Convergence analyses of different modeling schemes for generalized Lippmann–Schwinger integral equation in piecewise heterogeneous media

For wave propagation simulation in piecewise heterogeneous media, Gaussian-elimination-based full-waveform solutions to the generalized Lippmann–Schwinger integral equation (GLSIE) are highly accurate, but involved with extremely time-consuming computations because of the very large size of the resulting boundary–volume integral equation matrix to be inverted. Several flexible approximations to the GLSIE are scaled in an iterative way to adapt numerical solutions to the smoothness of heterogeneous media in terms of incident wavelengths, with a great saving of computing time and memory. Among various typical iterative schemes to the GLSIE matrix, the generalized minimal residual method (GMRES) is an efficient approach to reduce the computational intensity to some degree. The most efficient approximation can be obtained using a Born series, as an alternative iterative solution, to both the boundary-scattering and volume-scattering waves, leading to the Born-series approximation (BSA) scheme and the improved Born-series approximation (IBSA) scheme. These iteration schemes are validated by dimensionless frequency responses to a heterogeneous semicircular alluvial valley, and then applied to a heterogeneous multilayered model by calculating synthetic seismograms to evaluate approximation accuracies. Numerical experiments, compared with the full-waveform numerical solution, indicate that the convergence rates of these methods decrease gradually with increasing velocity perturbations. The comparison also shows that the BSA scheme has a faster convergence than the GMRES method for velocity perturbations less than 10 percent, but converges slowly and even hardly achieves convergence for velocity perturbations greater than 15 percent. The IBSA scheme gives a superior performance over the other methods, with the least iterations to achieve the necessary convergence.     

Seismic inversion with generalized Radon transform based on local second-order approximation of scattered field in acoustic media

Sound velocity inversion problem based on scattering theory is formulated in terms of a nonlinear integral equation associated with scattered field. Because of its nonlinearity, in practice, linearization algorisms (Born/single scattering approximation) are widely used to obtain an approximate inversion solution. However, the linearized strategy is not congruent with seismic wave propagation mechanics in strong perturbation (heterogeneous) medium. In order to partially dispense with the weak perturbation assumption of the Born approximation, we present a new approach from the following two steps: firstly, to handle the forward scattering by taking into account the second-order Born approximation, which is related to generalized Radon transform (GRT) about quadratic scattering potential; then to derive a nonlinear quadratic inversion formula by resorting to inverse GRT. In our formulation, there is a significant quadratic term regarding scattering potential, and it can provide an amplitude correction for inversion results beyond standard linear inversion. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the linear single scattering inversion is only good in amplitude for relative velocity perturbation ( \( \delta_{c}/c_{0} \) ) of background media up to 10 %, and its inversion errors are unacceptable for the perturbation beyond 10 %. In contrast, the quadratic inversion can give more accurate amplitude-preserved recovery for the perturbation up to 40 %. Our inversion scheme is able to manage double scattering effects by estimating a transmission factor from an integral over a small area, and therefore, only a small portion of computational time is added to the original linear migration/inversion process.     

基于T-matrix的非线性参数估计方法

全波形反演可提供高精度的地下介质参数空间分布,但传统的全波形反演方法建立在Born近似的基础上,对初始模型具有一定的依赖性.为了摆脱Born近似的束缚,本文基于二维常密度声波方程,在De Wolf近似的前提下,借助传输矩阵(T-matrix)方法,深入研究了逆薄板传播算子(Inverse Thin-Slab Propagator,ITSP),实现了速度扰动的非线性估计.ITSP方法避免了Born级数方法在扰动较强、扰动区域较大时的发散性问题,且只经过一次扫描校正,计算效率较高.二维模拟数据分析验证了本文方法的可行性以及有效性.     

有限频率线性理论的波恩近似佯谬

对有限频率层析成像线性理论的波恩近似问题进行梳理, 用数值方法统计分析其适用范围, 结果表明波恩近似要求最大速度扰动不超过1%; 然后对相关走时一阶近似进行统计分析, 结果表明它也只适用于最大速度扰动在1%以内的情形. 然而, 结合波恩近似和相关走时一阶近似而得到的有限频率线性理论, 其适用的速度扰动范围最大可达10%. 这个表面上的逻辑悖论, 称为“波恩近似佯谬”. 此佯谬是由于不恰当地使用波恩近似造成的. 本文摒弃波恩近似, 使用泛函的Fréchet微分和隐函数定理推导得到有限频率线性理论, 圆满解释了波恩近似佯谬. 由于有限频率非线性理论早已摒弃了波恩近似, 因此波恩近似概念在有限频率层析成像理论中完全没有必要.      

