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Understanding VALEM
The VALEM inversion workflow runs within GM-SYS 3D. Once a model is created within GM-SYS 3D, VALEM can be
used to run an inversion on the base of salt over the entire model area, or a selected region of interest. The computation is
performed using the VALEM cloud service a version of the Geosoft VOXI Earth Modelling service that is optimized for
solving the base of salt problem in layered earth modelling. A refined base of salt layer is returned by the inversion service
to GM-SYS 3D and is incorporated into the model.
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Since VALEM is integrated wholly within GM-SYS 3D, there are some default behaviours that must be considered before
performing a VALEM inversion.
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Figure 1: East-West cross section through the SEAM density volume with the allochthonous salt body removed. The
surface identifies the known top of allochthonous salt. The salt was replaced by interpolating from the sides in a
conformable manner. This was the starting model for VALEM inversion.
Piercing Information
You may wish to specify layers that can be pierced (altered) by the movement of the salt/sediment boundary. The default
for the lowest extent of the active volume is the first non-piercable layer.
DC Shift
Ideally, you'll want the misfit between the observed and calculated gravity response to be due only to the missing salt. This
will not always be the case (in the real world) as there will be uncertainty in the remainder of the model that will affect the
misfit. It is therefore crucial that the background model and DC shift be set, to the users' best ability, to ensure the best
possible VALEM result. If the DC shift is incorrect the VALEM result can end up having too much salt, or none at all.
Vertical Expansion of Cells
In cases where your base of salt extends to significant depth, you'll want to maintain the resolution of your model. In these
instances, it is recommended to reduce the vertical expansion of your cells to ~1. Try values between 1 and 1.05 for best
effect.
FFT Expansion Percentage
It is recommended to set your expansion percentage such that the total model extent is twice the length of the largest
wavelength you'd like to be able to recover in the model. For example, for a model that is 50mx50m, you must set your FFT
expansion percentage to at least 100% to recover a wavelength of 50m in your forward calculation. This is analogous to the
use of padding cells in forward modelling within the spatial domain.
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2. Specify the Inversion name. Note that a unique inversion model name is required.
3. Select whether to perform the inversion on a specific Area-Of-Interest (which requires a polygon file) or over the entire
model.
4. If you chose to perform the inversion on a specific AOI, select the AOI polygon file to use.
5. Optionally, you can use a Constraint grid to refine the active area.
With a constraint grid, a grid cell value of 0 defines inactive parts of the model; any other cell value defines the active
parts of the model. A constraint grid, compared to an AOI polygon, may more easily define the active area for some
users/projects.
6. The Top of active area is a read-only field that displays name of the layer above the selected inversion layer, which
defines the top of the active layer.
7. Select the Inversion layer, if the default is not your layer of interest. If you change this, the Top of active area field will
also change.
8. Select whether you'd like to Maintain horizontal extent of salt.
9. Select the Base of active area using either a constant elevation (within the model space) or a layer within the model.
If you chose to base the active area on a layer, select the Layer from the dropdown list.
10. Click the More button to display more options.
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14. You can abort the inversion by clicking the Stop button beside the progress bar once the inversion begins.
During the inversion, you cannot change/edit your GM-SYS 3D model.
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Model Files
The coordinate system of the entire project was arbitrarily set to NAD 83 UTM 17N. The choice of coordinate system has
no effect on the density model however the project must have a projected coordinate system attached to it.
Survey Data
GzObs-4.grd
This is the observed Gz.
Survey height is constant at 0m with no background density removed.
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VALEM Results
Recovered_Model_DCShift_Minus4.geosoft_voxel
Model result of VALEM with DC shift of -4 as a voxel.
Base_Salt_Recovered_DCShift_Minus4.grd
Result of VALEM with DC shift of -4 as a relief grid
7. Basement need not be defined as the density is contained in the voxel distribution unless you want to set the
basement to Not Pierceable, in which case you'll have to define its relief surface.
8. Add Gz survey data (Gz_Obs-4.grd) with constant elevation of 0m and no background density.
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3. Adjust DC shift, forward calculate, and check misfit grid for the notes in step 2.
Try values 0, -2, -4, etc. or use the auto best-fit and digitize options (digitize in regions outside the top of salt
extents you may want to plot the top of salt polygon to help).
In this example, the DC Shift (-4) is due solely to an offset in the observed data. With the DC shift set
appropriately, the remaining misfit is due only to the missing salt. This will not always be the case (in the real
world) as there will be uncertainty in the remainder of the model that will affect the misfit. It is therefore crucial that
the background model and DC shift be set to your best ability to ensure the best possible VALEM result. If the DC
shift is insufficient the VALEM result can end up having too much salt, or none at all.
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4. If the result is good, export to a voxel and compare to the true model.
5. Experiment with different DC shifts, see what impact it has on the result and the inversion data misfit.
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