Elastic FWI for VTI media: A synthetic parameterization study

A major challenge for multiparameter full-waveform inversion (FWI) is the inherent trade-offs (or cross-talk) between model parameters. Here, we perform FWI of multicomponent data generated for a synthetic VTI (transversely isotropic with a vertical symmetry axis) model based on a geologic section of the Valhall field. A horizontal displacement source, which excites intensive shear waves in the conventional offset range, helps provide more accurate updates to the SV-wave vertical velocity. We test three model parameterizations, which exhibit different radiation patterns and, therefore, create different parameter trade-offs. The results show that the choice of parameterization for FWI depends on the availability of long-offset data, the quality of the initial model for the anisotropy coefficients, and the parameter that needs to be resolved with the highest accuracy.