# Diffusion Model-Based Posterior Sampling in Full Waveform Inversion

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.12797 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2512.12797/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Flow matching, time series and science, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models.
- Builds on 14 of its 37 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 Dec 2025.

## Placed in

- Diffusion models / [Flow matching, time series and science](https://mlsanity.com/diffusion/flow-matching-time-series-and-science/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 14 of 14)

- [Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2006.11239/) (2020)
- [High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.10752/) (2021)
- [Denoising Diffusion Implicit Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.02502/) (2020)
- [Score-Based Generative Modeling through Stochastic Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.13456/) (2020)
- [Diffusion Posterior Sampling for General Noisy Inverse Problems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2209.14687/) (2022)
- [Denoising Diffusion Restoration Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.11793/) (2022)
- [Stein Variational Gradient Descent: A General Purpose Bayesian Inference Algorithm](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1608.04471/) (2016)
- [The Little Engine that Could: Regularization by Denoising (RED)](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1611.02862/) (2016)
- [Improving Diffusion Inverse Problem Solving with Decoupled Noise Annealing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.01521/) (2024)
- [A prior regularized full waveform inversion using generative diffusion models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.12776/) (2023)
- [Controllable seismic velocity synthesis using generative diffusion models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.06277/) (2024)
- [Geophysical inverse problems with measurement-guided diffusion models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.04881/) (2025)
- [Annealed Stein Variational Gradient Descent for Improved Uncertainty Estimation in Full-Waveform Inversion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.13249/) (2024)
- [Machine learning-enabled velocity model building with uncertainty quantification](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.06651/) (2024)

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Decoupled Latent Optimization of Diffusion Models for Full Waveform Inversion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.14139/) (2026)
- [Physical-State-Guided Diffusion Sampling for Full-Waveform Inversion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.12899/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Bayesian full waveform inversion (FWI) offers uncertainty-aware subsurface models; however, posterior sampling directly on observed seismic shot records is rarely practical at the field scale because each sample requires numerous wave-equation solves. We aim to make such sampling feasible for large surveys while preserving calibration, that is, high uncertainty in less illuminated areas. Our approach couples diffusion-based posterior sampling with simultaneous-source FWI data. At each diffusion noise level, a network predicts a clean velocity model. We then apply a stochastic refinement step in model space using Langevin dynamics under the wave-equation likelihood and reintroduce noise to decouple successive levels before proceeding. Simultaneous-source batches reduce forward and adjoint solves approximately in proportion to the supergather size, while an unconditional diffusion prior trained on velocity patches and volumes helps suppress source-related numerical artefacts. We evaluate the method on three 2D synthetic datasets (SEG/EAGE Overthrust, SEG/EAGE Salt, SEAM Arid), a 2D field line, and a 3D upscaling study. Relative to a particle-based variational baseline, namely Stein variational gradient descent without a learned prior and with single-source (non-simultaneous-source) FWI, our sampler achieves lower model error and better data fit at a substantially reduced computational cost. By aligning encoded-shot likelihoods with diffusion-based sampling and exploiting straightforward parallelization over samples and source batches, the method provides a practical path to calibrated posterior inference on observed shot records that scales to large 2D and 3D problems.