TY - JOUR A1 - Tronicke, Jens A1 - Paasche, Hendrik T1 - Integrated interpretation of 2D ground-penetrating radar, P-, and S-wave velocity models in terms of petrophysical properties BT - assessing uncertainties related to data inversion and petrophysical relations JF - Interpretation : a journal of subsurface characterization N2 - Near-surface geophysical techniques are extensively used in a variety of engineering, environmental, geologic, and hydrologic applications. While many of these applications ask for detailed, quantitative models of selected material properties, geophysical data are increasingly used to estimate such target properties. Typically, this estimation procedure relies on a two-step workflow including (1) the inversion of geophysical data and (2) the petrophysical translation of the inverted parameter models into the target properties. Standard deterministic implementations of such a quantitative interpretation result in a single best-estimate model, often without considering and propagating the uncertainties related to the two steps. We address this problem by using a rather novel, particle-swarm-based global joint strategy for data inversion and by implementing Monte Carlo procedures for petrophysical property estimation. We apply our proposed workflow to crosshole ground-penetrating radar, P-, and S-wave data sets collected at a well-constrained test site for a detailed geotechnical characterization of unconsolidated sands. For joint traveltime inversion, the chosen global approach results in ensembles of acceptable velocity models, which are analyzed to appraise inversion-related uncertainties. Subsequently, the entire ensembles of inverted velocity models are considered to estimate selected petrophysical properties including porosity, bulk density, and elastic moduli via well-established petrophysical relations implemented in a Monte Carlo framework. Our results illustrate the potential benefit of such an advanced interpretation strategy; i.e., the proposed workflow allows to study how uncertainties propagate into the finally estimated property models, while concurrently we are able to study the impact of uncertainties in the used petrophysical relations (e.g., the influence of uncertain, user-specified parameters). We conclude that such statistical approaches for the quantitative interpretation of geophysical data can be easily extended and adapted to other applications and geophysical methods and might be an important step toward increasing the popularity and acceptance of geophysical tools in engineering practice. Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/INT-2016-0081.1 SN - 2324-8858 SN - 2324-8866 VL - 5 IS - 1 SP - T121 EP - T130 PB - Society of Exploration Geophysicists CY - Tulsa ER - TY - THES A1 - Paasche, Hendrik T1 - Addressing uncertainty in geophysical parameter estimation Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Paasche, Hendrik A1 - Tronicke, Jens T1 - Nonlinear joint inversion of tomographic data using swarm intelligence JF - Geophysics N2 - Geophysical techniques offer the potential to tomographically image physical parameter variations in the ground in two or three dimensions. Due to the limited number and accuracy of the recorded data, geophysical model generation by inversion suffers ambiguity. Linking the model generation process of disparate data by jointly inverting two or more data sets allows for improved model reconstruction. Fully nonlinear inversion using optimization techniques searching the solution space of the inverse problem globally enables quantitative assessment of the ambiguity inherent to the model reconstruction. We used two different multiobjective particle swarm optimization approaches to jointly invert synthetic crosshole tomographic data sets comprising radar and P-wave traveltimes, respectively. Beginning with a nonlinear joint inversion founded on the principle of Pareto optimality and game theoretic concepts, we obtained a set of Pareto-optimal solutions comprising commonly structured radar and P-wave velocity models for low computational costs. However, the efficiency of the approach goes along with some risk of achieving a final model ensemble not adequately illustrating the ambiguity inherent to the model reconstruction process. Taking advantage of the results of the first approach, we inverted the database using a different nonlinear joint-inversion approach reducing the multiobjective optimization problem to a single-objective one. Computational costs were significantly higher, but the final models were obtained mutually independently allowing for objective appraisal of model parameter determination. Despite the high computational effort, the approach was found to be an efficient nonlinear joint-inversion formulation compared to what could be extracted from individual nonlinear inversions of both data sets. Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/GEO2013-0423.1 SN - 0016-8033 SN - 1942-2156 VL - 79 IS - 4 SP - R133 EP - R149 PB - Society of Exploration Geophysicists CY - Tulsa ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Paasche, Hendrik A1 - Eberle, Detlef T1 - Automated compilation of pseudo-lithology maps from geophysical data sets a comparison of Gustafson-Kessel and fuzzy c-means cluster algorithms JF - Exploration geophysics : the bulletin of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists N2 - The fuzzy partitioning Gustafson-Kessel cluster algorithm is employed for rapid and objective integration of multi-parameter Earth-science related databases. We begin by evaluating the Gustafson-Kessel algorithm using the example of a synthetic study and compare the results to those obtained from the more widely employed fuzzy c-means algorithm. Since the Gustafson-Kessel algorithm goes beyond the potential of the fuzzy c-means algorithm by adapting the shape of the clusters to be detected and enabling a manual control of the cluster volume, we believe the results obtained from Gustafson-Kessel algorithm to be superior. Accordingly, a field database comprising airborne and ground-based geophysical data sets is analysed, which has previously been classified by means of the fuzzy c-means algorithm. This database is integrated using the Gustafson-Kessel algorithm thus minimising the amount of empirical data processing required before and after fuzzy c-means clustering. The resultant zonal geophysical map is more evenly clustered matching regional geology information available from the survey area. Even additional information about linear structures, e. g. as typically caused by the presence of dolerite dykes or faults, is visible in the zonal map obtained from Gustafson-Kessel cluster analysis. KW - cluster analysis KW - data integration KW - airborne KW - South Africa KW - Gustafson-Kessel KW - fuzzy c-means Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1071/EG11014 SN - 0812-3985 VL - 42 IS - 4 SP - 275 EP - 285 PB - CSIRO CY - Collingwood ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tronicke, Jens A1 - Paasche, Hendrik A1 - Böniger, Urs T1 - Crosshole traveltime tomography using particle swarm optimization a near-surface field example JF - Geophysics N2 - Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a relatively new global optimization approach inspired by the social behavior of bird flocking and fish schooling. Although this approach has proven to provide excellent convergence rates in different optimization problems, it has seldom been applied to inverse geophysical problems. Until today, published geophysical applications mainly focus on finding an optimum solution for simple, 1D inverse problems. We have applied PSO-based optimization strategies to reconstruct 2D P-wave velocity fields from crosshole traveltime data sets. Our inversion strategy also includes generating and analyzing a representative ensemble of acceptable models, which allows us to appraise uncertainty and nonuniqueness issues. The potential of our strategy was tested on field data collected at a well-constrained test site in Horstwalde, Germany. At this field site, the shallow subsurface mainly consists of sand- and gravel-dominated glaciofluvial sediments, which, as known from several boreholes and other geophysical experiments, exhibit some well-defined layering at the scale of our crosshole seismic data. Thus, we have implemented a flexible, layer-based model parameterization, which, compared with standard cell-based parameterizations, allows for significantly reducing the number of unknown model parameters and for efficiently implementing a priori model constraints. Comparing the 2D velocity fields resulting from our PSO strategy to independent borehole and direct-push data illustrated the benefits of choosing an efficient global optimization approach. These include a straightforward and understandable appraisal of nonuniqueness issues as well as the possibility of an improved and also more objective interpretation. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/GEO2010-0411.1 SN - 0016-8033 SN - 1942-2156 VL - 77 IS - 1 SP - R19 EP - R32 PB - Society of Exploration Geophysicists CY - Tulsa ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Paasche, Hendrik A1 - Tronicke, Jens A1 - Dietrich, Peter T1 - Zonal cooperative inversion of partially co-located data sets constrained by structural a priori information JF - Near surface geophysics N2 - In many near-surface geophysical studies it is now common practice to collect co-located disparate geophysical data sets to explore subsurface structures. Reconstruction of physical parameter distributions underlying the available geophysical data sets usually requires the use of tomographic reconstruction techniques. To improve the quality of the obtained models, the information content of all data sets should be considered during the model generation process, e.g., by employing