Application of multiscale waveform tomography for high-resolution velocity estimation in complex geologic environments: Canadian Foothills synthetic data example

Seismic imaging in compressional belts such as the Canadian Foothills is very challenging due to complex geological structures, rugged surface topography, and highly variable near-surface conditions. Seismic sections across the Canadian Foothills are usually progressively more distorted when approaching the Canadian Foothills region. Figure 1 shows the degree of structural complexity and topographic variations which are in part responsible for the deteriorated imaging in the thrust belt. Accurate velocity models of subsurface structures are critical for improving seismic images of thrust belts in both the time domain (e.g., tomostatics) and the depth domain (e.g., prestack depth migration).