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Ray tracing based on Fermat's principle in irregular grids 1
Author(s) -
Vesnaver Aldo L.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
geophysical prospecting
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.735
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1365-2478
pISSN - 0016-8025
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2478.1996.tb00172.x
Subject(s) - ray tracing (physics) , discretization , fermat's last theorem , reciprocity (cultural anthropology) , tracing , grid , diffraction , inversion (geology) , optics , computer science , algorithm , geology , geometry , physics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , seismology , psychology , social psychology , discrete mathematics , tectonics , operating system
A new method to trace rays in irregular grids based on Fermat's principle of minimum time is introduced. Besides the usual transmitted and reflected waves, refracted, diffracted and converted waves can also be simulated. The proposed algorithm is fast and stable, and respects the reciprocity principle between source and receiver better than procedures adopting the shooting method. It is particularly suited to form part of a traveltime inversion procedure. The use of irregular grids allows adaptation of the earth discretization to the available acquisition geometry and ray distribution, to obtain more stable and reliable tomographic images.