Training image analysis for model error assessment and dimension reduction in Bayesian-MCMC solutions to inverse problems

Abstract:

Bayesian solutions to inverse problems in near-surface geophysics and hydrology have gained increasing popularity as a means of estimating not only subsurface model parameters, but also their corresponding uncertainties that can be used in probabilistic forecasting and risk analysis. In particular, Markov-chain-Monte-Carlo (MCMC) methods have attracted much recent attention as a means of statistically sampling from the Bayesian posterior distribution. In this regard, two approaches are commonly used to improve the computational tractability of the Bayesian-MCMC approach: (i) Forward models involving a simplification of the underlying physics are employed, which offer a significant reduction in the time required to calculate data, but generally at the expense of model accuracy, and (ii) the model parameter space is represented using a limited set of spatially correlated basis functions as opposed to a more intuitive high-dimensional pixel-based parameterization. It has become well understood that model inaccuracies resulting from (i) can lead to posterior parameter distributions that are highly biased and overly confident. Further, when performing model reduction as described in (ii), it is not clear how the prior distribution for the basis weights should be defined because simple (e.g., Gaussian or uniform) priors that may be suitable for a pixel-based parameterization may result in a strong prior bias when used for the weights. To address the issue of model error resulting from known forward model approximations, we generate a set of error training realizations and analyze them with principal component analysis (PCA) in order to generate a sparse basis. The latter is used in the MCMC inversion to remove the main model-error component from the residuals. To improve issues related to prior bias when performing model reduction, we also use a training realization approach, but this time models are simulated from the prior distribution and analyzed using independent component analysis (ICA) to build a basis. Application of this approach is demonstrated on a simple geophysical inverse problem involving crosshole georadar tomography, whereby the eikonal equation represents a more appropriate version of the underlying physics and straight rays are assumed as a faster forward model.