| dc.description.abstract | Seismic data are essential to understanding subsurface geology, but the marked geological and architectural variability of carbonate strata relative to seismic resolution can hinder accurate interpretation. To test the hypothesis that lateral variations in facies and petrophysical properties produce observable change in the seismic response of carbonate shelf margins, a suite of geological scenarios based on real-world outcrop, well, and high-resolution seismic data forms the basis for seismic models that systematically isolate geological variables. Eleven geological scenarios that changed the presence and location of high- and low-impedance intervals or differing stratal geometries were modeled seismically at three different frequencies. Results demonstrate that 1) lateral changes in facies and petrophysical properties, even when below the limits of seismic resolution, subtly alter the amplitude, period, and geometry of reflectors; and 2) time lines such as sequence boundaries may, or may not, follow reflectors. These subtle changes, applied to real-world seismic data, provide means of constraining plausible geological interpretations based on reflector character. | |
