METHOD FOR NOISE SUPPRESSION IN THE STACKING OF SEISMIC TRACES

A method is disclosed to provide optimal or near-optimal vertical stacking of seismic records within the constraints imposed by real time data acquisition procedures. This method is characterized by forming output seismic traces which are a sum of prorated input traces, such proration being performed by application of smoothly varying weight functions derived from estimated signal and noise power levels within each input trace. Each weight function is computed using frequency domain filtering techniques to obtain a well behaved bandlimited time series for each function. The method also includes a procedure for clipping grossly large noise spikes in the input traces before the stacking procedure is performed, thereby guarding the weight calculation procedure against aliasing effects induced by such spikes.