Receiver Motion Compensation (RMC)

In marine acquisition, the receivers move during the recording of each shot. The movement of the receivers introduces a time-variant positioning error in the recorded data, effectively smearing data horizontally. The aim of receiver motion compensation (RMC) is to remove these positioning errors - to place the data in the position they would have been recorded had the receivers been stationary for the duration of the recorded shot.

RMC applies a spatial shift to the data towards the front of the cable, using a correction that increases with record time and vessel speed. Applied early in the processing sequence, the effects of RMC appear understated and require subtle QC. However, for datasets with dense inline sampling (e.g., Q-Marine single-sensor cables) or long record times, this correction can be important in areas of complex structure demanding high lateral resolution.