Prof. Dr. Florian Wagner – An overview of joint inversion approaches in geophysical imaging of the subsurface

Lehrstuhl für Applied Geophysics and Geothermal Energy (E.ON Energy Research Center), RWTH Aachen

Abstract:

For an efficient and safe use of the subsurface, for example in the context of geological storage, the use of geothermal energy, or groundwater extraction, reliable monitoring methods are of utmost importance. Various geophysical techniques offer opportunities to image structures and processes within the Earth using sensors at its surface or in boreholes. This endeavor represents an inverse problem. To reduce uncertainties in the estimated subsurface parameters, considerable research efforts have been directed towards strategies to combine various geophysical and non-geophysical data sets in joint parameter estimations. In this talk, I will give an overview of existing joint inversion approaches (e.g., structurally- and property-coupled joint inversions) and emphasize their respective advantages and limitations. I will conclude with further research perspectives in multi-method geophysical imaging and look forward to the discussions and input from colleagues concerned with other types of optimization problems.