Interrogating Tomographic Uncertainties for Subsurface Structural Information

Author(s):  
Andrew Curtis ◽  
Xuebin Zhao ◽  
Xin Zhang

<p>The ultimate goal of a geophysical investigation is usually to find answers to scientific (often low-dimensional) questions: how large is a subsurface body? How deeply does lithosphere subduct? Does a certain subsurface feature exist? Background research reviews existing information, an experiment is designed and performed to acquire new data, and the most likely answer is estimated. Typically the answer is interpreted from geophysical inversions, but is usually biased because only one particular forward function (model-data relationship) is considered, one inversion method is used, and because human interpretation is a biased process. <strong><em>Interrogation theory </em></strong>provides a systematic way to answer specific questions. Answers balance information from multiple forward models, inverse methods and model parametrizations probabilistically, and optimal answers are found using decision theory.</p><p>Two examples illustrate interrogation of the Earth’s subsurface. In a synthetic test, we estimate the cross-sectional area of a subsurface low velocity anomaly by interrogating Bayesian probabilistic tomographic maps. By combining the results of four different nonlinear inversion algorithms, the optimal answer is very close to the true answer. In a field data application, we evaluate the extent of the Irish Sea Sedimentary Basin based on the uncertainties in velocity structure derived from Love wave tomography. This example shows that the computational expense of estimating uncertainties adds explicit value to answers.</p><p>This study demonstrates that interrogation theory answers realistic questions about the Earth’s subsurface. The same theory can be used to solve different types of scientific problem - experimental design, interpreting models, expert elicitation and risk estimation - and can be applied in any field of science. One of its most important contributions is to show that fully nonlinear estimates of uncertainty are critical for decision-making in real-world geoscientific problems, potentially justifying their computational expense.</p><p> </p>

Author(s):  
S.R. Glanvill

This paper summarizes the application of ultramicrotomy as a specimen preparation technique for some of the Materials Science applications encountered over the past two years. Specimens 20 nm thick by hundreds of μm lateral dimension are readily prepared for electron beam analysis. Materials examined include metals, plastics, ceramics, superconductors, glassy carbons and semiconductors. We have obtain chemical and structural information from these materials using HRTEM, CBED, EDX and EELS analysis. This technique has enabled cross-sectional analysis of surfaces and interfaces of engineering materials and solid state electronic devices, as well as interdiffusion studies across adjacent layers.Samples are embedded in flat embedding moulds with Epon 812 epoxy resin / Methyl Nadic Anhydride mixture, using DY064 accelerator to promote the reaction. The embedded material is vacuum processed to remove trapped air bubbles, thereby improving the strength and sectioning qualities of the cured block. The resin mixture is cured at 60 °C for a period of 80 hr and left to equilibrate at room temperature.


2020 ◽  
Vol 222 (3) ◽  
pp. 1639-1655
Author(s):  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Corinna Roy ◽  
Andrew Curtis ◽  
Andy Nowacki ◽  
Brian Baptie

SUMMARY Seismic body wave traveltime tomography and surface wave dispersion tomography have been used widely to characterize earthquakes and to study the subsurface structure of the Earth. Since these types of problem are often significantly non-linear and have non-unique solutions, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods have been used to find probabilistic solutions. Body and surface wave data are usually inverted separately to produce independent velocity models. However, body wave tomography is generally sensitive to structure around the subvolume in which earthquakes occur and produces limited resolution in the shallower Earth, whereas surface wave tomography is often sensitive to shallower structure. To better estimate subsurface properties, we therefore jointly invert for the seismic velocity structure and earthquake locations using body and surface wave data simultaneously. We apply the new joint inversion method to a mining site in the United Kingdom at which induced seismicity occurred and was recorded on a small local network of stations, and where ambient noise recordings are available from the same stations. The ambient noise is processed to obtain inter-receiver surface wave dispersion measurements which are inverted jointly with body wave arrival times from local earthquakes. The results show that by using both types of data, the earthquake source parameters and the velocity structure can be better constrained than in independent inversions. To further understand and interpret the results, we conduct synthetic tests to compare the results from body wave inversion and joint inversion. The results show that trade-offs between source parameters and velocities appear to bias results if only body wave data are used, but this issue is largely resolved by using the joint inversion method. Thus the use of ambient seismic noise and our fully non-linear inversion provides a valuable, improved method to image the subsurface velocity and seismicity.


