A hybrid absorbing boundary condition for elastic staggered‐grid modelling

We recently proposed an efficient hybrid scheme to absorb boundary reflections for acoustic wave modelling that could attain nearly perfect absorptions. This scheme uses weighted averaging of wavefields in a transition area, between the inner area and the model boundaries. In this paper we report on the extension of this scheme to 2D elastic wave modelling with displacement‐stress formulations on staggered grids using explicit finite‐difference, pseudo‐implicit finite‐difference and pseudo‐spectral methods. Numerical modelling results of elastic wave equations with hybrid absorbing boundary conditions show great improvement for modelling stability and significant absorption for boundary reflections, compared with the conventional Higdon absorbing boundary conditions, demonstrating the effectiveness of this scheme for elastic wave modelling. The modelling results also show that the hybrid scheme works well in 2D rotated staggered‐grid modelling for isotropic medium, 2D staggered‐grid modelling for vertically transversely isotropic medium and 2D rotated staggered‐grid modelling for tilted transversely isotropic medium.     

Optimal implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference schemes based on the sampling approximation method for seismic modelling

We propose new implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference schemes with optimal coefficients based on the sampling approximation method to improve the numerical solution accuracy for seismic modelling. We first derive the optimized implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference coefficients of arbitrary even‐order accuracy for the first‐order spatial derivatives using the plane‐wave theory and the direct sampling approximation method. Then, the implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference coefficients based on sampling approximation, which can widen the range of wavenumber with great accuracy, are used to solve the first‐order spatial derivatives. By comparing the numerical dispersion of the implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference schemes based on sampling approximation, Taylor series expansion, and least squares, we find that the optimal implicit staggered‐grid finite‐difference scheme based on sampling approximation achieves greater precision than that based on Taylor series expansion over a wider range of wavenumbers, although it has similar accuracy to that based on least squares. Finally, we apply the implicit staggered‐grid finite difference based on sampling approximation to numerical modelling. The modelling results demonstrate that the new optimal method can efficiently suppress numerical dispersion and lead to greater accuracy compared with the implicit staggered‐grid finite difference based on Taylor series expansion. In addition, the results also indicate the computational cost of the implicit staggered‐grid finite difference based on sampling approximation is almost the same as the implicit staggered‐grid finite difference based on Taylor series expansion.     

An adaptive free‐surface expression for three‐dimensional finite‐difference frequency‐domain modelling of elastic wave

Finite‐difference frequency‐domain modelling of seismic wave propagation is attractive for its efficient solution of multisource problems, and this is crucial for full‐waveform inversion and seismic imaging, especially in the three‐dimensional seismic problem. However, implementing the free surface in the finite‐difference method is nontrivial. Based on an average medium method and the limit theorem, we present an adaptive free‐surface expression to describe the behaviour of wavefields at the free surface, and no extra work for the free‐surface boundary condition is needed. Essentially, the proposed free‐surface expression is a modification of density and constitutive relation at the free surface. In comparison with a direct difference approximate method of the free‐surface boundary condition, this adaptive free‐surface expression can produce more accurate and stable results for a broad range of Poisson's ratio. In addition, this expression has a good performance in handling the lateral variation of Poisson's ratio adaptively and without instability.     

Pseudo‐spectral method using rotated staggered grid for elastic wave propagation in 3D arbitrary anisotropic media

Staggering grid is a very effective way to reduce the Nyquist errors and to suppress the non‐causal ringing artefacts in the pseudo‐spectral solution of first‐order elastic wave equations. However, the straightforward use of a staggered‐grid pseudo‐spectral method is problematic for simulating wave propagation when the anisotropy level is greater than orthorhombic or when the anisotropic symmetries are not aligned with the computational grids. Inspired by the idea of rotated staggered‐grid finite‐difference method, we propose a modified pseudo‐spectral method for wave propagation in arbitrary anisotropic media. Compared with an existing remedy of staggered‐grid pseudo‐spectral method based on stiffness matrix decomposition and a possible alternative using the Lebedev grids, the rotated staggered‐grid‐based pseudo‐spectral method possesses the best balance between the mitigation of artefacts and efficiency. A 2D example on a transversely isotropic model with tilted symmetry axis verifies its effectiveness to suppress the ringing artefacts. Two 3D examples of increasing anisotropy levels demonstrate that the rotated staggered‐grid‐based pseudo‐spectral method can successfully simulate complex wavefields in such anisotropic formations.     

