Full wavefield inversion with multiples: Nonlinear Bayesian inverse multiple scattering theory beyond the Born approximation
Xingguo Huang
Abstract
ABSTRACT Imaging earth’s structures is fundamental to the earth’s interior, yet how to reconstruct earth’s heterogeneities using full-waveform inversion of full wavefield data that includes primary reflections and multiples remains enigmatic. I develop a nonlinear Bayesian approach for full-waveform inversion method with multiple scattering. Instead of using single scattering Born approximation to formulate the sensitivity kernels, I develop multiple scattering sensitivity kernels using multiple scattering-based Green’s functions. It is based on the Lippmann-Schwinger integral and Marchenko methods, for which the Green’s functions are retrieved from reflection data by solving a Marchenko equation. To estimate the uncertainty of velocities, I apply a Bayesian framework to the inverse problem. Our results indicate that the method does not depend on the earth’s scattering potential and the full-waveform inversion method with multiple scattering is a good alternative approach to image the earth’s structures.