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Spectral-Element Methods

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Full Seismic Waveform Modelling and Inversion

Abstract

The spectral-element method is a high-order numerical method that allows us to solve the seismic wave equation in 3D heterogeneous Earth models. The method enables adaptation of the mesh to the irregular surface topography and to the variable wavelengths inside the Earth. Moreover, the spectral-element method yields accurate solutions for surface waves without increasing the number of grid points per wavelength , therefore overcoming some of the most severe deficiencies of the finite-difference method.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 4, 3584, Utrecht, CE, The Netherlands

    Andreas Fichtner

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  1. Andreas Fichtner
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Correspondence to Andreas Fichtner .

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Fichtner, A. (2011). Spectral-Element Methods. In: Full Seismic Waveform Modelling and Inversion. Advances in Geophysical and Environmental Mechanics and Mathematics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-15807-0_4

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