Abstract
Mesoscopic fluid flow is the major cause of wave attenuation and velocity dispersion at seismic frequencies in porous rocks. The Johnson model provides solutions for the frequency-dependent quality factor and phase velocity in partially saturated porous media with pore patches of arbitrary shapes. We use the Johnson model to derive approximations for the quality factor Q at the high and low frequency limit, and obtain the approximate equation for Q min based on geophysical and geometric parameters. A more accurate equation for Q min is obtained after correcting for the linear errors between the exact and approximate Q values. The complexity of the pore patch shape affects the maximum attenuation of Q min and the transition frequency ftr; furthermore, the effect on f tr is stronger than that on Q min . Numerical solutions to Biot’s equation are computationally intensive; thus, we build an equivalent viscoelastic model on the basis of the Zener model, which well approximates the wave attenuation and dispersion in porous rocks in the seismic band.
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This research is sponsored by the National Science and Technology Major Project (Grant No. 2011ZX05025-001-07).
Ling Yun, a PhD student in Jilin University. He obtained the bachelor degree from the College of Geo-Exploration of Science and Technology at Jilin University in 2010. His research interests mainly about the attenuation and dispersion in porous media.
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Ling, Y., Han, LG. & Zhang, YM. Viscoelastic characteristics of low-frequency seismic wave attenuation in porous media. Appl. Geophys. 11, 355–363 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-014-0464-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-014-0464-y