Four new papers in Geophysical Journal International

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© GIM

GIM researchers have contributed four new publications to the Geophysical Journal International, advancing structure-based inversion, optimal experimental design for monitoring, and joint inversion methods across a range of geophysical applications.

Structure-based geophysical inversion using implicit geological models

Authors: A. Balza-Morales, A. Förderer, F. Wellmann, H. Maurer, F. M. Wagner
Journal: GJI, Volume 244, Issue 1, January 2026, ggaf445
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaf445

Balza-Morales et al. introduce a structure-based inversion workflow that couples implicit geological models with geophysical data in a sequential scheme to jointly refine subsurface interface geometries and physical properties, achieving geologically realistic, sharp-contrast models demonstrated on synthetic and field traveltime tomography data from the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory.

Optimized experimental design strategies for ERT monitoring of transient flow processes

Authors: N. Menzel, S. Uhlemann, F. M. Wagner
Journal: GJI, Volume 244, Issue 3, March 2026, ggaf523
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaf523

Menzel et al. develop and compare data-driven, model-driven and hybrid optimal experimental design strategies for electrical resistivity tomography monitoring, showing how tailored measurement selection maximizes information content and robustness for imaging transient subsurface flow and transport processes.

Partially joint petrophysical inversion

Authors: H. Söding, F. M. Wagner, H. Maurer
Journal: GJI, Volume 244, Issue 3, March 2026, ggaf531
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaf531

Söding et al. propose a partially petrophysically coupled joint inversion approach that combines petrophysical and structural coupling to recover quantitatively interpretable saturation models even when petrophysical laws are only valid in parts of the subsurface, and demonstrate how to automatically detect regions with invalid petrophysical relations.

Structural joint inversion of seismic refraction tomography and surface wave dispersion curve data

Authors: N. Roser, F. M. Wagner, M. Steiner, A. Flores-Orozco
Journal: GJI, 2026, ggag054 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggag054

Roser et al. present a structural joint inversion scheme for P-wave refraction and Rayleigh-wave dispersion data using a cross-gradient constraint, yielding P- and S-wave velocity models with improved geometrical consistency and enhanced delineation of subsurface structures in both synthetic benchmarks and a shallow aquifer field study.