Summary

This paper examines a method of signature estimation for marine vibrators that jointly uses measurements of the acceleration of the vibrating surfaces and the pressure in the near-field to invert for notional sources. The method enables an optimal estimate of the wavefield emitted in the water by a vibrator unit and has the flexibility to take into account transducer-related distortions, complexity in the radiation pattern and interaction with nearby interfaces. Using simple approximations for the relationship between the measurements and the expected form of the wavefield, we apply the method to data acquired in a lake test. Predicted pressures are calculated and compared with observed hydrophone measurements made at locations in the water surrounding the vibrator, demonstrating the robustness and accuracy of the method.