joint or cooperative inversion approaches. Here, we extend the zonal cooperative inversion methodology based on fuzzy c-means cluster analysis and conventional single-input data set inversion algorithms for the cooperative inversion of data sets with partially co-located model areas. This is done by considering recent developments in fuzzy c-means cluster analysis. Additionally, we show how supplementary a priori information can be incorporated in an automated fashion into the zonal cooperative inversion approach to further constrain the inversion. The only requirement is that this a priori information can be expressed numerically; e.g., by physical parameters or indicator variables. We demonstrate the applicability of the modified zonal cooperative inversion approach using synthetic and field data examples. In these examples, we cooperatively invert S- and P-wave traveltime data sets with partially co-located model areas using water saturation information expressed by indicator variables as additional a priori information. The approach results in a zoned multi-parameter model, which is consistent with all available information given to the zonal cooperative inversion and outlines the major subsurface units. In our field example, we further compare the obtained zonal model to sparsely available borehole and direct-push logs. This comparison provides further confidence in our zonal cooperative inversion model because the borehole and direct-push logs indicate a similar zonation. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3997/1873-0604.2011033 SN - 1569-4445 VL - 10 IS - 2 SP - 103 EP - 116 PB - European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers CY - Houten ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eberle, Detlef G. A1 - Paasche, Hendrik T1 - Integrated data analysis for mineral exploration A case study of clustering satellite imagery, airborne gamma-ray, and regional geochemical data suites JF - Geophysics N2 - Partitioning cluster algorithms have proven to be powerful tools for data-driven integration of large geoscientific databases. We used fuzzy Gustafson-Kessel cluster analysis to integrate Landsat imagery,. airborne radiometric, and regional geochemical data to aid in the interpretation of a multimethod database. The survey area extends over 3700 km(2) and is located in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. We carefully selected five variables for cluster analysis to avoid the clustering results being dominated by spatially high-correlated data sets that were present in our database. Unlike other, more popular cluster algorithms, such as k-means or fuzzy c-means, the Gustafson-Kessel algorithm requires no preclustering data processing, such as scaling or adjustment of histographic data distributions. The outcome of cluster analysis was a classified map that delineates prominent near-to-surface structures. To add value to the classified map, we compared the detected structures to mapped geology and additional geophysical ground-truthing data. We were able to associate the structures detected by cluster analysis to geophysical and geological information thus obtaining a pseudolithology map. The latter outlined an area with increased mineral potential where manganese mineralization, i.e., psilomelane, had been located. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/GEO2011-0063.1 SN - 0016-8033 VL - 77 IS - 4 SP - B167 EP - B176 PB - Society of Exploration Geophysicists CY - Tulsa ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hachmöller, Barbara A1 - Paasche, Hendrik T1 - Integration of surface-based tomographic models for zonation and multimodel guided extrapolation of sparsely known petrophysical parameters JF - Geophysics N2 - We integrate the information of multiple tomographic models acquired from the earth's surface by modifying a statistical approach recently developed for the integration of cross-borehole tomographic models. In doing so, we introduce spectral cluster analysis as the new core of the model integration procedure to capture the spatial heterogeneity present in all considered tomographic models and describe this heterogeneity in a fuzzy sense. Because spectral cluster algorithms analyze model structure locally, they are considered relatively robust with regard to systematically and spatially varying imaging capabilities typical for geophysical tomographic surveys conducted on the earth's surface. Using a synthetic aquifer example, a fuzzy spectral cluster algorithm can be used to integrate the information provided by 2D tomographic refraction seismic and DC resistivity surveys. The integrated information in the fuzzy membership domain is then used to derive an integrated zonal geophysical model outlining the major structural units present in both input models. We also explain how the fuzzy membership information can be used to identify optimal locations for sparse logging of additional target