Theory of equivalent staggered‐grid schemes: application to rotated and standard grids in anisotropic media

The previous finite‐difference numerical schemes designed for direct application to second‐order elastic wave equations in terms of displacement components are strongly dependent on Poisson's ratio. This fact makes theses schemes useless for modelling in offshore regions or even in onshore regions where there is a high Poisson's ratio material. As is well known, the use of staggered‐grid formulations solves this drawback. The most common staggered‐grid algorithms apply central‐difference operators to the first‐order velocity–stress wave equations. They have been one of the most successfully applied numerical algorithms for seismic modelling, although these schemes require more computational memory than those mentioned based on second‐order wave equations. The goal of the present paper is to develop a general theory that enables one to formulate equivalent staggered‐grid schemes for direct application to hyperbolic second‐order wave equations. All the theory necessary to formulate these schemes is presented in detail, including issues regarding source application, providing a general method to construct staggered‐grid formulations to a wide range of cases. Afterwards, the equivalent staggered‐grid theory is applied to anisotropic elastic wave equations in terms of only velocity components (or similar displacements) for two important cases: general anisotropic media and vertical transverse isotropy media using, respectively, the rotated and the standard staggered‐grid configurations. For sake of simplicity, we present the schemes in terms of velocities in the second‐ and fourth‐order spatial approximations, with second‐order approximation in time for 2D media. However, the theory developed is general and can be applied to any set of second‐order equations (in terms of only displacement, velocity, or even stress components), using any staggered‐grid configuration with any spatial approximation order in 2D or 3D cases. Some of these equivalent staggered‐grid schemes require less computer memory than the corresponding standard staggered‐grid formulation, although the programming is more evolved. As will be shown in theory and practice, with numerical examples, the equivalent staggered‐grid schemes produce results equivalent to corresponding standard staggered‐grid schemes with computational advantages. Finally, it is important to emphasize that the equivalent staggered‐grid theory is general and can be applied to other modelling contexts, e.g., in electrodynamical and poroelastic wave propagation problems in a systematic and simple way.     

弹性介质中瑞雷面波有限差分法正演模拟

为研究瑞雷面波的形成机理及传播规律,促进瑞雷面波资料处理方法的发展,本文根据弹性波方程,采用交错网格有限差分数值求解算法,对浅层各向同性弹性介质进行了包括瑞雷面波和体波在内的全波场模拟. 提出了变系数吸收边界条件并将之应用于正演模拟,使边界条件的处理简单而高效,同时给出了角点的处理方法. 对工程勘察中常见的连续和层状介质模型进行了模拟,获得了更加接近实际情况的地震记录. 结合模拟记录,探讨了瑞雷面波的形成条件,同时讨论了震源埋深对面波能量的影响.     

弹性波方程正演的粗粒度并行算法

波动方程正演在地震资料采集、处理、解释与反演中均能发挥重要作用,但现有的基于求解地震波动方程的正演算法由于受庞大计算量的制约而难于大规模应用于工业生产.本文从二维弹性波动方程出发,研究了利用有限差分法并行求解该方程的基本思路与方法,给出了适于并行求解的计算空间划分方法与通信方案,分析了不同参数条件下并行程序的运行时间、加速比与效率.引入消息传递接口（MPI）实现了弹性波方程的并行求解,极大地提高了数值求解弹性波方程的计算效率.     

2D finite-difference elastic wave modelling including surface topography1

A 2D numerical finite-difference algorithm accounting for surface topography is presented. Higher-order, dispersion-bounded, cost-optimized finite-difference operators are used in the interior of the numerical grid, while non-reflecting absorbing boundary conditions are used along the edges. Transformation from a curved to a rectangular grid achieves the modelling of the surface topography. We use free-surface boundary conditions along the surface. In order to obtain complete modelling of the effects of wave propagation, it is important to account for the surface topography, otherwise near-surface effects, such as scattering, are not modelled adequately. Even if other properties of the medium, for instance randomization, can improve numerical simulations, inclusion of the surface topography makes them more realistic.     

