Optimizing 3D refraction and reflection survey design

ii useful approach to optimal seismic survey design is to simulate the seismic response for a suite of cr priori subsurface models and shot-receiver templates. We present a method for estimating an effective source-receiver distribution for resolving an assumed 3D structure. To design the receiver distribution, we calculate continuous traveltime slices at the surface from a given source template and plot the RMS curvatures of the wavefronts. The spatial density of the receiver coverage should be in proportion to the locally varying magnitude of the RMS curvature. Similarly, to determine the optimal source distribution, we sum the RMS curvatures of the wavefront traveltimes due to each source in the entire survey area. In the same way, the magnitude of the curvatures suggest the most important areas for source locations.