Analytical solution for P-wave propagation in multilayered inclined seabed formations

Summary The acoustic approximation of seismic data is a widely used approach in marine seismic data processing. Continental shelf margins typically exhibit inclined interfaces. However, existing methods for calculating the P-wave wavefield beneath inclined seabed commonly rely on horizontal assumptions, which introduce errors into seismic data. In this study, an analytical recursive solution for P-wave propagation in inclined seabed formations is derived by establishing boundary condition equations at arbitrarily inclined interfaces using three-dimensional coordinate transformation. By applying three-dimensional coordinate transformation, boundary condition equations are established at arbitrarily inclined interfaces. Based on the acoustic seismic wave differential equations, a set of recursive equations is developed that enables the analytical computation of P-wave propagation in environments with inclined interfaces. This proposed analytical framework provides an effective approach for resolving wavefields in inclined multilayered formations.