Obtaining a very basic information about the depth dependence of the seismic velocity in a geological structure, we construct several different velocity models suitable for ray tracing. We then calculate travel times to the set of surface profiles in all the constructed models, simulating numerically a surface seismic refraction measurement. We then study the effects of the different velocity models on the calculated travel-time curves.
We examine effects of smooth model versus model with a structural interface, effects of vertical cracks in the deeper part of the model, effects of VTI anisotropy, and effects of low velocity channels in the lower part of the models.
Ray tracing, velocity model, anisotropy, vertical cracks, travel-time curve.
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