Patent ID: 8116168

Claim:
A hybrid one-way and full-way wave (HOF) equation migration-based method for seismic imaging, comprising the steps of: separating a geologic model into a first part representing a less complex medium that lacks strong turning and duplex waves and a second part representing a more complex medium having strong turning and duplex waves; applying a one-way wave equation propagator to obtain source-side and receiver-side wavefields associated with the first part; applying a full-way wave equation propagator to obtain source-side and receiver-side wavefields associated with the second part; applying a frequency-space domain imaging condition to derive a first image from the source-side and receiver-side wavefields associated with the first part; applying a time-space domain imaging condition to derive a second image from the source-side and receiver-side wavefields associated with the second part; and employing an amplitude matching factor to combine the first and second images into a final subsurface image.