Seismic ray fields and ray field maps : theory and algorithms

The research described in this thesis covers various aspects of the forward calculation of seismic ray fields and ray field maps. The central theme is the solution of problems encountered in smooth but complex media, i.e., media that give rise to wave front folding and associated multi-pathing of rays. The ultimate aim of the presented material is to enhance the efficiency of seismic inverse methods, by enhancing the efficiency of the forward calculations. Particular emphasis is placed on the applicability of the ray tracing results to seismic inverse methods. After an overview of seismic ray... Mehr ...