APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FUSING DIVERSE DATA

A data fusion workstation apparatus and method utilizes algorithms and can be used for applications such as, e.g., hydrogeological modeling, steady-state hydrological flow modeling, transport uncertainty determination, flow/transport fusion, oil reserve management, water supply development, geo-technical engineering projects, and management decision optimization. The invention uses a spatial continuity model which is extended to 3D and equations are provided for computation of the spatial AR coefficients from a desired covariance function. The data fusion workstation provides more robust optimization iterations by use of an algorithm that includes Trust Region or Step Halving methods to limit the Gauss Newton step in solving non-linear least squares problems. Measurement biases and error parameters, and parameters which define a hydrological flow model can be included in the common set of estimated states. An LSQR or other iterative algorithm is used to reduce the computation time for each step of a nonlinear optimization, thereby allowing computation of problems having a very large number of states. The invention preferably provides transport uncertainty calculations in a fusion post-processing step. The invention allows contaminant measurements to be used with hydraulic head and conductivity measurements for better calibration of flow and transport models.