FINITE-ELEMENT SIMULATION OF 2-DIMENSIONAL SEISMIC-WAVE PROPAGATION

The normal incidence synthetic seismograms of a few meaningfully sized geological models presented in this paper indicate that the numerical solution for the subsurface structures of interest to exploration geo physicists can be obtained by using the finite element condensation te chnique. In this method, a transformation matrix T is introduced which condenses the global stiffness and mass matrices in the form of param eter variables which are the Fourier coefficients. By this method ther e is hardly any restriction on the computer storage and speed. Another very striking aspect is its ability in automatic mesh generation depe nding on the anisotropism and heterogeneity in elastic properties in t he subsurface. The availability of a graphics facility has added an ex tra dimension to this technique and thus allows us to perform forward modelling on a routine basis and have abetter insight into wave propag ation in a two-dimensional half space beneath the earth's surface.