Closure Phase Statics Correction

The closure phase principle was used in estimating static shifts in seismic data. In areas with complex topography, the static shifts usually caused by lateral variations in sediment thickness and/or velocity of the near-surface layers will distort the continuity of seismic events. More seriously, it introduces false structural anomalies. In this report, we develop a new statics correction method which does not require estimation of the near-surface velocity model and is based on the closure phase principle. The closure phase principle is used by interferometric astronomers to mitigate the distorting effects of the atmosphere on their stellar images. Tests with synthetic data for the SEG/EAGE overthrust model and land data were conducted and preliminary results demonstrate that this approach can noticeably improve the quality of the stacked section compared with the plus and minus statics method.