Seismic reflector imaging by prestack time migration in the Kakkonda geothermal field, Japan

We show that a prestack migration method improves the S/N ratio of seismic reflection profiling in the Kakkonda geothermal field where seismic reflection data are of poor quality. We use non-iterative prestack time migration (PSTM), which does not require multiple iterations to determine the velocity structure for prestack time migration. The optimum constant migration velocity can be determined at each image point from a migration velocity analysis based on primary diffraction patterns. Our results delineate a strong reflector beneath a zone of high seismicity. According to the correspondence between the fracture distribution, the distribution of microearthquakes, and geothermal structure, this reflector is interpreted to be a zone of low-angle fractures saturated with hydrothermal fluids, and to be strongly controlled by the geothermal structure.