Seismic Ray Tracing | Algorithms & Applications Group

Algorithms & Applications Group
Seismic Ray Tracing

Seismic Ray Tracing
supported by NSF
Huang-Liang Lai (Geophysics), Roger Pearce, Sam Rodriguez, Nancy M. Amato, Richard L. Gibson (Geophysics)
Project Alumni: Jin Lee (Geophysics), Jyh-Ming Lien

This project involves both Computer Science and Geo Sciences. Seismic Ray Tracing is often used to get information about the Earth's interior. It has its applications in a number of areas in Geosciences including oil exploration and quake fault analysis. An efficient sequential algorithm for ray tracing is being developed by the research group of Dr. Gibson of the Department Geology and Geophysics at Texas A&M University.

Our lab has worked on the parallel computing and performance modeling aspects of the project. We will be working on developing an efficient parallel algorithm for Seismic Ray Tracing. The second phase of the project deals with implementing the algorithm in a parallel machine using the Standard Template Adaptive Parallel Library (STAPL) which is being developed at Texas A&M. The next phase of the project deals with incorporating self tuning elements in the code. A self tuning code can detect the resources available in the system in which it is running can decide automatically the complexity of the algorithm and parameters to be used. We will also work on a visualization tool to allow the Geo-Physicists a useful way of analyzing their work.

To generate ray information for a particular earth model, a source of seismic waves is first placed at a known location on the surface of the earth. The waves emitted from the source travel through the earth, bending as they travel due to the varying types of media they pass through, and eventually bounce back to the earth's surface. Receivers (called geophones) are placed on the surface to detect the direction and amplitude of the waves as they reach the surface.