TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral

Balancing

Topics
2 TUNEUP Overview
3 TUNEUP General Use
4 TUNEUP Technical Description
8 TUNEUP Requirements and Restrictions
9 TUNEUP Parameter Description Table
10 TUNEUP Parameter Table
11 TUNEUP General Execution Parameters - Required
13 TUNEUP Examples

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

TUNEUP Overview
TUNEUP performs time-variant spectral balancing of seismic data via Time-Frequency
Decomposition. Gabor-Morlet wavelets are used for the wavelet transforms.
TUNEUP is appropriate for either prestack or poststack processing. It is normally used to
broaden the Frequency Spectrum of the seismic data. The output trace will have the same
envelope as the input trace.

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

TUNEUP General Use

TUNEUP may be called at any point in the processing sequence and it is a reentrant module.
TUNEUP replaces each input trace with the frequency band broadened trace where the
envelope of the output trace matches the envelope of the input trace.
The user selects the limits of the frequency range and number of subbands for spectral
decomposition. NFREQ specifies the requested number of frequencies.
The Spectral Extension of the trace is achieved by wavelet transform of the input trace into
multiple discrete narrow-band complex traces. The envelope of each narrow-band complex
trace is modified to match the envelope of the input trace and integration of all the narrow-
band traces yield the output trace.
TUNEUP offers two methods for Gabor-Morlet wavelet designs. In both cases calculation will be
done with running windows. In the FREQ option, Gabor wavelets with equally spaced central
frequencies are designed and applied to the data, whereas in OCTAVE option, Gabor-Morlet
filters are designed with equally spaced central frequencies in octave-frequency domain, hence
their representation in the frequency axis will be unequally spaced. With the OCTAVE option,
the corresponding subbands in the frequency axis will be of different width, hence the
resulting filters will have different time-widths.
The FREQ option will result in a better balanced frequency spectrum whereas the OCTAVE
option produces a spectrum where the higher frequencies are less emphasized compared to
the FREQ option results (see “TUNEUP Example One” on page 13 and “TUNEUP Example Two”
on page 13).

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

TUNEUP Technical Description

Joint Time-Frequency Analysis

Joint Time-Frequency Analysis describes the energy density of a signal simultaneously in time
and frequency. The mapping process from signal space to the time-frequency plane requires
the seismic trace to be decomposed into several different discrete frequency components of
requested complex trace attribute within small running time gates.
This module performs a Joint Time-Frequency Analysis for each input trace. The calculation of
the instantaneous spectra for different frequency bands is performed either via Gabor filters
with equal length bands in frequency with equally incremented central frequency values, or
Gabor-Morlet filters to calculate the instantaneous spectra for different frequency bands.
Morlet’s modification of Gabor’s subdivision of the frequency domain retains the wavelet
shape over equal octave intervals. Gabor-Morlet transform may also be recognized as an
implementation of wavelet transform.

Gabor-Morlet Transform
The Joint Time-Frequency Analysis employed in this module includes the application of a series
of Gabor-Morlet filters to the seismic data, where output of each filter represents a narrow band
analytic trace. The amplitude and phase of each filtered output corresponds to the average
amplitude and phase of the narrow-band part of the input trace.
Gabor wavelet in time domain:
2
–aj t iw j t
Equation 1 Gj  t  = e e

corresponds to the frequency domain response:

2
– w – wj 
 -------------------------
-
4a j
iw j t 
Equation 2 Gj  w  =  Gj e dt = ----
aj
e
–

If t is defined as the width of j’th wavelet in time domain and w as the width in frequency
domain,
k1
t j = -----
wj

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

k2
w j = -----
wj

then

Equation 3 t j w j = k 1 k 2

is constant.
The width of a function is defined as the interval between points which the function is equal or
larger than one-half of its maximum value
t j 2
– a j  -------
 2 1
Equation 4 e = ---
2
and

w 2
–  --------
 2  1
Equation 5 e = ---
2
4
combining with the previous equations and choosing k 1 = 4 and t j = ------ we get
wj

2 2 ln  2 
Equation 6 k 2 = --- ln  2  and w j = ---------------- w j
 
the value of a j is determined as:

ln  2 
Equation 7 a j = ------------- w j
2
4
When the usable frequency band is specified by the user, this band is subdivided into equal
intervals in octave representation of the frequency axis.

Spectral Extension in Time-Frequency Domain

The frequency response of a long trace approximates the spectrum of the wavelet. In the
convolutional model of the seismic trace, reflectivity and seismic wavelet are convolved and
reflectivity spectra (with few exceptions) appears to be white or flat assuming the analysis
window is long enough. If the window is taken long enough, the geologic stacking of the
individual thin layers can be considered random and the convolution of a source wavelet with a
random geologic section results in an amplitude spectrum that resembles the spectrum of the
wavelet. This is the basis for deconvolution.
The difference in frequency response between a long window and a short window spectrum is
significant. The transform from a short window comprises a wavelet overprint and a local
interference pattern representing the acoustic properties and thicknesses spanned by the

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

window. The shorter the window, the less random the sampled geology will become, and the
amplitude spectrum will no longer approximate just the wavelet but rather the wavelet plus
local properties of the geology.
The short window phase spectrum is also useful in mapping local rock mass characteristic.
Phase is sensitive to subtle perturbations in the seismic character, thus ideal for revealing
lateral acoustic discontinuities (Partyka et all, 1999).
Spectral extension of the traces are transformed into multiple discrete narrow-band complex
traces via wavelet transform using Gabor-Morley wavelets. An envelope (reflection strength) is
calculated for each narrow-band complex trace. Input traces envelope is calculated by forming
its quadrature trace via Hilbert Transform. Each narrow-band complex traces envelope then is
modified to match the input traces envelope. The output trace is obtained by integration of all
the envelope-modified narrow-band traces.

