Filtering Vibroseis Data in the Pre-Correlation Domain

Digital data storage and processing costs are now so low that there is no good reason why unsummed, uncorrelated vibroseis field data should not be recorded. Field stacking and correlation are an essential QC process, but the output from the correlator-stacker should not be regarded as the primary raw data set. Stanley (1988) advocated this approach, pointing particularly to the development of new helical scan tape technology. Since then helical scan has become acceptable in the seismic field environment, and the unit cost of hard disk storage has also fallen by a factor of at least five.