Iterative Method for Acoustical Wave Inversion with Sparse Data

Abstract

This paper studies wave-theoretical and computational method for acoustical wave non-linear inversion with sparse data, for example multi-source cross-hole imaging in geophysical prospecting. Synthetic researches show ₍₃₎ that for weak scatter problems Born approximations are valid, diffraction tomography performs slightly better than a single iteration of non-linear inversion. However, if the background velocities increase systematically with depth, diffraction tomography is ineffective whereas non-linear inversion yields useful images. For more complicated medium, iterative non-linear inversion method will be a prospective method ⁽¹⁾.

This research was supported by the Chinese National Science Foundation under grant 49290200.