Raytrace forward modelling may be used to test the performance of prospective microseismic networks. The modelling mimics the effect of traveltime picking and hodogram errors on the hypocentre locations and also the sensitivity of the sensors and network to the event magnitudes.

Modelling may be used to optimise a proposed network or understand the network performance post acquisition

• Network sensitivity
• Network relative resolution
• Network configuration optimisation
• Ray trace traveltime modelling

Ray trace modelling is also very helpful in predicting the relative arrival times of multi-paths that can be a particular problem where critical refractions arrive before the direct paths.