Seismic Tomography

Seismic tomography is an investigation method of applied seismology and is used to determine the velocity distribution of seismic waves in the subsurface.

The basic principle of the method is based on the fact that the travel times of seismic waves from the location of their excitation to the receivers depend on the propagation velocities along their travel paths. The aim of tomography is to infer the velocity distribution in the subsurface from the travel times of seismic waves. Due to the constant change in position of the seismic source and a certain number of seismic receivers, there is a multiple overlap of the so-called "rays" in the subsurface, whose travel times are registered at the receivers. The velocity distribution in the subsurface is then calculated from all travel times. In contrast to the classical refraction evaluation, this method is particularly suitable for non-layered subsurface.