Models of the Earth’s crust from controlled-source seismology — Where we stand and where we go?

Abstract

Controlled-source seismology (CSS) is the primary source of information regarding the fine structure of the lithosphere. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the methods that are commonly used to derive Earth models from CSS data with the focus on the wide-angle reflection/refraction method. Some outlook on the future of the CSS is presented with the special emphasis on the full-wavefield based methods like full-waveform inversion, which brings high level of objectivity into modeling, as well as significantly increases spatial resolution. It is stressed that the researchers should be aware of the limitations of how the elastic parameters transcribe into the actual rock properties which should stimulate them to go beyond the simple P-wave modeling and to build multiparameter Earth models based either on the seismic data or constrained by additional geophysical fields in order to derive sound geological interpretation of their models.