging resolution for target structures. Last, both anisotropic surface and VSP Q-RTMs are executed by combining optimized PVAWE, time-dispersion correlation and target-oriented algorithm. Modeling examples demonstrate the advantages of our schemes. Moreover, our modified Q-compensated imaging workflow can be regarded as a supplement to the classical anisotropic RTM.

Post-stack reverse-time migration using a finite difference method based on triangular grids

Compared with other migration methods, reverse-time migration is based on a precise wave equation, not an approximation, and performs extrapolation in the depth domain rather than the time domain. It is highly accurate and not affected by strong subsurface structure complexity and horizontal velocity variations. The difference method based on triangular grids maintains the simplicity of the difference method and the precision of the finite element method. It can be used directly for forward modeling on models with complex top surfaces and migration without statics preprocessing. We apply a finite difference method based on triangular grids for post-stack reverse-time migration for the first time. Tests on model data verify that the combination of the two methods can achieve near-perfect results in application.

Poststack reverse-time migration using a non-reflecting recursive algorithm on surface relief

Presently the research based on the accurate seismic imaging methods for surface relief, complex structure, and complicated velocity distributions is of great significance. Reverse-time migration is considered to be one of highly accurate methods. In this paper, we propose a new non-reflecting recursive algorithm for reverse-time migration by introducing the wave impedance function into the acoustic wave equation and the algorithm for the surface relief case is derived from the coordinate transformation principle. Using the exploding reflector principle and the zero-time imaging condition of poststack reverse- time migration, poststack numerical simulation and reverse-time migration with complex conditions can be realized. The results of synthetic and real data calculations show that the method effectively suppresses unwanted internal reflections and also deals with the seismic imaging problems resulting from surface relief. So, we prove that this method has strong adaptability and practicality.

A study of perfectly matched layers for joint multicomponent reverse-time migration

Reverse-time migration in finite space requires effective boundary processing technology to eliminate the artificial truncation boundary effect in the migration result.On the basis of the elastic velocity-stress equations in vertical transversely isotropic media and the idea of the conventional split perfectly matched layer（PML）,the PML wave equations in reverse-time migration are derived in this paper and then the high order staggered grid discrete schemes are subsequently given.Aiming at the＂reflections＂from the boundary to the computational domain,as well as the effect of seismic event＇s abrupt changes at the two ends of the seismic array,the PML arrangement in reverse-time migration is given.The synthetic and real elastic,prestack,multi-component,reverse-time depth migration results demonstrate that this method has much better absorbing effects than other methods and the joint migration produces good imaging results.

Elastic reverse-time migration based on amplitude-preserving P- and S-wave separation

Imaging the PP- and PS-wave for the elastic vector wave reverse-time migration requires separating the P- and S-waves during the wave field extrapolation. The amplitude and phase of the P- and S-waves are distorted when divergence and curl operators are used to separate the P- and S-waves. We present a P- and S-wave amplitude-preserving separation algorithm for the elastic wavefield extrapolation. First, we add the P-wave pressure and P-wave vibration velocity equation to the conventional elastic wave equation to decompose the P- and S-wave vectors. Then, we synthesize the scalar P- and S-wave from the vector P- and S-wave to obtain the scalar P- and S-wave. The amplitude-preserved separated P- and S-waves are imaged based on the vector wave reverse-time migration （RTM）. This method ensures that the amplitude and phase of the separated P- and S-wave remain unchanged compared with the divergence and curl operators. In addition, after decomposition, the P-wave pressure and vibration velocity can be used to suppress the interlayer reflection noise and to correct the S-wave polarity. This improves the image quality of P- and S-wave in multicomponent seismic data and the true-amplitude elastic reverse time migration used in prestack inversion.

Least squares reverse-time migration in the pseudodepth domain and reservoir exploration

Least squares reverse-time migration （LSRTM） is an inversion method that removes artificial images and preserves the amplitude of reflectivity sections. LSRTM has been used in reservoir exploration and processing of 4D seismic data. LSRTM is, however, a computationally costly and memory-intensive method. In this study, LSRTM in the pseudodepth domain was combined with the conjugate gradient method to reduce the computational cost while maintaining precision. The velocity field in the depth domain was transformed to the velocity field in the pseudodepth domain; thus, the total number of vertical sampling points was reduced and oversampling was avoided. Synthetic and field data were used to validate the proposed method. LSRTM in the pseudodepth domain in conjunction with the conjugate gradient method shows potential in treating field data.