Source–receiver two‐way wave extrapolation for prestack exploding‐reflector modelling and migration

Most modern seismic imaging methods separate input data into parts (shot gathers). We develop a formulation that is able to incorporate all available data at once while numerically propagating the recorded multidimensional wavefield forward or backward in time. This approach has the potential for generating accurate images free of artiefacts associated with conventional approaches. We derive novel high‐order partial differential equations in the source–receiver time domain. The fourth‐order nature of the extrapolation in time leads to four solutions, two of which correspond to the incoming and outgoing P‐waves and reduce to the zero‐offset exploding‐reflector solutions when the source coincides with the receiver. A challenge for implementing two‐way time extrapolation is an essential singularity for horizontally travelling waves. This singularity can be avoided by limiting the range of wavenumbers treated in a spectral‐based extrapolation. Using spectral methods based on the low‐rank approximation of the propagation symbol, we extrapolate only the desired solutions in an accurate and efficient manner with reduced dispersion artiefacts. Applications to synthetic data demonstrate the accuracy of the new prestack modelling and migration approach.     

基于二阶应变梯度理论的弹性波数值模拟

介质微结构相互作用会使介质存在不均匀性,而这种不均匀性,则会引发新的响应.当位移场/旋转场存在强烈空间/时间变化时,这种由介质微结构相互作用所导致的不均匀性会愈加明显.应变梯度通过在应变能密度函数中引入应变的一阶或者高阶导数,以描述这种由介质微结构相互作用导致的不均匀性,由于引入高阶导数,应变梯度理论可以描述更小尺度的...     

偶应力理论框架下的弹性波数值模拟与分析

在经典地震学理论框架下,先人发展了数不胜数的地震技术,为社会发展做出了巨大贡献;可是,当前的技术仍有难以逾越的障碍,亟需破局.高铁地震学联合研究组,在河北定兴采集到大量数据;其中可见含有大量的旋转运动分量.由于基于经典连续介质力学推导弹性波动方程时,从理论出发点上就去除了旋转项,且在其理论框架内,介质被视为一个连续的质...     

Comparing the performances of four stochastic optimisation methods using analytic objective functions, 1D elastic full‐waveform inversion,and residual static computation

We compare the performances of four stochastic optimisation methods using four analytic objective functions and two highly non‐linear geophysical optimisation problems: one‐dimensional elastic full‐waveform inversion and residual static computation. The four methods we consider, namely, adaptive simulated annealing, genetic algorithm, neighbourhood algorithm, and particle swarm optimisation, are frequently employed for solving geophysical inverse problems. Because geophysical optimisations typically involve many unknown model parameters, we are particularly interested in comparing the performances of these stochastic methods as the number of unknown parameters increases. The four analytic functions we choose simulate common types of objective functions encountered in solving geophysical optimisations: a convex function, two multi‐minima functions that differ in the distribution of minima, and a nearly flat function. Similar to the analytic tests, the two seismic optimisation problems we analyse are characterised by very different objective functions. The first problem is a one‐dimensional elastic full‐waveform inversion, which is strongly ill‐conditioned and exhibits a nearly flat objective function, with a valley of minima extended along the density direction. The second problem is the residual static computation, which is characterised by a multi‐minima objective function produced by the so‐called cycle‐skipping phenomenon. According to the tests on the analytic functions and on the seismic data, genetic algorithm generally displays the best scaling with the number of parameters. It encounters problems only in the case of irregular distribution of minima, that is, when the global minimum is at the border of the search space and a number of important local minima are distant from the global minimum. The adaptive simulated annealing method is often the best‐performing method for low‐dimensional model spaces, but its performance worsens as the number of unknowns increases. The particle swarm optimisation is effective in finding the global minimum in the case of low‐dimensional model spaces with few local minima or in the case of a narrow flat valley. Finally, the neighbourhood algorithm method is competitive with the other methods only for low‐dimensional model spaces; its performance sensibly worsens in the case of multi‐minima objective functions.     

Extended reflectivity method for modelling the propagation of diffusive–viscous wave in dip‐layered media

