Colored inversion

Abstract

Whether it is deterministic, band-limited, or stochastic, seismic inversion can bear many names depending on the algorithm used to produce it. Broadly, inversion converts reflectivity data to physical properties of the earth, such as acoustic impedance (AI), the product of seismic velocity and bulk density. This is crucial because, while reflectivity informs us about boundaries, impedance can be converted to useful earth properties such as porosity and fluid content via known petrophysical relationships.