Seismic Velocity Inversion from Microseismic Data

Abstract

Seismic tomographic imaging is the generation of maps of the spatial variation in a seismic parameter through a rockmass. Several seismic parameters may be imaged, such as attenuation or velocity, although P wave velocity images are most common because of the relative simplicity and accuracy of the measurement. P wave velocity images may be constructed in either one, two or three dimensions, using either actively detonated seismic sources (i.e. blasts) or passively monitored induced seismicity. Imaging has been used in a number of mining applications:

• lithological mapping;

• fracture mapping;

• blast damage mapping;

• stress mapping.