Abstract
A least‐squares migration algorithm is presented that reduces the migration artifacts (i.e., recording footprint noise) arising from incomplete data. Instead of migrating data with the adjoint of the forward modeling operator, the normal equations are inverted by using a preconditioned linear conjugate gradient scheme that employs regularization. The modeling operator is constructed from an asymptotic acoustic integral equation, and its adjoint is the Kirchhoff migration operator. We tested the performance of the least‐squares migration on synthetic and field data in the cases of limited recording aperture, coarse sampling, and acquisition gaps in the data. Numerical results show that the least‐squares migrated sections are typically more focused than are the corresponding Kirchhoff migrated sections and their reflectivity frequency distributions are closer to those of the true model frequency distribution. Regularization helps attenuate migration artifacts and provides a sharper, better frequency distribution of estimated reflectivity. The least‐squares migrated sections can be used to predict the missing data traces and interpolate and extrapolate them according to the governing modeling equations. Several field data examples are presented. A ground‐penetrating radar data example demonstrates the suppression of the recording footprint noise due to a limited aperture, a large gap, and an undersampled receiver line. In addition, better fault resolution was achieved after applying least‐squares migration to a poststack marine data set. And a reverse vertical seismic profiling example shows that the recording footprint noise due to a coarse receiver interval can be suppressed by least‐squares migration.