Full-waveform inversion of crosshole ground penetrating radar data to characterize a gravel aquifer close to the Thur River, Switzerland

Imaging results of crosshole GPR can be significantly improved by using full-waveform inversion compared to conventional ray-based inversion schemes. A recently developed 2D finite difference time domain (FDTD) vectorial full-waveform crosshole radar inversion method was made more flexible to allow using an optimized acquisition setup that reduces the measurement speed and the computational cost. This improved algorithm was used to invert crosshole GPR data acquired within a gravel aquifer in northern Switzerland. Compared to the ray-based inversion, the results from the full-waveform inversion show significantly higher resolution images in the depth range of 6m - 10m. Comparison of the inversion results with borehole logs shows that porosity estimates obtained from Neutron-Neutron data correspond well with the GPR porosities derived from the permittivity distribution in the depth range 6 m - 10 m and that the trends are in good qualitative agreement. Furthermore, there is a good correspondence between the conductivity tomograms and natural Gamma logs at the boundary between the gravel layer and the underlying lacustrine clay sediments.