Wasserstein distance-based full waveform inversion method for density reconstruction

Reliable density information is an essential factor in lithologic interpretation and reservoir evaluation. However, density reconstruction is hampered by a lack of long-wavelength information and the crosstalk between different parameters. The powerful nonlinearity in density inversion constrains the multi-parameter full waveform inversion application. This paper introduces the Wasserstein distance into the full waveform inversion for velocity and density based on the optimal transport theory. We construct an objective function with better convexity to avoid the cycle-skipping caused by the poor initial model. Furthermore, due to the sensitivity of the quadratic Wasserstein distance to low-frequency, we add the low-wavenumber component absent in the conventional density inversion. We acquire a long-wavelength density background using optimal transport inversion and then apply it as an initial model for least-squares inversion. Numerical examples show that our optimal transport inversion effectively builds a reasonable density background model for FWI. Density inversion can be improved by incorporating optimal transport and least-squares theory, leading to a reliable quantitative description for petroleum exploration and development. •Introducing the Wasserstein distance into full waveform inversion to build a low wave-number density structure.•Developing a stepwise density inversion approach utilizing the least squares norm and Wasserstein distance.•Mitigating the impact of inaccurate initial models on density inversion.•Improving stability and accuracy of density reconstruction compared to conventional inversion.