Receiver function deconvolution using transdimensional hierarchical Bayesian inference

S U M M A R Y Teleseismic waves can convert from shear to compressional (Sp) or compressional to shear (Ps) across impedance contrasts in the subsurface. Deconvolving the parent waveforms (P for Ps or S for Sp) from the daughter waveforms (S for Ps or P for Sp) generates receiver functions which can be used to analyse velocity structure beneath the receiver. Though a variety of deconvolution techniques have been developed, they are all adversely affected by background and signal-generated noise. In order to take into account the unknown noise characteristics, we propose a method based on transdimensional hierarchical Bayesian inference in which both the noise magnitude and noise spectral character are parameters in calculating the likelihood probability distribution. We use a reversible-jump implementation of a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to find an ensemble of receiver functions whose relative fits to the data have been calculated while simultaneously inferring the values of the noise parameters. Our noise parametrization is determined from pre-event noise so that it approximates observed noise characteristics. We test the algorithm on synthetic waveforms contaminated with noise generated from a covariance matrix obtained from observed noise. We show that the method retrieves easily interpretable receiver functions even in the presence of high noise levels. We also show that we can obtain useful estimates of noise amplitude and frequency content. Analysis of the ensemble solutions produced by our method can be used to quantify the uncertainties associated with individual receiver functions as well as with individual features within them, providing an objective way for deciding which features warrant geological interpretation. This method should make possible more robust inferences on subsurface structure using receiver function analysis, especially in areas of poor data coverage or under noisy station conditions.