Which parameterization is suitable for acoustic vertical transverse isotropic full waveform inversion? Part 1: Sensitivity and trade-off analysis

Geophysics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. R81-R105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Gholami ◽  
Romain Brossier ◽  
Stéphane Operto ◽  
Alessandra Ribodetti ◽  
Jean Virieux

In most geologic environments, accounting for anisotropy is necessary to perform acoustic full waveform inversion (FWI) of wide-azimuth and wide-aperture seismic data because of the potential dependence of wave speeds on the direction of the wave propagation. In the framework of multiparameter FWI, the subsurface parameterization controls the influence of the different parameter classes on the modeled seismic data as a function of the scattering angle and hence the resolution with which the parameters can be reconstructed and the potential trade-off between different parameters. We have evaluated a numerical procedure based on computation of the scattering patterns of the different parameters to assess the sensitivity of the seismic data to different parameterizations of vertical transverse isotropic media in the acoustic approximation. Among the different categories we have tested, a monoparametric FWI was found for imaging one wave speed with a broad wavenumber content, keeping the Thomsen parameters fixed, which have a small influence on the data relative to the wave speed. This raises the question of the initial information required in the background models of the Thomsen parameters to perform reliable monoparameter FWI. Alternatively, simultaneously inverting the horizontal and vertical wave speeds introduces limited trade-off effects because these wave speeds have significant influence on the data for distinct ranges of scattering angles, while the influence of the Thomsen parameter [Formula: see text] remains weak. With such parameterization, the short-to-intermediate wavelengths of the vertical velocity are updated from the short-to-intermediate scattering angles, while the long-to-intermediate wavelengths of the horizontal velocity are updated from the wide-to-intermediate scattering angles. We concluded that the choice of the subsurface parameterization can be driven by the acquisition geometry, which controls the scattering-angle coverage and hence the resolving power of FWI, and by the accuracy of the available initial FWI models.

Geophysics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. R107-R124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Gholami ◽  
Romain Brossier ◽  
Stéphane Operto ◽  
Vincent Prieux ◽  
Alessandra Ribodetti ◽  
...  

It is necessary to account for anisotropy in full waveform inversion (FWI) of wide-azimuth and wide-aperture seismic data in most geologic environments, for correct depth positioning of reflectors, and for reliable estimations of wave speeds as a function of the direction of propagation. In this framework, choosing a suitable anisotropic subsurface parameterization is a central issue in monoparameter and multiparameter FWI. This is because this parameterization defines the influence of each physical parameter class on the data as a function of the scattering angle, and hence the resolution of the parameter reconstruction, and on the potential trade-off between different parameter classes. We apply monoparameter and multiparameter frequency-domain acoustic vertical transverse isotropic FWI to synthetic and real wide-aperture data, representative of the Valhall oil field. We first show that reliable monoparameter FWI can be performed to build a high-resolution velocity model (for the vertical, the horizontal, or normal move-out velocity), provided that the background models of two Thomsen parameters describe the long wavelengths of the subsurface sufficiently accurately. Alternatively, we show the feasibility of the joint reconstruction of two wave speeds (e.g., the vertical and horizontal wave speeds) with limited trade-off effects, while Thomsen parameter [Formula: see text] is kept fixed during the inversion. The influence of the wave speeds on the data for a limited range of scattering angles when combined each other can, however, significantly hamper the resolution with which the two wave speeds are imaged. These conclusions inferred from the application to the real data are fully consistent with those inferred from the theoretical parameterization analysis of acoustic vertical transverse isotropic FWI performed in the companion report.


Author(s):  
Ehsan Jamali Hondori ◽  
Chen Guo ◽  
Hitoshi Mikada ◽  
Jin-Oh Park

AbstractFull-waveform inversion (FWI) of limited-offset marine seismic data is a challenging task due to the lack of refracted energy and diving waves from the shallow sediments, which are fundamentally required to update the long-wavelength background velocity model in a tomographic fashion. When these events are absent, a reliable initial velocity model is necessary to ensure that the observed and simulated waveforms kinematically fit within an error of less than half a wavelength to protect the FWI iterative local optimization scheme from cycle skipping. We use a migration-based velocity analysis (MVA) method, including a combination of the layer-stripping approach and iterations of Kirchhoff prestack depth migration (KPSDM), to build an accurate initial velocity model for the FWI application on 2D seismic data with a maximum offset of 5.8 km. The data are acquired in the Japan Trench subduction zone, and we focus on the area where the shallow sediments overlying a highly reflective basement on top of the Cretaceous erosional unconformity are severely faulted and deformed. Despite the limited offsets available in the seismic data, our carefully designed workflow for data preconditioning, initial model building, and waveform inversion provides a velocity model that could improve the depth images down to almost 3.5 km. We present several quality control measures to assess the reliability of the resulting FWI model, including ray path illuminations, sensitivity kernels, reverse time migration (RTM) images, and KPSDM common image gathers. A direct comparison between the FWI and MVA velocity profiles reveals a sharp boundary at the Cretaceous basement interface, a feature that could not be observed in the MVA velocity model. The normal faults caused by the basal erosion of the upper plate in the study area reach the seafloor with evident subsidence of the shallow strata, implying that the faults are active.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1017-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Hu ◽  
Liguo Han ◽  
Rushan Wu ◽  
Yongzhong Xu

Abstract Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) is based on the least squares algorithm to minimize the difference between the synthetic and observed data, which is a promising technique for high-resolution velocity inversion. However, the FWI method is characterized by strong model dependence, because the ultra-low-frequency components in the field seismic data are usually not available. In this work, to reduce the model dependence of the FWI method, we introduce a Weighted Local Correlation-phase based FWI method (WLCFWI), which emphasizes the correlation phase between the synthetic and observed data in the time-frequency domain. The local correlation-phase misfit function combines the advantages of phase and normalized correlation function, and has an enormous potential for reducing the model dependence and improving FWI results. Besides, in the correlation-phase misfit function, the amplitude information is treated as a weighting factor, which emphasizes the phase similarity between synthetic and observed data. Numerical examples and the analysis of the misfit function show that the WLCFWI method has a strong ability to reduce model dependence, even if the seismic data are devoid of low-frequency components and contain strong Gaussian noise.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document