Abstract
Trans-dimensional Bayesian sampling has been applied to subsurface
imaging and other inference problems across the Earth Sciences. A
particular style of Markov chain Monte Carlo (McMC) method, known as
reversible-jump has been used almost universally in such studies. This
algorithm allows sampling across variably dimensioned model
parameterizations. However, for practical reasons, it is limited to
cases where the number of free parameters differ in a regular sequence
between alternate models, usually by addition or subtraction of a single
variable. Furthermore, jumps between model dimensions rely on bespoke
mathematical transformations, which are bespoke to each class of
application. As a result, implementations are dependent on the choice of
model parameterization employed. A framework for Trans-conceptual
Bayesian sampling, which is a generalization of trans-dimensional
sampling, is presented. Trans-C Bayesian sampling allows exploration
across a finite, but arbitrary, set of conceptual models, i.e. ones
where the number of variables, the type of model basis function, nature
of the forward problem, and assumptions on the measurement noise
statistics, may all vary independently. The new framework avoids
parameter transformations and thereby lends itself to development of
automatic McMC algorithms, i.e. where the details of the sampler do not
require knowledge of the parameterization. Algorithms implementing
Bayesian conceptual model sampling are presented and illustrated with
examples drawn from geophysics, using real and synthetic data.
Comparison with reversible-jump illustrates that Trans-C sampling
produces statistically identical results for situations where the former
is applicable, but also allows sampling in situations where Trans-D
would be impractical to implement.