Reverse-time migration using multidirectional wavefield decomposition method

Reverse-time migration has attracted more and more attention owing to the advantages of high imaging accuracy, no dip restriction, and adaptation to complex velocity models. Cross-correlation imaging method is typically used in conventional reverse-time migration that produces images with strong low-frequency noise. Wavefield decomposition imaging can suppress such noise; however, some residual noise persists in the imaging results. We propose a 2D multidirectional wavefield decomposition method based on the traditional wavefield decomposition method. First, source wavefields and receiver wavefields are separated into eight subwavefields, respectively. Second, cross-correlation imaging is applied to selected subwavefields to produce subimages. Finally, the subimages are stacked to generate the final image. Numerical examples suggest that the proposed method can eliminate the low-frequency noise effectively and produce high-quality imaging profiles.

Huber inversion-based reverse-time migration with de-primary imaging condition and curvelet-domain sparse constraint

Least-squares reverse-time migration(LSRTM) formulates reverse-time migration(RTM) in the leastsquares inversion framework to obtain the optimal reflectivity image. It can generate images with more accurate amplitudes, higher resolution, and fewer artifacts than RTM. However, three problems still exist:(1) inversion can be dominated by strong events in the residual;(2) low-wavenumber artifacts in the gradient affect convergence speed and imaging results;(3) high-wavenumber noise is also amplified as iteration increases. To solve these three problems, we have improved LSRTM: firstly, we use Hubernorm as the objective function to emphasize the weak reflectors during the inversion;secondly, we adapt the de-primary imaging condition to remove the low-wavenumber artifacts above strong reflectors as well as the false high-wavenumber reflectors in the gradient;thirdly, we apply the L1-norm sparse constraint in the curvelet-domain as the regularization term to suppress the high-wavenumber migration noise. As the new inversion objective function contains the non-smooth L1-norm, we use a modified iterative soft thresholding(IST) method to update along the Polak-Ribie re conjugate-gradient direction by using a preconditioned non-linear conjugate-gradient(PNCG) method. The numerical examples,especially the Sigsbee2 A model, demonstrate that the Huber inversion-based RTM can generate highquality images by mitigating migration artifacts and improving the contribution of weak reflection events.

Extraction of amplitude-preserving angle gathers based on vector wavefield reverse-time migration

Angle-domain common-image gathers （ADCIGs） transformed from the shot- domain common-offset gathers are input to migration velocity analysis （MVA） and prestack inversion. ADCIGs are non-illusion prestack inversion gathers, and thus, accurate. We studied the extraction of elastic-wave ADCIGs based on amplitude-preserving elastic-wave reverse- time migration for calculating the incidence angle of P- and S-waves at each image point and for different source locations. The P- and S-waves share the same incident angle, namely the incident angle of the source P-waves. The angle of incidence of the source P-wavefield was the difference between the source P-wave propagation angle and the reflector dips. The propagation angle of the source P-waves was obtained from the polarization vector of the decomposed P-waves. The reflectors＇ normal direction angle was obtained using the complex wavenumber of the stacked reverse-time migration （RTM） images. The ADCIGs of P- and S-waves were obtained by rearranging the common-shot migration gathers based on the incident angle. We used a horizontally layered model, the graben medium model, and part of the Marmousi-II elastic model and field data to test the proposed algorithm. The results suggested that the proposed method can efficiently extract the P- and S-wave ADCIGs of the elastic-wave reverse-time migration, the P- and S-wave incident angle, and the angle-gather amplitude fidelity, and improve the MVA and prestack inversion.

Reverse-Time Migration from Rugged Topography to Image Ground-Penetrating Radar Data in Complex Environments

In ground-penetrating radar （GPR） imaging, it is common for the depth of investigation to be on the same order as the variability in surface topography, In such cases, migration fails when it is carried out from a datum after the application of elevation statics, We introduce a reverse-time migration （RTM） algorithm based on the second-order decoupled form of Maxwell＇s equations, which requires computation of only the electric field, The wavefield extrapolation is computed directly from the acquisition surface without the need for datuming, In a synthetic case study, the algorithm significantly improves image accuracy over a processing sequence in which migration is performed after elevation statics, In addition, we acquired a field dataset at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes （CPSD） in Utah, USA, The data were acquired over rugged topography and have the complex internal stratigraphy of multiply eroded, modern, and ancient eolian deposits, The RTM algorithm significantly improves radar depth images in this challenging environment,

Elastic reverse-time migration in irregular tunnel environment based on polar coordinates