The reflectivity method plays an important role in seismic modelling. It has been used to model different types of waves propagating in elastic and anelastic media. The diffusive–viscous wave equation was proposed to investigate the relationship between frequency dependence of reflections and fluid saturation. It is also used to describe the attenuation property of seismic wave in a fluid‐saturated medium. The attenuation of diffusive–viscous wave is mainly characterised by the effective attenuation parameters in the equation. Thus, it is essential to obtain those parameters and further characterise the features of the diffusive–viscous wave. In this work, we use inversion method to obtain the effective attenuation parameters through quality factor to investigate the characteristics of diffusive–viscous wave by comparing with those of the viscoacoustic wave. Then, the reflection/transmission coefficients in a dip plane‐layered medium are studied through coordinate transform and plane‐wave theory. Consequently, the reflectivity method is extended to compute seismograms of diffusive–viscous wave in a dip plane multi‐layered medium. Finally, we present two models to simulate the propagation of diffusive–viscous wave in a dip plane multi‐layered medium by comparing the results with those in a viscoacoustic medium. The numerical results demonstrate the validity of our extension of reflectivity method to the diffusive–viscous medium. The numerical examples in both time domain and time–frequency domain show that the reflections from a dip plane interface have significant phase shift and amplitude change compared with the results of horizontal plane interface due to the differences in reflection/transmission coefficients. Moreover, the modelling results show strong attenuation and phase shift in the diffusive–viscous wave compared to those of the viscoacoustic wave.     

Lax-Wendroff and Nyström methods for seismic modelling

Lax-Wendroff and Nyström methods are numerical algorithms of temporal approximations for solving differential equations. These methods provide efficient algorithms for high-accuracy seismic modeling. In the context of spatial pseudospectral discretizations, I explore these two kinds of methods in a comparative way. Their stability and dispersion relation are discussed in detail. Comparison between the fourth-order Lax-Wendroff method and a fourth-order Nyström method shows that the Nyström method has smaller stability limit but has a better dispersion relation, which is closer to the sixth-order Lax-Wendroff method. The structure-preserving property of these methods is also revealed. The Lax-Wendroff methods are a second-order symplectic algorithm, which is independent of the order of the methods. This result is useful for understanding the error growth of Lax-Wendroff methods. Numerical experiments based on the scalar wave equation are performed to test the presented schemes and demonstrate the advantages of the symplectic methods over the nonsymplectic ones.     

Ground motion scaling methods for linear‐elastic structures: an integrated experimental and analytical investigation

The task of selecting and scaling an appropriate set of ground motion records is one of the most important challenges facing practitioners in conducting dynamic response history analyses for seismic design and risk assessment. This paper describes an integrated experimental and analytical evaluation of selected ground motion scaling methods for linear‐elastic building frame structures. The experimental study is based on the shake table testing of small‐scale frame models with four different fundamental periods under ground motion sets that have been scaled using different methods. The test results are then analytically extended to a wider range of structural properties to assess the effectiveness of the scaling methods in reducing the dispersion and increasing the accuracy in the seismic displacement demands of linear‐elastic structures, also considering biased selection of ground motion subsets. For scaling methods that are based on a design estimate of the fundamental period of the structure, effects of possible errors in the estimated period are investigated. The results show that a significant reduction in the effectiveness of these scaling methods can occur if the fundamental period is not estimated with reasonable certainty. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

弹性波数值模拟的延迟边界方法

在地震波场的波动方程数值模拟中,由于计算量的限制,必须加入人为的边界,使模拟计算可以在一定的空间范围内进行. 由于边界节点上的波场值不能像模拟区域内部的节点一样使用中心差分来计算,使其计算精度大大降低,从而产生边界反射. 为了消除边界反射,本文提出了延迟边界方法,根据弹性波在传播方向上等距离质点的等相位延迟性质和振幅衰减特性,由内部波场的时空分布,推算出边界波场的相位延迟的大小和振幅衰减系数,从而提高边界节点上的波场值计算精度,消除边界反射的产生.     

Comparative experimental study on several methods for measuring elastic wave velocities in rocks at high pressure

To measure elastic wave velocities in rocks at high temperature and high pressure is an important way to acquire the mechanics and thermodynamics data of rocks in the earth's interior and also a substantial approach to studying the structure and composition of materials there. In recent years, a rapid progress has been made in methodology pertaining to the measurements of elastic wave velocities in rocks at high temperature and high pressure with solids as the pressure-transfer media. However, no strict comparisons have been made of the elastic wave velocity data of rocks measured at high temperature and high pressure by various laboratories. In order to compare the experimental results from various laboratories, we have conducted a comparative experimental study on three measuring methods and made a strict comparison with the results obtained by using the transmission method with fluid as the pressure-transfer medium. Our experimental results have shown that the measurements obtained by the three methods are comparable in the pressure ranges of their application. The cubic sample pulse transmission method used by Kern is applicable to measuring elastic wave velocities in crustal rocks at lower temperature and lower pressure. The prism sample pulse reflection-transmission method has some advantages in pressure range, heating temperature and measuring precision. Although the measurements obtained under relatively low pressure conditions by the prism sample pulse transmission method are relatively low in precision, the samples are large in length and their assemblage is simple. So this method is suitable to the experiments that require large quantities of samples and higher pressures. Therefore, in practical application the latter two methods are usually recommended because their measurements can be mutually corrected and supplemented.     

