A Seismic Inversion Problem for an Anisotropic, Inhomogeneous Medium

Abstract

In this report, we consider the propagation of seismic waves through a medium that can be subdivided into of two distinct parts. The upper part is assumed to be azimuthally symmetric, linearly nonuniform with increasing depth, and the velocity dependence with direction consistent with elliptical anisotropy. The lower part, which is the layer of interest, is assumed to also be azimuthally symmetric, but uniform and nonelliptically anisotropic. Despite nonellipticity, we assume the angular dependence of the velocity can be described by a convex curve.

Our goal is to produce a single source-single receiver model which uses modern seismic measurements to determine the elastic moduli of the lower media. Once known, geoscientists could better describe the angular dependence of the velocity in the layer of interest and also would have some clues at to the actual material composing it.