Approximate Solutions to the Boundary–Volume Integral Equation for Wave Propagation in Piecewise Heterogeneous Media

Piecewise heterogeneous media that the earth presents are composed of large-scale boundary structures and small-scale volume heterogeneities. Wave propagation in such piecewise heterogeneous media can be accurately superposed through the generalized Lippmann–Schwinger integral equation (GLSIE). Two different Born series modeling schemes are formulated for the boundary–volume integral equation with 2-D antiplane motion (SH waves). Both schemes decompose the resulting boundary–volume integral equation matrix into two parts: the self-interaction operator handled with a fully implicit manner, and the extrapolation operator approximated by a Born series. The first scheme associates the self-interaction operator with each boundary itself and the volume itself, and interprets the extrapolation operator as the cross-interaction between each boundary and other boundaries/volume scatterers in a subregion. The second scheme relates the self-interaction operator to each boundary itself and its cross-interaction with the volume scatterers on both sides, and expresses the extrapolation operator as both the direct and indirect (through the volume scatterers) cross-interactions between different boundaries in a subregion. By eliminating the displacement field from the volume scatterers, the second scheme reduces the dimension of the resulting boundary-volume integral equation matrix, leading to a faster convergence than the first scheme. Both the numerical schemes are validated by dimensionless frequency responses to a heterogeneous alluvial valley with the velocity perturbed randomly in the range of ca 5–20 %. The schemes are applied to wave propagation simulation in a heterogeneous multilayered model by calculating synthetic seismograms. Numerical experiments, compared with the full-waveform numerical solution, indicate that the Born series modeling schemes significantly improve computational efficiency, especially for high frequencies.     

Errors due to the anisotropic-common-ray approximation of the coupling ray theory

The common-ray approximation eliminates problems with ray tracing through S-wave singularities and also considerably simplifies the numerical algorithm of the coupling ray theory for S waves, but may introduce errors in travel times due to the perturbation from the common reference ray. These travel-time errors can deteriorate the coupling-ray-theory solution at high frequencies. It is thus of principal importance for numerical applications to estimate the errors due to the common-ray approximation applied. The anisotropic-common-ray approximation of the coupling ray theory is more accurate than the isotropic-common-ray approximation. We derive the equations for estimating the travel-time errors due to the anisotropic-common-ray (and also isotropic-common-ray) approximation of the coupling ray theory. The errors of the common-ray approximations are calculated along the anisotropic common rays in smooth velocity models without interfaces. The derivation is based on the general equations for the second-order perturbations of travel time.     

Synthetic seismograms in heterogeneous media by one-return approximation

When reverberations between heterogeneities or resonance scattering can be neglected but accumulated effects of forward scattering are strong, the Born approximation is not valid but the De Wolf approximation can be applied in such cases. In this paper, renormalized MFSB (multiple-forescattering single-backscattering) equations and the dual-domain expression for scalar, acoustic and elastic waves are derived by a unified approach. Two versions of the one-return method (using MFSB approximation) are given: One is the wide-angle dual-domain formulation (thin-slab approximation); the other is the screen approximation. In the screen approximation, which involves a small-angle approximation for the wave-medium interaction, it can be seen clearly that the forward scattered, or transmitted waves are mainly controlled by velocity perturbations; while the backscattered or reflected waves, by impedance perturbations. The validity of the method and the wide-angle capability of the dual-domain implementation are demonstrated by numerical examples. Reflection coefficients of a plane interface derived from numerical simulations by the wide-angle method match the theoretical curves well up to critical angles. For the reflections of a low-velocity slab, the agreement between theory and synthetics only starts to deteriorate for angles greater than 70°. The accuracy of the wide-angle version of the method could be further improved by optimizing the wave-number filtering for the forward propagation and shrinking the step length along the propagation direction.     

一种模拟非均匀介质中弹性波传播新的k-space方法

传统的伪谱(PS)方法,采用傅里叶变换(FT)计算空间导数具有很高的精度,每个波长仅需要两个采样点,而时间导数采用有限差分(FD)近似因而精度较低.当采用大时间步长时,由于时空精度不平衡,PS法存在不稳定性问题.原始的k-space方法可以有效地克服这些问题但是却无法适用于非均匀介质.为了提高原始k-space方法模拟非均匀介质波动方程的精度,我们提出了一种新的k-space算子族.它是用非均匀介质的变速度代替原k-space算子中的常数补偿速度构造得到,引入低秩近似可以高效求解.我们将构造的新的k-space算子应用于耦合的二阶位移波动方程,而不是交错网格一阶速度应力波动方程,使模拟弹性波的计算存储量减少.我们从数学上证明了基于二阶波动方程的k-space方法与基于一阶波动方程的k-space方法是等价的.数值模拟实验表明,与传统的PS、交错网格PS和原始的k-space方法相比,我们的新方法可以在时间和空间步长较大的均匀和非均匀介质中,为弹性波的传播提供更精确的数值解.在保持稳定性和精度的同时,采用较大的时空采样间隔,可以大大降低数值模拟的计算成本.     

