Abstract：The acquisition footprints is a new conception describing a kind of new seismic noise in 3D seismic exploration, the formed mechanism of which is: 1.discrete distribution of geomet rical figure of surface shot points and receiver points results in no n-uniform distribution of illuminat ionforhor-izontal layers, leading to no n-uniform distribution of horizontal CMP binstack, migrated amplitudes and phases;2.regular rolling in in-line and crossline of 3D surveying template causes periodic change in underground CMP bin attributes, leading to periodic change in amplitudes and phases of horizontal CMP bin stack. By aid of seismic physical simulation technique, the paper observed the acquisition footprints imaging in various characters on time slices of 3D migrated data volume, which proved the influence of acquisition footprints on seismic imaging of middle and deep geologic targets and obtained following preliminary knowledge: 1. under the background of microtremor disturbance, the amplitude level of acquisition footprints is in same rank with the background amplitude, so that can observe the imaging of acquisition footprints in various characters coincident with theoretical ana-lysis;2.the noise level of acquisition footprints has little influence on strong reflection signals, but is strong enough to effect the amplitudes and phases of mid and weak reflection signal, so that can affect the seismic imaging quality of middle and deep geologic targets; ③in seismic physical simulation, because the geologic model is known, all information relative to geologic targets can be correctly displayed, and the acquisition footprints are a kind of periodic and regular noise that can be predicted and identified, so, the seismic physical simulation technique is superior technique in studying the issue of acquisition footprints.