Urban fluvial flood modelling using a two‐dimensional diffusion‐wave treatment,part 1: mesh resolution effects

High‐resolution data obtained from airborne remote sensing is increasing opportunities for representation of small‐scale structural elements (e.g. walls, buildings) in complex floodplain systems using two‐dimensional (2D) models of flood inundation. At the same time, 2D inundation models have been developed and shown to provide good predictions of flood inundation extent, with respect to both full solution of the depth‐averaged Navier–Stokes equations and simplified diffusion‐wave models. However, these models have yet to be applied extensively to urban areas. This paper applies a 2D raster‐based diffusion‐wave model to determine patterns of fluvial flood inundation in urban areas using high‐resolution topographic data and explores the effects of spatial resolution upon estimated inundation extent and flow routing process. Model response shows that even relatively small changes in model resolution have considerable effects on the predicted inundation extent and the timing of flood inundation. Timing sensitivity would be expected, given the relatively poor representation of inertial processes in a diffusion‐wave model. Sensitivity to inundation extent is more surprising, but is associated with: (1) the smoothing effect of mesh coarsening upon input topographical data; (2) poorer representation of both cell blockage and surface routing processes as the mesh is coarsened, where the flow routing is especially complex; and (3) the effects of (1) and (2) upon water levels and velocities, which in turn determine which parts of the floodplain the flow can actually travel to. It is shown that the combined effects of wetting and roughness parameters can compensate in part for a coarser mesh resolution. However, the coarser the resolution, the poorer the ability to control the inundation process, as these parameters not only affect the speed, but also the direction of wetting. Thus, high‐resolution data will need to be coupled to a more sophisticated representation of the inundation process in order to obtain effective predictions of flood inundation extent. This is explored in a companion paper. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Urban fluvial flood modelling using a two‐dimensional diffusion‐wave treatment,part 2: development of a sub‐grid‐scale treatment

This paper develops and tests a sub‐grid‐scale wetting and drying correction for use with two‐dimensional diffusion‐wave models of urban flood inundation. The method recognizes explicitly that representations of sub‐grid‐scale topography using roughness parameters will provide an inadequate representation of the effects of structural elements on the floodplain (e.g. buildings, walls), as such elements not only act as momentum sinks, but also have mass blockage effects. The latter may dominate, especially in structurally complex urban areas. The approach developed uses high‐resolution topographic data to develop explicit parameterization of sub‐grid‐scale topographic variability to represent both the volume of a grid cell that can be occupied by the flow and the effect of that variability upon the timing and direction of the lateral fluxes. This approach is found to give significantly better prediction of fluvial flood inundation in urban areas than traditional calibration of sub‐grid‐scale effects using Manning's n. In particular, it simultaneously reduces the need to use exceptionally high values of n to represent the effects of using a coarser mesh process representation and increases the sensitivity of model predictions to variation in n. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elastic‐impedance analysis constrained by rock‐physics bounds†

By applying seismic inversion, we can derive rock impedance from seismic data. Since it is an interval property, impedance is valuable for reservoir characterization. Furthermore, the decomposition of the impedance into two fundamental properties, i.e. velocity and density, provides a link to the currently available rock‐physics applications to derive quantitative reservoir properties. However, the decomposition is a challenging task due to the strong influence of noise, especially for seismic data with a maximum offset angle of less than 30°. We present a method of impedance decomposition using three elastic impedance data derived from the seismic inversion of angle stacks, where the far‐stack angle is 23.5°. We discuss the effect of noise on the analysis as being the most significant cause of making the decomposition difficult. As the result, the offset‐consistent component of noise mostly affects the determination of density but not the velocities (P‐ and S‐wave), whereas the effect of the random component of noise occurs equally in the determination of the velocities and density. The effect is controlled by the noise enhancement factor 1/A, which is determined by a combination of stack angles. Based on the results of the analysis, we show an innovative method of decomposition incorporating rock‐physics bounds as constraints for the analysis. The method is applied to an actual data set from an offshore oilfield; we demonstrate the result of analysis for sandbody detection.