Modelling of viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media using decoupled fractional Laplacians

A new wave equation is derived for modelling viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media under acoustic transverse isotropy approximation. The formulas expressed by fractional Laplacian operators can well model the constant-Q (i.e. frequency-independent quality factor) attenuation, anisotropic attenuation, decoupled amplitude loss and velocity dispersion behaviours. The proposed viscoacoustic anisotropic equation can keep consistent velocity and attenuation anisotropy effects with that of qP-wave in the constant-Q viscoelastic anisotropic theory. For numerical simulations, the staggered-grid pseudo-spectral method is implemented to solve the velocity–stress formulation of wave equation in the time domain. The constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method is used to cope with spatial variable-order fractional Laplacians for efficient modelling in heterogeneous velocity and Q media. Simulation results for a homogeneous model show the decoupling of velocity dispersion and amplitude loss effects of the constant-Q equation, and illustrate the influence of anisotropic attenuation on seismic wavefields. The modelling example of a layered model illustrates the accuracy of the constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method. Finally, the Hess vertical transversely isotropic model is used to validate the applicability of the formulation and algorithm for heterogeneous media.     

First-Order Perturbation Theory for Seismic Isochrons

A first-order perturbation theory for seismic isochrons is presented in a model independent form. Two ray concepts are fundamental in this theory, the isochron ray and the velocity ray, for which I obtain first-order approximations to position vectors and slowness vectors. Furthermore, isochron points are connected to a shot and receiver by conventional ray fields. Based on independent perturbation of the shot and receiver ray I obtain first-order approximations to velocity rays. The theory is applicable for 3D inhomogeneous anisotropic media, given that the shot and receiver rays, as well as their perturbations, can be generated with such model generality. The theory has applications in sensitivity analysis of prestack depth migration and in velocity model updating. Numerical examples of isochron and velocity rays are shown for a 2D homogeneous VTI model. The general impression is that the first-order approximation is, with some exceptions, sufficiently accurate for practical applications using an anisotropic velocity model.     

基于流变体模型的波恩近似方程地震正演模拟

常规τ值法假设应力松弛时间与应变延迟时间近似相等, 造成了常Q模型拟合精度低. 本文利用精确的广义流变体模型Q值计算公式, 研究改进的τ值法求解常Q模型参数. 根据地震波散射理论, 推导了基于广义流变体模型的黏滞性介质一阶波恩近似方程, 结合位移-速度关系得到了含卷积完全匹配层边界条件的黏滞性介质应力-速度方程的一阶波恩近似表达式. 通过数值实验验证并对比了黏滞性介质中全波波动方程、 一阶波恩近似方程以及单程波波动方程的波场特征, 讨论了基于流变体模型的黏滞性介质一阶波恩近似方程对速度扰动和Q扰动的适应性, 以及对旅行时和振幅精度的影响.      

Angle-domain imaging of relative impedance perturbation

Impedance is a physical parameter that plays an important role in seismic data processing and interpretation. A relative impedance perturbation (the ratio of the impedance perturbation and the impedance for the background models) imaging method in depth domain based on the reflection wave equation is proposed. Under the small perturbation assumption, primary wave and high-frequency approximation condition, a linear propagation equation of the primary reflection waves based on the relative impedance perturbation was first derived. On this basis, we further derived the imaging formula of the relative impedance perturbation using a linear inversion theory. Then, the source–receiver bidirectional illumination compensation was used to improve the image quality of the subsurface structures. The image result obtained by this method can be used to estimate the relative impedance perturbation. In the angle domain, the extracted near-angle-domain image gather with amplitude compensation can estimate the relative impedance perturbation, and the far-angle image gather provides the estimation of the relative velocity perturbation (the ratio of the velocity perturbation and the background velocity). Finally, several numerical tests demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.     