BJS Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Joana F F Simoes ◽  
Elizabeth Li ◽  
James C Glasbey ◽  
Omar M Omar ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundDuring the initial COVID-19 outbreak up to 28.4 million elective operations were cancelled worldwide, in part owing to concerns that it would be unsustainable to maintain elective surgery capacity because of COVID-19-related surgeon absence. Although many hospitals are now recovering, surgical teams need strategies to prepare for future outbreaks. This study aimed to develop a framework to predict elective surgery capacity during future COVID-19 outbreaks.MethodsAn international cross-sectional study determined real-world COVID-19-related absence rates among surgeons. COVID-19-related absences included sickness, self-isolation, shielding, and caring for family. To estimate elective surgical capacity during future outbreaks, an expert elicitation study was undertaken with senior surgeons to determine the minimum surgical staff required to provide surgical services while maintaining a range of elective surgery volumes (0, 25, 50 or 75 per cent).ResultsBased on data from 364 hospitals across 65 countries, the COVID-19-related absence rate during the initial 6 weeks of the outbreak ranged from 20.5 to 24.7 per cent (mean average fortnightly). In weeks 7–12, this decreased to 9.2–13.8 per cent. At all times during the COVID-19 outbreak there was predicted to be sufficient surgical staff available to maintain at least 75 per cent of regular elective surgical volume. Overall, there was predicted capacity for surgeon redeployment to support the wider hospital response to COVID-19.ConclusionThis framework will inform elective surgical service planning during future COVID-19 outbreaks. In most settings, surgeon absence is unlikely to be the factor limiting elective surgery capacity.


1969 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 755-769
Author(s):  
K. L. Kaila

abstract A new analytical method for the determination of velocity at the hypocenter of a deep earthquake has been developed making use of P- and S-wave travel times. Unlike Gutenberg's method which is graphical in nature, the present method makes use of the least square technique and as such it yields more quantitative estimates of the velocities at depth. The essential features of this method are the determination from the travel times of a deep-focus earthquake the lower and upper limits Δ1 and Δ2 respectively of the epicentral distance between which p = (dT/dΔ) in the neighborhood of inflection point can be considered stationary so that the travel-time curve there can be approximated to a straight line T = pΔ + a. From p = (1/v*) determined from the straight line least-square fit made on the travel-time observation points between Δ1 and Δ2 for various focal depths, upper-mantle velocity structure can be obtained by making use of the well known relation v = v*(r0 − h)/r0, h being the focal depth of the earthquake, r0 the radius of the Earth, v* the apparent velocity at the point of inflection and v the true velocity at that depth. This method not only gives an accurate estimate of p, at the same time it also yields quite accurate value of a which is a function of focal depth. Calibration curves can be drawn between a and the focal depth h for various regions of the Earth where deep focus earthquakes occur, and these calibration curves can then be used with advantage to determine the focal depths of deep earthquakes in those areas.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Mojzsis ◽  
Oleg Abramov

<p><strong>Introduction. </strong>Post-accretionary impact bombardment is part of planet formation and leads to localized, regional [e.g., 1-3], or even wholesale global melting of silicate crust [e.g., 4]; less intense bombardment can also create hydrothermal oases favorable for life [e.g, 5]. Here, we generalize the effects of late accretion bombardments to extrasolar planets of different masses (0.1-10M<sub>⊕</sub>). One example is Proxima Centauri b, estimated at ~2× M<sub>⊕</sub> [6]. We model a 0.1M<sub>⊕ </sub>“mini-Earth”<sub></sub>and “super-Earth” at 10M<sub>⊕</sub>, the approximate upper limit for a “mini-Neptune” [7]. Output predicts lithospheric melting and subsurface habitable volumes.</p><p><strong>Methods. </strong>The model [1,2] consists of (i) stochastic cratering; (ii) analytical thermal expressions for each crater [e.g., 8,9]; and (iii) a 3-D thermal model of the lithosphere, where craters cool by conduction and radiation.</p><p>We analyze impact bombardments using our solar system’s mass production functions for the first 500 Myr [10]. Surface temperatures and geothermal gradients are set to 20 °C and 70 °C/km [2]. Total delivered mass for Earth is 7.8 × 10<sup>21</sup> kg, and scaled to other planets based on cross-sectional areas, with 1.7 × 10<sup>21</sup> kg for mini-Earth, 1.2 × 10<sup>22</sup> kg for Proxima Centauri b, and 3.6 × 10<sup>22</sup> kg for super-Earth. The impactors' SFD is based on our main asteroid belt [11]. Impactor and target densities are set to 3000 kg m<sup>-3</sup> and planetary bulk densities are assumed to be 5510 kg m<sup>-3</sup>, omitting gravitational compression [7]. Impactor velocity was estimated at 1.5 × v<sub>esc</sub> for each planet, with 7.8 km s<sup>-1</sup> for mini-Earth,  16.8 km s<sup>-1</sup> for the Earth, 21.1 km s<sup>-1</sup> for Proxima Centauri b, and 36.1 km s<sup>-1</sup> for super-Earth.</p><p><strong>Results. </strong>We assume fully formed crusts, so melt volume immediately increases due to impacts. Super-Earth reaches a maximum of ~45% of the lithosphere in molten state, whereas mini-Earth reaches a maximum of only ~5%.  This is due to much higher impact velocities and cratering densities on the super-Earth compared to mini-Earth. We also show the geophysical habitable volumes within the upper 4 km of a planet’s crust as the bombardment progresses. Impacts sterilize the majority of the habitable volume on super-Earth; however, due to its large total volume, the total habitable volume is still higher than on other planets despite the more intense bombardment in terms of energy delivered per unit area.</p><p><strong>References:</strong> [1] Abramov, O., and S.J. Mojzsis (2009) Nature, 459, 419-422. [2] Abramov et al. (2013) Chemie der Erde, 73, 227-248. [3] Abramov, O., and S. J. Mojzsis (2016) Earth Planet Sci. Lett., 442, 108-120. [4] Canup, R. M. (2004) Icarus, 168, 433-456. [5] Abramov, O., and D. A. Kring (2004) J. Geophys. Res., 109(E10). [6] Tasker, E. J. et al. (2020). Astronom. J., 159(2), 41. [7] Marcy, G. W. et al. (2014). PNAS, 111(35), 12655-12660. [8] Kieffer S. W. and Simonds C. H. (1980) Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 18, 143-181. [9] Pierazzo E., and H.J. Melosh (2000). Icarus, 145, 252-261. [10] Mojzsis, S. J. et al. (2019). Astrophys. J., 881(1), 44. [11] Bottke, W. F. et al. (2010) Science, 330, 1527-1530.</p>


Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 577-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Side Jin ◽  
Raul Madariaga

Seismic reflection data contain information on small‐scale impedance variations and a smooth reference velocity model. Given a reference velocity model, the reflectors can be obtained by linearized migration‐inversion. If the reference velocity is incorrect, the reflectors obtained by inverting different subsets of the data will be incoherent. We propose to use the coherency of these images to invert for the background velocity distribution. We have developed a two‐step iterative inversion method in which we separate the retrieval of small‐scale variations of the seismic velocity from the longer‐period reference velocity model. Given an initial background velocity model, we use a waveform misfit‐functional for the inversion of small‐scale velocity variations. For this linear step we use the linearized migration‐inversion method based on ray theory that we have recently developed with Lambaré and Virieux. The reference velocity model is then updated by a Monte Carlo inversion method. For the nonlinear inversion of the velocity background, we introduce an objective functional that measures the coherency of the short wavelength components obtained by inverting different common shot gathers at the same locations. The nonlinear functional is calculated directly in migrated data space to avoid expensive numerical forward modeling by finite differences or ray theory. Our method is somewhat similar to an iterative migration velocity analysis, but we do an automatic search for relatively large‐scale 1-D reference velocity models. We apply the nonlinear inversion method to a marine data set from the North Sea and also show that nonlinear inversion can be applied to realistic scale data sets to obtain a laterally heterogeneous velocity model with a reasonable amount of computer time.


2020 ◽  
Vol 221 (2) ◽  
pp. 938-950
Author(s):  
Pingping Wu ◽  
Handong Tan ◽  
Changhong Lin ◽  
Miao Peng ◽  
Huan Ma ◽  
...  

SUMMARY Multiphysics imaging for data inversion is of growing importance in many branches of science and engineering. Cross-gradient constraint has been considered as a feasible way to reduce the non-uniqueness problem inherent in inversion process by finding geometrically consistent images from multigeophysical data. Based on OCCAM inversion algorithm, a direct inversion method of 2-D profile velocity structure with surface wave dispersion data is proposed. Then we jointly invert the profiles of magnetotelluric and surface wave dispersion data with cross-gradient constraints. Three synthetic models, including block homogeneous or heterogeneous models with consistent or inconsistent discontinuities in velocity and resistivity, are presented to gauge the performance of the joint inversion scheme. We find that owning to the complementary advantages of the two geophysical data sets, the models recovered with structure coupling constraints exhibit higher resolution in the classification of complex geologic units and settle some imaging problems caused by the separate inversion methods. Finally, a realistic velocity model from the NE Tibetan Plateau and its corresponding resistivity model calculated by empirical law are used to test the effectiveness of the joint inversion scheme in the real geological environment.


Recent developments in instrumentation allow networks of radio-linked seismometers, recording on magnetic tape, to be easily established in areas of micro-earthquake activity. Observations with such networks enable the location and some of the source parameters of small earthquakes to be examined in detail. Accurate locations require adequate knowledge of the velocity structure within the area of the network, and suitable source station geometry. Given such a network, it should be possible to estimate crustal structure sufficiently accurately to give good epicentre and depth locations for small earthquakes within the network.


2019 ◽  
Vol 288 ◽  
pp. 01003
Author(s):  
Faping Zhang ◽  
Kai Wu

In the fields of modern aviation system, subgrade vehicle system and complex mechanical system, there is a problem that parameters of most dynamic models are inaccurate. This problem results in a large difference between the model results and the experimental results. In order to solve this problem, this paper build a nonlinear inversion method based on dynamics model modification (NIDM). Firstly, the error relationship was obtained by integrating the experimental data with the simulation results of the forward modelling model by the cost function and penalty function. Then, the problem of error function minimization was solved by using the parameter iteration generated by particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the corrected parameters of the forward modelling model were obtained. Finally, the method was tested by building a vehicle suspension vibration model and a pavement excitation model as test samples. The test results show that the fitting degree between the simulation results and the experimental results can be effectively improved by modifying the parameters of the dynamic model based on the NIDM method.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document