Collaborative Research: Fast, Conjugate Gradients-Based Algorithm for 3-D Magnetotelluric Inversion

该奖项支持开发一种将大地电磁（MT）测量数据反演为地壳和上地幔电阻率结构三维模型的算法。MT观测的解释为深部地球结构成像提供了一种与地震模拟相补充且独立于地震模拟的方法。MT数据的反演是一个复杂的计算问题。迄今为止，它已被证明仅适用于1-D和2-D建模。该项目将应用非线性共轭梯度方法来改进之前的MT三维建模方法。如果该项目成功，所得到的电阻率三维成像将大大提高我们对地球内部结构和过程的理解，并改进矿产勘探的地球物理技术。这是一个为期两年的项目，涉及麻省理工学院和GSY-USA， Inc .的人员；一家专门从事地球物理勘探技术的小公司

9903775Madden This award supports the development of an algorithm for the inversion of magnetotelluric (MT) measurements to three-dimensional models of the electrical resistivity structure of the earth's crust and upper mantle. The interpretation of MT observations provides a method for imaging deep earth structure that is complementary to and independent of seismic modeling. The inversion of MT data is a difficult computational problem. To date it has proven practical only for 1-D and 2-D modeling. This project will apply the method of nonlinear conjugate gradients to improve on previous approaches to 3-D modeling in MT. If this project is successful, the resultant 3-D imaging of the electrical resistivity will significantly improve our understanding of the earth's internal structure and processes and also improve geophysical techniques for mineral exploration. This is a two-year project involving personnel from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and GSY-USA, Inc; a small company specialized in geophysical exploration techniques.***