A method for reducing or eliminating time dispersion errors in predicted seismic wave data, and forming a seismic image of a geological structure using the predicted seismic wave data, the method comprising: obtaining seismic wave data at a first region of the geological structure, the seismic wave data including a plurality of seismic wave traces; calculating a predicted time dispersion error based on an angular frequency (ω) of at least one of the seismic wave traces and a time step (Δt) to be used in calculating the predicted seismic wave data at a second region of the geological structure using a finite difference approximation, wherein calculating the predicted time dispersion error comprises: estimating a phase shift that results from the use of the finite difference approximation in calculating predicted seismic wave data at the second region of the geological structure, wherein the phase shift is where ω is the angular frequency of the seismic wave trace, Δt is the time step of the finite difference approximation, 2n is an order of the finite difference approximation, and n is a positive integer, and and wherein the predicted time dispersion error is | θ ( ω ),Δ t ) - ω Δ t |; compensating each of the seismic wave traces of the seismic wave data at the first region of the geological structure with the predicted time dispersion error; after compensating each of the seismic wave traces, calculating the predicted seismic wave data at the second region of the geological structure by applying the finite difference approximation to the seismic wave data at the first region of the geological structure compensated with the predicted time dispersion error; and generating a seismic image of the second region of the geological structure using the predicted seismic wave data. obtaining seismic wave data at a first region of the geological structure, the seismic wave data including a plurality of seismic wave traces; calculating a predicted time dispersion error based on an angular frequency (ω) of at least one of the seismic wave traces and a time step (Δt) to be used in calculating the predicted seismic wave data at a second region of the geological structure using a finite difference approximation, wherein calculating the predicted time dispersion error comprises: estimating a phase shift that results from the use of the finite difference approximation in calculating predicted seismic wave data at the second region of the geological structure, wherein the phase shift is where ω is the angular frequency of the seismic wave trace, Δt is the time step of the finite difference approximation, 2n is an order of the finite difference approximation, and n is a positive integer, and and wherein the predicted time dispersion error is | θ ( ω ),Δ t ) - ω Δ t |; wherein the phase shift is where ω is the angular frequency of the seismic wave trace, Δt is the time step of the finite difference approximation, 2n is an order of the finite difference approximation, and n is a positive integer, and and wherein the predicted time dispersion error is | θ ( ω ),Δ t ) - ω Δ t |; compensating each of the seismic wave traces of the seismic wave data at the first region of the geological structure with the predicted time dispersion error; after compensating each of the seismic wave traces, calculating the predicted seismic wave data at the second region of the geological structure by applying the finite difference approximation to the seismic wave data at the first region of the geological structure compensated with the predicted time dispersion error; and generating a seismic image of the second region of the geological structure using the predicted seismic wave data. <EOS>