Abstract: Method for estimating geological properties in a subsurface region using multiple types of geophysical data (21). An initial physical properties model 22 is constructed. Some parameters in the model are frozen (23) and optionally portions of the model wave number and spatial domains (24) and the data frequency and data time domains (25), are also frozen. Then, a joint inversion (26) of the multiple data types is performed to calculate an update to the model only for the portions that are not frozen. The converged model (27) for this inversion is used as a new starting model, and the process is repeated (28), possibly several times, unfreezing more parameters and data each time until the desired spatial and parameter resolution (29) has been achieved.

Abstract: Method for adaptive weighting of geophysical data types in iterative joint inversion to speed convergence and aid escape from local minima of the penalty (objective) function. Two or more geophysical data sets (11) representing a region of interest are obtained, and are jointly inverted to infer models of the physical properties that affect the particular types of data used. The misfit for each data type is a weighted tem in the penalty function (13). The invention involves changing the weights (51) as the iteration cycles progress when the iteration convergence criteria are satisfied (15), to see if they remain satisfied (52) with the modified penalty function.

Abstract: Method for adaptive weighting of geophysical data types in iterative joint inversion to speed convergence and aid escape from local minima of the penalty (objective) function. Two or more geophysical data sets (11) representing a region of interest are obtained, and are jointly inverted to infer models of the physical properties that affect the particular types of data used. The misfit for each data type is a weighted tem in the penalty function (13). The invention involves changing the weights (51) as the iteration cycles progress when the iteration convergence criteria are satisfied (15), to see if they remain satisfied (52) with the modified penalty function.

Abstract: Method for estimating geological properties in a subsurface region using multiple types of geophysical data (21). An initial physical properties model 22 is constructed. Some parameters in the model are frozen (23) and optionally portions of the model wave number and spatial domains (24) and the data frequency and data time domains (25), are also frozen. Then, a joint inversion (26) of the multiple data types is performed to calculate an update to the model only for the portions that are not frozen. The converged model (27) for this inversion is used as a new starting model, and the process is repeated (28), possibly several times, unfreezing more parameters and data each time until the desired spatial and parameter resolution (29) has been achieved.