Application of Gaussian Beam Summation Migration in Reflected In-seam Wave Imaging

The geological conditions for coal mining in China are complex, with various structural issues such as faults and collapsed columns seriously compromising the safety of coal mine production. In-seam wave exploration is an effective technique for acquiring detailed information on geological structures in coal seam working faces. However, the existing reflected in-seam wave imaging technique can no longer meet the exploration precision requirements, making it imperative to develop a new reflected in-seam wave imaging technique. This study applies the Gaussian beam summation (GBS) migration method to imaging coal seams' reflected in-seam wave data. Firstly, with regard to the characteristics of the reflected in-seam wave data, methods such as wavefield removal and enveloped superposition are employed for the corresponding wavefield separation, wave train compression and other processing of reflected in-seam waves. Thereafter, imaging is performed using the GBS migration technique. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method for reflected in-seam wave imaging are validated by conducting GBS migration tests on 3D coal-seam fault models with different dip angles and throws. By applying the method to reflected in-seam wave data for an actual coal seam working face, accurate imaging of a fault structure is obtained, thereby validating its practicality.