Definition
Diffraction – Redistribution in space of the intensity of waves resulting from the presence of an object. It is also referred as the penetration of wave energy into areas forbidden by geometrical optics, e.g., the bending of wave energy around obstacles without obeying Snell’s law as explained in Huygens’ principle (generation of secondary sources).
Diffraction wave-field – An event observed on seismic data produced by diffracted energy, resulting at the termination of reflectors (as at faults and other abrupt changes in seismic impedance), and it is characterized on seismic records and sections by a distinctive alignment.
Diffraction tomography – An inverse technique that is used in seismic exploration to reconstruct the physical properties under investigation using wave-equation propagation.
Introduction
When a wave (elastic wave, electromagnetic wave, or sound wave) meets an object, particle, or obstacle, it is diffracted due to scattering of energy of the propagating...
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Liu, E. (2011). Seismic Diffraction. In: Gupta, H.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-8702-7_189
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