When seismic exploration is conducted in a special geological environment such as a tunnel space,the traditional imaging method in the Cartesian coordinate system cannot accurately discretize the air column in that environment.Thus,obtaining Thus,obtaining highquality imaging results is diffi cult.Therefore,an elastic-wave reverse-time migration method based on the polar coordinate system is proposed.In this method,three boundary conditions exist:outer,inner,and corner boundaries.In the outer boundary,the polar-coordinated absorbing boundary in the radial direction is used to suppress the artifi cial-boundary refl ection.The free-surface boundary condition is adopted in the tunnel space at the inner boundary.In the angular boundaries,we use two diff erent boundary conditions for two cases.The air column in the tunnel space is usually not an irregular circle.Therefore,the irregular tunnelspace geological body in the polar coordinate system is meshed into curvilinear grids and transformed into a regular one in an auxiliary polar coordinate system using the mapping method.Finally,elastic reverse-time migration technology is applied into the auxiliary polar coordinate system.In the numerical examples,two typical models are used to test the proposed method,which verify that the proposed method can obtain accurate images from the datasets in the tunnel space.

Stretching correction for amplitude-preserving vector wavefield reverse-time migration

The migration of multi-wave seismic data is aimed at obtaining the P- and S-wave imaging results of the amplitude preserving. But the P- and S-wave stretching effect produced by the reverse time migration of the elastic wave equation will not only reduce the vertical resolution of the migration results and the amplitude preserving of the large reflection angle. In this paper, the reverse time migration technique of amplitude preserving vector wave-field separating is used. Based on the analysis of the stretch mechanism and the influencing factors of stretch magnitude, the paper gave the stretch correcting factors. Then, realize the stretch correction method at the time that after the reverse extrapolation and before the imaging by solving the problem which is how to calculate the P-wave and Ps-wave propagation directions of imaging points at different times. The stretch correction method can improve the vertical resolution and amplitude fidelity of the imaging results and provide high fidelity input data for seismic data interpretation and inversion.

Reverse-Time Migration of Converted S-Waves of Varying Densities

Ocean-Bottom Node(OBN)acquisitions provide both non-converted and converted reflection energy.There is a clear advantage to independently imaging both P-and S-waves,as they provide more information collectively than either does alone.In many conventional converted-wave pre-stack migration algorithms,density is treated as a constant,which is not the real-life case on earth.S-wave velocity and density information is crucial for hydrocarbon detection because it helps in the identification of porefilling fluids.In this paper,we focused on the effect of density on imaging,and developed a method of reverse-time migration(RTM)on converted s-waves of varying densities(VD-RTMCS).Phase correction was required prior to pre-stack migration to avoid constructive interference between data from adjacent sources.Synthetic data examples showed that when density variations were included,image profiles showed advantages in signal-to-noise ratio,vertical resolution and imaging of complex structures.

Variable-grid reverse-time migration of different seismic survey data

With an increasing demand for high-resolution imaging of complex subsurface structures, thin layers and hidden reservoirs, borehole and cross-well seismic migration methods have become important. However, large differences are observed in the frequency bandwidth between the surface, borehole, and cross-well surveys. Thus, variable-grid- based algorithms have been adapted to reverse-time migration. Further, we introduce Lanczos filtering to ensure the stability of wavefield calculations as well as to decrease the artificial reflections that are caused due to the variable grid size. Finally, we observe that the application of this method to surface survey, borehole, and cross-well seismic data suggests improvements in the delineation of minor fractures and steeply dipping faults.

Multisource least-squares reverse-time migration with structure-oriented filtering

The technology of simultaneous-source acquisition of seismic data excited by several sources can significantly improve the data collection efficiency. However, direct imaging of simultaneous-source data or blended data may introduce crosstalk noise and affect the imaging quality. To address this problem, we introduce a structure-oriented filtering operator as preconditioner into the multisource least-squares reverse-time migration （LSRTM）. The structure-oriented filtering operator is a nonstationary filter along structural trends that suppresses crosstalk noise while maintaining structural information. The proposed method uses the conjugate-gradient method to minimize the mismatch between predicted and observed data, while effectively attenuating the interference noise caused by exciting several sources simultaneously. Numerical experiments using synthetic data suggest that the proposed method can suppress the crosstalk noise and produce highly accurate images.

