Numerical Study of Scattering Attenuation in Fractured Media – Frequency Dependence and Effects of Characteristic Length Scales

E-19 NUMERICAL STUDY OF SCATTERING ATTENUATION IN FRACTURED MEDIA – FREQUENCY DEPENDENCE AND EFFECTS OF CHARACTERISTIC LENGTH SCALES Introduction 1 Seismic attenuation is in general a combined effect of absorption (intrinsic attenuation) which is affected by lithological parameters and scattering (apparent) attenuation which is related to structural parameters. Which of these two mechanisms dominates in any given situation depends on the relative wavelengths of the seismic wave and the heterogeneities of the fracture system. In this study we deal exclusively with scattering attenuation. Synthetic modeling studies with and without intrinsic attenuation show that the contribution of scattering attenuation is significant.