Continuous adaptive surface wave analysis for three-dimensional seismic data

1. A method comprising:

receiving seismic data acquired by receivers in a survey of a region, the region being associated with locations;

processing the seismic data to estimate at least one frequency dependent surface wave property over the region;

locally determining frequency dependent data processing geometries across the region, comprising determining a frequency dependent data processing geometry for each location based at least in part on said at least one estimated frequency dependent surface wave property evaluated at said each location, the frequency dependent data processing geometry identifying a geometry-based selection of the receivers; and

processing the seismic data in a processor-based machine based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries to derive a spatially continuous representation of a surface wave property across the region.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

processing the seismic data to identify surface wave modes; and

performing the acts of processing the seismic data to estimate said at least one frequency-dependent surface wave property, determining the frequency-dependent data processing geometry for each location and processing the seismic data based on the determined data processing geometries for each identified mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

processing the seismic data to determine a frequency dependent offset range associated with a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio and without near field-effects; and

further basing the act of determining the frequency-dependent data processing geometry for each location on the determined offset range.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of processing the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries comprises:

processing the seismic data to determine at least one of a phase velocity, a group velocity and an attenuation; and

optimizing the processing based at least in part on a frequency dependence of a wavenumber.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of processing the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries comprises:

for each location, selecting gathers based on the associated data processing geometry and processing the selected gathers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of processing the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries comprises:

for each location, determining a spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property in a subregion associated with the location; and

merging the spatially continuous representations of the surface wave property in the subregion to generate the spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property across the region.

7. A system comprising:

an interface to receive seismic data acquired by receivers in a survey of a region, the region being associated with locations; and

a processor to:

process the seismic data to estimate at least one frequency-dependent surface wave property over the region;

locally determine frequency dependent data processing geometries across the region by determining a frequency-dependent data processing geometry for each location based at least in part on said at least one estimated frequency dependent surface wave property evaluated at said each location, the frequency dependent data processing geometry identifying a geometry-based selection of the receivers; and

process the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries to derive a spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property across the region.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to:

process the seismic data to identify surface wave modes; and

estimate said at least one frequency-dependent surface wave property based on the identified modes.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to:

further base the act of determining the frequency-dependent data processing geometry for each location on a size of a receiver array associated with the data processing geometry.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to:

determine an offset range for the geometry.

11. The system 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to:

for each location, select gathers based on the associated frequency-dependent data processing geometry and process the selected gathers.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is adapted to:

for each location, determine a spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property in a subregion associated with the location; and

merge the spatially continuous representations of the surface wave property in the subregion to generate the spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property across the region.

13. An article comprising a computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

receive seismic data acquired by receivers in a survey of a region, the region being associated with locations;

process the seismic data to estimate at least one frequency-dependent surface wave property over the region;

locally determine frequency dependent data processing geometries across the region by determining a frequency-dependent data processing geometry for each location based at least in part on said at least one estimated frequency dependent surface wave property evaluated at said each location, the frequency dependent data processing geometry identifying a geometry-based selection of the receivers; and

process the seismic data based at least in part on the determined data processing geometries to derive a spatially continuous representation of the surface wave property across the region.