Nonlinear ray perturbation theory with its applications to ray tracing and inversion in anisotropic media

A comprehensive approach, based on the general nonlinear ray perturbation theory (Druzhinin, 1991), is proposed for both a fast and accurate uniform asymptotic solution of forward and inverse kinematic problems in anisotropic media. It has been developed to modify the standard ray linearization procedures when they become inconsistent, by providing a predictable truncation error of ray perturbation series. The theoretical background consists in a set of recurrent expressions for the perturbations of all orders for calculating approximately the body wave phase and group velocities, polarization, travel times, ray trajectories, paraxial rays and also the slowness vectors or reflected/transmitted waves in terms of elastic tensor perturbations. We assume that any elastic medium can be used as an unperturbed medium. A total 2-D numerical testing of these expressions has been established within the transverse isotropy to verify the accuracy and convergence of perturbation series when the elastic constants are perturbed. Seismological applications to determine crack-induced anisotropy parameters on VSP travel times for the different wave types in homogeneous and horizontally layered, transversally isotropic and orthorhombic structures are also presented. A number of numerical tests shows that this method is in general stable with respect to the choice of the reference model and the errors in the input data. A proof of uniqueness is provided by an interactive analysis of the sensitivity functions, which are also used for choosing optimum source/receiver locations. Finally, software has been developed for a desktop computer and applied to interpreting specific real VSP observations as well as explaining the results of physical modelling for a 3-D crack model with the estimation of crack parameters.     

Mixed multiscale finite elements and streamline methods for reservoir simulation of large geomodels

We present a new approach to reservoir simulation that gives accurate resolution of both large-scale and fine-scale flow patterns. The method uses a mixed multiscale finite-element method (MMsFEM) to solve the pressure equation on a coarse grid and a streamline-based technique to solve the fluid transport on a fine-scale subgrid. The MMsFEM is based on the construction of special approximation velocity spaces that are adaptive to the local properties of the differential operator. As such, MMsFEM produces a detailed subgrid velocity field that reflects the impact of the fine-scale heterogeneous structures. By combining MMsFEM with rapid streamline simulation of the fluid transport, we aim towards a numerical scheme that facilitates routine reservoir simulation of large heterogeneous geomodels without upscaling. The new method is applied to two different test cases. The first test case consists of two (strongly) heterogeneous quarter five-spot problems in 2D. The second test case is a 3D upscaling benchmark taken from the 10th SPE Comparative Solution Project, a project whose purpose is to compare and validate upscaling techniques. The test cases demonstrate that the combination of multiscale methods and streamlines is a robust and viable alternative to traditional upscaling-based reservoir simulation.     

改进的TTI介质纯P波方程正演模拟与逆时偏移

逆时偏移作为一种高精度偏移方法已成为复杂构造成像的重要技术,描述纵波独立传播的延拓方程是各向异性介质逆时偏移的一个关键问题.在对VTI介质几个经典相速度近似公式回顾的基础上,针对常用于描述纯P波的Harlan近似公式在各向异性参数ε较大情况下近似精度较低的问题,本文对Harlan公式中的非椭圆项进行了修正,在非椭圆项前添加了一个与各向异性参数ε有关的修正系数,得到了三种改进型Harlan公式,并以近似精度最高的改进式为基础,推导了TTI介质纯P波方程.针对该伪微分方程,本文利用伪谱法和有限差分法联合实现波场延拓,对于常密度二阶方程,基于中心网格实现;对于一阶应力-速度方程则基于旋转交错网格实现.通过数值试验分析了TTI介质纯P波一阶应力-速度方程的近似精度,并以一阶纯P波方程为基础进行了TTI介质逆时偏移数值模拟试验.结果表明,本文给出的方法能够较准确地描述TTI介质纯P波波场特征,可以应用至各向异性介质逆时偏移.     

Mass-conservative finite volume methods on 2-D unstructured grids for the Richards’ equation

The solution to the 2-D time-dependent unsaturated flow equation is numerically approximated by a second-order accurate cell-centered finite-volume discretization on unstructured grids. The approximation method is based on a vertex-centered Least Squares linear reconstruction of the solution gradients at mesh edges.A Taylor series development in time of the water content dependent variable in a finite-difference framework guarantees that the proposed finite volume method is mass conservative. A Picard iterative scheme solves at each time step the resulting non-linear algebraic problem. The performance of the method is assessed on five different test cases and implementing four distinct soil constitutive relationships. The first test case deals with a column infiltration problem. It shows the capability of providing a mass-conservative behavior. The second test case verifies the numerical approximation by comparison with an analytical mixed saturated–unsaturated solution. In this case, the water drains from a fully saturated portion of a 1-D column. The third and fourth test cases illustrate the performance of the approximation scheme on sharp soil heterogeneities on 1-D and 2-D multi-layered infiltration problems. The 2-D case shows the passage of an abrupt infiltration front across a curved interface between two layers. Finally, the fifth test case compares the numerical results with an analytical solution that is developed for a 2-D heterogeneous soil with a source term representing plant roots. This last test case illustrates the formal second-order accuracy of the method in the numerical approximation of the pressure head.     