Envelope of the Input Trace

Assume the seismic trace is defined as the sum of a recorded signal, x(t), and its quadrature
trace, y(t), where the quadrature is the 90-degree phase rotated version of the recorded signal.
The quadrature is obtained by taking the Hilbert transform of the recorded signal, x(t):

1
Equation 8 y  t  = ----- *x  t 
t
The complex trace then becomes:

1
Equation 9 u  t  = x  t  + i ----- *x  t 
t
or

i
Equation 10 u  t  =  t  + ----- *x  t 
t

i
where:  t  + ----- is the complex operator.
t
The complex trace then becomes:

1
Equation 11 u  t  = x  t  + i ----- x  t 
t
or

i
Equation 12 u  t  =   t  + ----- x  t 
t
i
where:   t  + ----- is the complex operator.
t
The complex trace, u  t  , can be expressed in polar form:

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

iz  t 
Equation 13 u  t  = R  t e
where: R(t) becomes the envelope of the trace:

2 2
Equation 14 Rt = xt + yt
and Z(t) defines the instantaneous phase:

– 1  y  t 
Equation 15 z  t  = tan ---------
 x  t 

References
Gabor, D. 1946. Theory of Communication. Journal IEE 93:429-441.
Goupillaud, P., Grossmann, A., and Morlet, J. 1983. Cycle-octave representation for
instantaneous frequency spectra. 53rd Annual International Meeting Society of Exploration
Geophysics Session S24.5.
Morlet, J. 1981. Sampling theory and wave propagation. 51st Annual International Meeting
Society of Exploration Geophysics Session S15.1.
Morlet, J., Arens E., Fourgeau, E., and Giard, D. 1982 Wave propagation and sampling theory
Part I and Part II. Geophysics 47 no. 02:203-236.
Partyca, G., Gridley, J., and Lopez J. 1999. Interpretational applications of spectral
decomposition in reservoir characterization. The Leading Edge 18 no. 3:353-360.
Taner, M. T., Koehler, F. and Sheriff, R. E. 1979. Complex seismic trace analysis. Geophysics 44 no.
06:1041-1063.

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

TUNEUP Requirements and Restrictions

The input data to TUNEUP must be seismic traces.

TUNEUP Output
The frequency band broadened traces are passed on for further processing.

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 TUNEUP: Time-Frequency Domain Spectral Balancing

TUNEUP Parameter Description Table

Req General Execution Parameters

METHOD Spectrum computation method (FREQ/OCTAVE)
WLEN Sliding window length (ms)
FBEG Beginning central frequency (Hz)
FEND Ending central frequency (Hz)
NFREQ Number of frequency bands

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TUNEUP Parameter Table

1-8 9-16 17-24 25-32 33-40 41-48 49-56 57-64

Req *CALL TUNEUP METHOD WLEN FBEG FEND NFREQ

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TUNEUP General Execution Parameters - Required

1-8 9-16 17-24 25-32 33-40 41-48 49-56 57-64

*CALL TUNEUP METHOD WLEN FBEG FEND NFREQ

*CALL Execution directive.

Columns: 1-8

TUNEUP Program name.

Columns: 9-16

METHOD Specifies the method of designing frequency bands for Gabor-Morlet filters for time-
frequency decomposition. The FREQ option designs constant bands in frequency. When the
OCTAVE option is chosen then the frequency band for each filter is chosen as a constant
band in octaves.

Valid values:
FREQ For constant bands in linear frequency domain, supply FREQ, or let the
parameter default.
OCTAVE For constant bands in octave frequency domain, supply OCTAVE.

Columns: 17-24
Type of value: Character*8 - Enumerated list
Default value: FREQ

WLEN Specifies the length of time windows for Time-Frequency Analysis, in milliseconds.

Columns: 25-32
Type of value: Floating point
Lower limit: 40.0 ms
Upper limit: Trace length
Default value: 200.0 ms

FBEG Specifies, in hertz, the central frequency for the first filter, frequency to begin the Time-
Frequency Analysis.

Columns: 33-40
Type of value: Floating point
Lower limit: 0.001
Upper limit: Aliasing frequency

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Default value: 5.0

FEND Specifies, in hertz, the central frequency for the last filter, frequency to end the Time-
Frequency Analysis.

Columns: 41-48
Type of value: Floating point
Lower limit: FBEG
Upper limit: Aliasing frequency
Default value: 80.0

NFREQ Specifies the number of frequencies. This will define the number of Gabor-Morlet filters;
thus, the number of output traces per input trace.

Columns: 49-56
Type of value: Integer
Lower limit: 1
Upper limit: None
Default value: 11

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TUNEUP Examples

TUNEUP Example One

1-8 9-16 17-24 25-32 33-40 41-48 49-56 57-64

*CALL TUNEUP FREQ 250 5 100 21

In this example, spectral balancing is done using equal frequency bands using the FREQ option.
The filter length is 250 milliseconds. The frequency band from 5 Hz to 100 Hz is divided into 21
narrow bands.

TUNEUP Example Two

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*CALL TUNEUP OCTAVE 250 5 100 21

In this example, the parameters are the same as “TUNEUP Example One” on page 13 but the
OCTAVE option is used which results in Gabor-Morlet wavelets that are designed with equally
spaced central frequencies in octave-frequency domain. Hence, their representation in the
frequency axis will be unequally spaced and also corresponding subbands in the frequency axis
will be of a different width.

Input Data FREQ Option OCTAVE Option

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