Clayton, Robert W. and McMechan, George A. (1981) Inversion of refraction data by wave field continuation. Geophysics, 46 (6). pp. 860-868. ISSN 0016-8033. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20121010-114753811
- Published Version
See Usage Policy.
Use this Persistent URL to link to this item: http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20121010-114753811
The process of wave equation continuation (migration) is adapted for refraction data in order to produce velocity-depth models directly from the recorded data. The procedure consists of two linear transformations: a slant stack of the data produces a wave field in the p - τ plane which is then downward continued using τ = O as the imaging condition. The result is that the data wave field is linearly transformed from the time-distance domain into the slowness-depth domain, where the velocity profile can be picked directly. No travel-time picking is involved, and all the data are present throughout the inversion. The method is iterative because it is necessary to specify a velocity function for the continuation. The solution produced by a given iteration is used as the continuation velocity function for the next step. Convergence is determined when the output wave field images the same velocity-depth function as was input to the continuation. The method obviates the problems associated with determining the envelope of solutions that are consistent with the observations, since the time resolution in the data is transformed into a depth resolution in the slowness-depth domain. The method is illustrated with several synthetic examples, and with a refraction line recorded in the Imperial Valley, California.
|Additional Information:||© 1981 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Manuscript received by the Editor February 21, 1980: revised manuscript received September 15. 1980. During the course of this project, one of the authors (G.M.) was on leave at the Stanford Exploration Project, Dept. of Geophysics, Stanford University, which provided superb computing facilities. Critical reviews of the paper by R. Stolt, C. Chapman, M. Yedlin, W. Mooney, and D. Hill were much appreciated. The Imperial Valley refraction data were kindly provided by the USGS, one of the sponsors of the Stanford Exploration Project. In particular, the aid of J. Healy, W. Mooney, W. Kohler, and J. Roloff of the USGS was invaluable. The work was supported in part by the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Canada. Contribution from the Earth Physics Branch no. 868.|
|Other Numbering System:|
|Official Citation:||Robert W. Clayton and George A. McMechan Inversion of refraction data by wave field continuation Geophysics, June 1981, v. 46, p. 860-868, doi:10.1190/1.1441224|
|Usage Policy:||No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.|
|Deposited By:||Ruth Sustaita|
|Deposited On:||10 Oct 2012 20:50|
|Last Modified:||11 Jun 2015 14:37|
Repository Staff Only: item control page