Receiver-coupling effects in seismic waveform inversions

Seismic waveform-inversion offers opportunities for detailed characterization of the subsurface. However, its full potential can only be exploited when any systematic source and receiver effects are either carefully avoided or appropriately accounted for during the inversions. Repeated crosshole measurements in the Mont Terri (Switzerland) underground laboratory have revealed that receiver coupling may significantly affect the seismic waveforms. More seriously, coupling conditions may vary during the course of a monitoring experiment. To address this problem, we have developed a novel scheme that estimates medium properties, frequency-dependent source functions, and frequency-dependent receiver-coupling factors. We demonstrate the efficacy of the new scheme via a synthetic 2D crosshole experiment in which realistic receiver-coupling factors are incorporated. Because determination of medium parameters and estimation of source functions and receiver-coupling factors are largely separated, the method can be easily adapted to any other waveform-inversion problem, including elastic, anisotropic, 2.5D, or 3D situations.