<p>I too have found this nomenclature rather confusing.  I am pretty sure that trace-based inversion is merely where each seismic trace is inverted independently of surrounding traces. This would take into account most deterministic/probabilistic inversion types (e.g. model, coloured, sparse, etc). In contrast, geostatistical inversion would not strictly be trace-based inversion, as it uses a spatial and temporal variogram to takes into account the expected results of surrounding traces during the inversion, even though it does invert on a trace-by-trace basis. Confusing. </p>

<p>The following paper describes trace and geostatistical inversion methods:
<a href="http://www.cgg.com/data/1/rec_docs/3037_Geostatistical_Inversion_San_Jorge_SEG_2003.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Germán Merletti, and Julio Hlebszevitsch. 2003. Geostatistical Inversion for the Lateral Delineation of Thin Layer Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: A Case Study in San Jorge Basin, Argentina. SEG 2003.</a> </p>

<p>I've found the following paper very useful for understanding seismic inversion (geostatistical isn't discussed, though): 
<a href="http://csegrecorder.com/articles/view/model-based-seismic-inversion-comparing-deterministic-and-probabilistic" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dennis Cooke and John Cant. 2010. Model-based Seismic Inversion: Comparing deterministic and probabilistic approaches. CSEG Recorder, Vol. 35, No. 4.</a> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-29T01:04:54.813Z
Just to add, trace-based inversions tend to assume that the data can be modeled as a convolutional process. This is a large simplification from the actual wave propagation, seismic acquisition, and data processing steps that need to occur before obtaining each post-stack trace.
Antonio
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-28T02:23:29.003Z
2017-06-29T02:01:34.787Z
2017-06-29T02:01:34.787Z
stevej
<p>Looking through different literature articles and books concerning seismic inversion - mostly post-stack - phrases like "trace-based" and "model-based" keep appearing. I know that model-based in when lower-frequency info from either stacking velocities or low-pass sonic/rho logs are used. However, I do not know what trace-based inversion means or how it's performed. Can someone please help me with this?</p>

<geophysics><seismic><inversion>
What is trace-based seismic Inversion
nate
# What is trace-based seismic Inversion

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-06-27)

Looking through different literature articles and books concerning seismic inversion - mostly post-stack - phrases like "trace-based" and "model-based" keep appearing. I know that model-based in when lower-frequency info from either stacking velocities or low-pass sonic/rho logs are used. However, I do not know what trace-based inversion means or how it's performed. Can someone please help me with this?

**Tags:** geophysics, seismic, inversion


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-06-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

I too have found this nomenclature rather confusing. I am pretty sure that trace-based inversion is merely where each seismic trace is inverted independently of surrounding traces. This would take into account most deterministic/probabilistic inversion types (e.g. model, coloured, sparse, etc). In contrast, geostatistical inversion would not strictly be trace-based inversion, as it uses a spatial and temporal variogram to takes into account the expected results of surrounding traces during the inversion, even though it does invert on a trace-by-trace basis. Confusing.

The following paper describes trace and geostatistical inversion methods:
[Germán Merletti, and Julio Hlebszevitsch. 2003. Geostatistical Inversion for the Lateral Delineation of Thin Layer Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: A Case Study in San Jorge Basin, Argentina. SEG 2003.](http://www.cgg.com/data/1/rec_docs/3037_Geostatistical_Inversion_San_Jorge_SEG_2003.pdf)

I've found the following paper very useful for understanding seismic inversion (geostatistical isn't discussed, though):
[Dennis Cooke and John Cant. 2010. Model-based Seismic Inversion: Comparing deterministic and probabilistic approaches. CSEG Recorder, Vol. 35, No. 4.](http://csegrecorder.com/articles/view/model-based-seismic-inversion-comparing-deterministic-and-probabilistic)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Just to add, trace-based inversions tend to assume that the data can be modeled as a convolutional process. This is a large simplification from the actual wave propagation, seismic acquisition, and data processing steps that need to occur before obtaining each post-stack trace.  

---