Least-squares reverse-time migration for reflectivity imaging

A least-squares reverse-time migration scheme is presented for reflectivity imaging. Based on an accurate reflection modeling formula, this scheme produces amplitude-preserved stacked reflectivity images with zero phase. Spatial preconditioning, weighting and the Barzilai-Borwein method are applied to speed up the convergence of the least-squares inversion. In addition, this scheme compensates the effect of ghost waves to broaden the bandwidth of the reflectivity images. Furthermore, roughness penalty constraint is used to regularize the inversion, which in turn stabilizes inversion and removes high-wavenumber artifacts and mitigates spatial aliasing. The examples of synthetic and field datasets demonstrate the scheme can generate zerophase reflectivity images with broader bandwidth, higher resolution, fewer artifacts and more reliable amplitudes than conventional reverse-time migration.

Runx2 regulates peripheral nerve regeneration to promote Schwann cell migration and re-myelination

Runx2 is a major regulator of osteoblast differentiation and function;however,the role of Runx2 in peripheral nerve repair is unclea r.Here,we analyzed Runx2expression following injury and found that it was specifically up-regulated in Schwann cells.Furthermore,using Schwann cell-specific Runx2 knocko ut mice,we studied peripheral nerve development and regeneration and found that multiple steps in the regeneration process following sciatic nerve injury were Runx2-dependent.Changes observed in Runx2 knoc kout mice include increased prolife ration of Schwann cells,impaired Schwann cell migration and axonal regrowth,reduced re-myelination of axo ns,and a block in macrophage clearance in the late stage of regeneration.Taken together,our findings indicate that Runx2 is a key regulator of Schwann cell plasticity,and therefore peripheral nerve repair.Thus,our study shows that Runx2 plays a major role in Schwann cell migration,re-myelination,and peripheral nerve functional recovery following injury.

Prestack reverse-time depth migration of arbitrarily wide-angle wave equations

Based on arbitrarily wide-angle wave equations,a reverse-time propagation scheme is developed by substituting the partial derivatives of depth and time with central differences. The partial derivative of horizontal direction is replaced with high order difference. The imaging condition is computed by solving the eikonal equations. On the basis of above techniques,a prestack reverse-time depth migration algorithm is developed. The processing exam-ples of synthetic data show that the method can remove unwanted internal reflections and decrease the migration noise. The method also has the advantage of fidelity and is applicable of dip angle reflector imaging.

Migration pattern of a population of Barn Swallows(Hirundo rustica)breeding in East Asian tropical region

Birds exhibit a high degree of migratory diversity,which is influenced by various ecological factors and life history strategies.Conducting studies on tropical bird migration,of which research is scarce,and comparing it with temperate birds can enhance our understanding of bird migration behaviour and its underlying mecha-nisms.In this study,we explored the migration behaviour of a breeding population of the Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica)in Zhanjiang,southern China,a region located in the northern tropics,using light-level geolocators.From 2021 to 2023,we deployed geolocators on 92 breeding swallows and retrieved geolocators successfully from 23 individuals.These swallows all exhibited migratory behaviour,and wintering on various islands in Southeast Asia.They displayed sex differences in their wintering locations.All males concentrated in Borneo,while females primarily chose Borneo but also dispersed to the Philippines,South China Sea,and Vietnam for wintering.The studied swallow population adopted a seasonal migration pattern of“indirect in autumn,direct in spring”,bypassing the ecological barrier of the South China Sea in autumn and tending to directly cross it in spring migration.Moreover,the distance and duration of autumn migration was significantly longer than those of the spring migration.Compared to temperate Barn Swallows,the Barn Swallow population breeding in Zhanjiang adopts a pattern of“intra-tropical migration”and initiates autumn migration earlier.The formation of their migration pattern may be limited by ecological and physiological factors.

The roles of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in retinal diseases

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF),a multifunctional cytokine,is secreted by various cells and participates in inflammatory reactions,including innate and adaptive immunity.There are some evidences that MIF is involved in many vitreoretinal diseases.For example,MIF can exacerbate many types of uveitis;measurements of MIF levels can be used to monitor the effectiveness of uveitis treatment.MIF also alleviates trauma-induced and glaucoma-induced optic nerve damage.Furthermore,MIF is critical for retinal/choroidal neovascularization,especially complex neovascularization.MIF exacerbates retinal degeneration;thus,anti-MIF therapy may help to mitigate retinal degeneration.MIF protects uveal melanoma from attacks by natural killer cells.The mechanism underlying the effects of MIF in these diseases has been demonstrated:it binds to cluster of differentiation 74,inhibits the c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway,and triggers mitogen-activated protein kinases,extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2,and the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt pathway.MIF also upregulates Toll-like receptor 4 and activates the nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway.This review focuses on the structure and function of MIF and its receptors,including the effects of MIF on uveal inflammation,retinal degeneration,optic neuropathy,retinal/choroidal neovascularization,and uveal melanoma.