Heeding the waveform inversion nonlinearity by unwrapping the model and data

Tariq Ali Alkhalifah, Yun Seok Choi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Unlike traveltime inversion, waveform inversion provides relatively higher-resolution inverted models. This feature, however, comes at the cost of introducing complex nonlinearity to the inversion operator complicating the convergence process. We use unwrapped-phase-based objective functions to reduce such nonlinearity in a domain in which the high-frequency component is given by the traveltime inversion. Such information is packaged in a frequency-dependent attribute (or traveltime) that can be easily manipulated at different frequencies. It unwraps the phase of the wavefield yielding far less nonlinearity in the objective function than those experienced with the conventional misfit objective function, and yet it still holds most of the critical waveform information in its frequency dependency. However, it suffers from nonlinearity introduced by the model (or reflectivity), as events interact with each other (something like cross talk). This stems from the sinusoidal nature of the band-limited reflectivity model. Unwrapping the phase for such a model can mitigate this nonlinearity as well. Specifically, a simple modification to the inverted domain (or model), can reduce the effect of the model-induced nonlinearity and, thus, make the inversion more convergent. Simple examples are used to highlight such features.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication74th EAGE Conference and Exhibition incorporating EUROPEC 2012
PublisherEAGE Publications
ISBN (Print)9781629937908
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 3 2014

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01

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