Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Earth Resources Laboratory
Abstract
Fast algorithms exist for performing traveltime modeling, even in three dimensions.
These algorithms have the nice property that the computational time and memory
requirements scale linearly with the number of grid points used represent subsurface
velocities in discrete form. While traveltime modeling is typically used to predict first
arrival times, later arrivals can also be simulated through the incorporation of a priori
reflector information. For two-dimensional seismic imaging and tomography applications,
the traveltime modeling algorithms presented here greatly expedite solution and
can be readily deployed on distributed-memory parallel computers. Three-dimensional
applications present a greater challenge, but by coupling an understanding of algorithm
complexity with the promise of faster computers having greater quantities of physical
memory, one can begin to predict future capabilities
