Seismic traveltime inversion for 2-D crustal velocity structure

Yung-En Yu

Abstract

A method of seismic traveltime inversion for simultaneous determination of 2-D velocity and interface structure is presented. It can be used to handle any type of body-wave seismic data.

The inversion scheme is iterative and is based on a model parametrization and a method of ray tracing suited to the forward step of an inversion approach. This report presents the important concepts of the method including model parametrization, ray trace and inversion.

An example using synthetic data demonstrates the algorithm’s accuracy, rapid convergence and sensitivity to realistic noise levels. And an inversion of refraction and wide-angle reflection traveltime from the 1986 IRIS-PASSCALNevada, USA seismic experiment illustrates the methodology and practical considerations necessary for handling real data.

Reference

Zelt C. A. and Smith R. B., 1992, Seismic traveltime inversion for 2-D crustal velocity structure

(Abstract) (Full text)

William Menke, 1984, Geophysical data analysis: discrete inverse theory

(Abstract) (Full text)