Abstract: Method for estimating uncertainty in a physical property model generated by inverting measured geophysical data, for example, a resistivity model inferred from electromagnetic field data. The method involves as few as one data inversion coupled with a number of forward simulation. Alternative solutions (models) are generated by probing a perturbation space defined from a reduced model space, resulting from a principal component decomposition of the inverted model, and selecting some of the larger components. Statistical analysis techniques may be applied (to those alternative solutions remaining after thresholding) to generate quantitative uncertainty estimates applicable to the inverted model.

Abstract: Method for estimating uncertainty in a physical property model generated by inverting measured geophysical data, for example a resistivity model inferred from electromagnetic field data. The method involves as few as one data inversion (32) coupled with a number of forward simulations (37). Alternative solutions (models) are generated (39) by probing a perturbation space (35) defined from a reduced model space (34), resulting from a principal component decomposition (33) of the inverted model, and selecting some of the larger components. Statistical analysis techniques may be applied (to those alternative solutions remaining after thresholding) to generate quantitative uncertainty estimates (42) applicable to the inverted model (32).