parameters, i.e., porosity information in our synthetic example. We demonstrate how this sparse porosity information can be extrapolated based on all tomographic input models. The resultant 2D porosity model matches the original porosity distribution reasonably well within the spatial resolution limits of the underlying tomographic models. Consecutively, we apply this approach to a field data base acquired over a former river channel. Sparse information about natural gamma radiation is available and extrapolated on the basis of the fuzzy membership information obtained by spectral cluster analysis of 2D P-wave velocity and electrical resistivity models. This field data shows that the presented parameter extrapolation procedure is robust, even if the locations of target parameter acquisition have not been optimized with regard to the fuzzy membership information. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/GEO2012-0417.1 SN - 0016-8033 VL - 78 IS - 4 SP - EN43 EP - EN53 PB - Society of Exploration Geophysicists CY - Tulsa ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sauer, David A1 - Popp, Steffen A1 - Dittfurth, Angela A1 - Altdorff, Daniel A1 - Dietrich, Peter A1 - Paasche, Hendrik T1 - Soil moisture assessment over an alpine hillslope with significant soil heterogeneity JF - Vadose zone journal N2 - We strive to assess soil water content on a well-studied slow-moving hillslope in Austria. In doing so, we employ time lapse mapping of bulk electrical conductivity using a geophysical electromagnetic induction system operated at low induction numbers. This information is complemented by the acquisition of soil samples for gravimetric water content analysis during one survey campaign. Simple visual soil sample analysis reveals that the upper material in the survey area is a spatially highly variable mixture of predominately sandy, silty, clayey and organic materials. Due to this heterogeneity, classical approaches of mapping soil moisture on the basis of stationary mapping of electrical conductivity variations are not successful. Also the time-lapse approach does not allow ruling out some of the ambiguity inherent to the linkage of bulk electrical conductivity to soil water content. However, indication is found that time-lapse measurements may have supportive capabilities to identify regions of low precipitation infiltration due to high soil saturation. Furthermore, the relationship between the mean electrical conductivity averaged over a full vegetation period and an already available ecological moisture map produced by vegetation analysis is found to resemble closely the relationship observed between gravimetric soil water content and electrical conductivity during the time of sample collection except for highly organic soils. This leads us to the assumption that the relative soil moisture distribution is temporarily stable except for those areas characterized by highly organic soils. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2013.01.0009 SN - 1539-1663 VL - 12 IS - 4 PB - Soil Science Society of America CY - Madison ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Paasche, Hendrik A1 - Werban, Ulrike A1 - Dietrich, Peter T1 - Near-surface seismic traveltime tomography using a direct-push source and surface-planted geophones N2 - Information about seismic velocity distribution in heterogeneous near-surface sedimentary deposits is essential for a variety of environmental and engineering geophysical applications. We have evaluated the suitability of the minimally invasive direct-push technology for near-surface seismic traveltime tomography. Geophones placed at the surface and a seismic source installed temporarily in the subsurface by direct-push technology quickly acquire reversed multioffset vertical seismic profiles (VSPs). The first-arrival traveltimes of these data were used to reconstruct the 2D seismic velocity distribution tomographically. After testing this approach on synthetic data, we applied it to field data collected over alluvial deposits in a former river floodplain. The resulting velocity model contains information about high- and low-velocity anomalies and offers a significantly deeper penetration depth than conventional refraction tomography using surface-planted sources and receivers at the investigated site. A combination of refraction seismic and direct-push data increases resolution capabilities in the unsaturated zone and enables reliable reconstruction of velocity variations in near-surface unconsolidated sediments. The final velocity model structurally matches the results of cone-penetration tests and natural gamma-radiation data acquired along the profile. The suitability of multiple rapidly acquired reverse VSP surveys for 2D tomographic velocity imaging of near-surface unconsolidated sediments was explored. Y1 - 2009 UR - http://scitation.aip.org/geophysics/ U6 - https://doi.org/10.1190/1.3131612 SN - 0016-8033 ER -