AN EXTENSION OF THE BORN INVERSION METHOD TO A DEPTH DEPENDENT REFERENCE PROFILE*

An extension of the multidimensional Born inversion technique for acoustic waves is described. In earlier work, a perturbation in reference sound velocity was determined by assuming that the reference velocity was constant. In this extension, we allow the reference velocity to be a function of the depth variable z. The output of this method is a high-frequency bandlimited reflectivity function of the subsurface. The reflectivity function is an array of bandlimited singular functions scaled by the normal reflection strength. Each singular function is a Dirac delta function of a scalar argument which measures distance normal to a reflecting interface. Thus, the reflectivity function is an indicator map of subsurface reflectors equivalent to the map produced by migration. In addition to the assumption of small perturbation, the method requires that the reflection data reside in the high frequency regime in a well-defined sense. The method is based on the derivation of an integral equation for the perturbation in sound velocity from a known reference velocity. When the reference velocity is constant, the integral equation admits an analytic solution as a multifold integral of the reflection data. Further high frequency asymptotic analysis simplifies this integral considerably and leads to an extremely efficient numerical algorithm for computing the reflectivity function. The development of a computer code to implement this constant-reference-velocity solution is published elsewhere. For a reference velocity c(z) we can no longer invert the integral equation exactly. However, we can write down an asymptotic high-frequency approximation for the kernal of the integral equation and an asymptotic solution for the perturbation. The computer implementation of this result is designed along the same lines as the code for constant background velocity. In tests the total processing time for this algorithm with depth-dependent background velocity is usually considerably less than that required by a standard Kirchhoff migration algorithm. The method is implemented as a migration technique and compared with alternative migration algorithms on the flanks of the salt dome.     

三维非均匀地质模型中的逐段迭代射线追踪

地震射线追踪是地震定位、层析成像、偏移等领域的重要正演环节.随着这些领域研究的深入,针对传统的网格结构和层状结构在描述复杂地质模型遇到的很大困难,我们采用大小不等、形状各异的地质块组成的集合体来描述三维复杂地质模型,并用三角形面片来描述地质块之间的物性间断面,理论上可以描述任意复杂的地质模型.为适应任意非均匀速度分布的地质模型,基于费马原理,本文发展了与之相适应的逐段迭代射线追踪方法.该方法属于弯曲法范畴,对路径点采用一阶显式增量修正,相对于传统的迭代法,高效省时.数值试验表明,联合逐段迭代法和伪弯曲法的射线追踪扰动修正方案在三维复杂非均匀块状模型中有适用性和高效性.     

Density estimation of two-phase flow with multiscale and randomly perturbed data

In this paper, we describe an efficient approach for quantifying uncertainty in two-phase flow applications due to perturbations of the permeability in a multiscale heterogeneous porous medium. The method is based on the application of the multiscale finite element method within the framework of Monte Carlo simulation and an efficient preprocessing construction of the multiscale basis functions. The quantities of interest for our applications are the Darcy velocity and breakthrough time and we quantify their uncertainty by constructing the respective cumulative distribution functions. For the Darcy velocity we use the multiscale finite element method, but due to lack of conservation, we apply the multiscale finite volume element method as an alternative for use with the two-phase flow problem. We provide a number of numerical examples to illustrate the performance of the method.     

VTI介质纯P波混合法正演模拟及稳定性分析

各向异性介质纯P波方程完全不受横波的干扰,在一定程度上可以减缓由于介质各向异性引起的数值不稳定,本文推导了具有垂直对称轴的横向各向同性(VTI)介质纯P波一阶速度-应力方程.由于纯P波方程存在一个分数形式的伪微分算子,无法直接采用有限差分法求解.针对该问题,本文采用伪谱法和高阶有限差分法联合求解波动方程,重点分析了混合法求解纯P波一阶速度-应力方程的稳定性问题,并给出了混合法求解纯P波方程的稳定性条件.数值模拟结果表明纯P波方程伪谱法和高阶有限差分混合法能够进行复杂介质的正演模拟,在强变速度、变密度的地球介质中仍然具有较好的稳定性.