Global Optimization Methods in Geophysical Inversion

Providing an up-to-date overview of the most popular global optimization methods used in interpreting geophysical observations, this new edition includes a detailed description of the theoretical development underlying each method and a thorough explanation of the design, implementation and limitations of algorithms. New and expanded chapters provide details of recently developed methods, such as the neighborhood algorithm, particle swarm optimization, hybrid Monte Carlo and multi-chain MCMC methods. Other chapters include new examples of applications, from uncertainty in climate modeling to whole earth studies. Several different examples of geophysical inversion, including joint inversion of disparate geophysical datasets, are provided to help readers design algorithms for their own applications. This is an authoritative and valuable text for researchers and graduate students in geophysics, inverse theory and exploration geoscience, and an important resource for professionals working in engineering and petroleum exploration.

Mrinal K. Sen is a Jackson Chair Professor in Applied Seismology at the University of Texas, Austin, and in January 2012, while on sabbatical leave, became Director of the National Geophysical Research Institute at Hyderabad, India. His research areas include seismic wave propagation, inverse problems, seismic imaging, reservoir characterization and computational geophysics, and he is an expert on seismic wave propagation including anisotropy and fractures, developing analytic and numerical techniques for forward and inverse modeling. Professor Sen is the principal author of two books on geophysical inversion, the co-author of over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has been an instructor on several industry short courses. He serves on several national and international committees, and is an Associate Editor of leading journals such as Geophysics, the Journal of Seismic Exploration and the International Journal of Geophysics.

Paul L. Stoffa has held the Shell Distinguished Chair in Geophysics at the Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, since 1997, and was Director of the Institute for Geophysics at the same institution from 1994 to 2008. His areas of expertise are in multichannel seismic acquisition, signal processing, acoustic and elastic wave propagation, modeling, imaging and inversion of geophysical data, and along with his knowledge of parallel computers, he works on developing new seismic data acquisition and processing methods that can be used to address complex geologic problems. Dr Stoffa has published over 100 research articles in refereed journals. A member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE), he is also a recipient of the Society of Brazilian Geophysicists' Foreign Geophysicist Recognition Award.