Reflections on phase

Ayon Kumar Dey, Laurence R. Lines

In seismic exploration, statistical wavelet estimation and deconvolution are standard tools. Both of these processes make a minimum phase assumption about the actual wavelet embedded in the trace. The validity of this assumption is examined by using well-log reflectivity sequences, synthetic seismic traces, and by using a procedure for evaluating the resulting deconvolutions. Because of these investigations, this work presents a simple group of tests to be used in evaluating the validity of the minimum phase assumption.