The science of seismic exploration has successfully passed the birth of the digital revolution, and in its youthful presence we envision a significant improvement in its future resolving power through an expansion of the geologic information generated from reflection data.

In the early stages of this revolution the signal/noise ratio was improved, largely because the use of high-speed computers made practical the common-depth-point shooting techniques, the repetitive use of low energy, non-dynamite (low noise) source, and various signal-processing techniques.

The net gain to the interpreter has been a much improved seismic record section (in time or depth) from which, as in pre-digital days, he commonly develops only a geometric configuration description. The recorded data, however, contain information about the type of rocks through which the energy has propagated. Extraction of this information (e.g., in the form of velocity and attenuation variations) will permit lithologic identification.

To measure the resolving power of the seismic exploration method one needs to evaluate the simple equation: geometric configuration plus lithologic distribution equals geologic section.

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