Method and system for checkpointing during simulations

A method for comparing collected data to simulated data, comprising:

• backwards propagating the collected data across a grid;
• running a computer simulation to generate forward propagated data across the grid, wherein:
• a plurality of correlation buffers are stored during the computer simulation;
• and
• the simulation cannot be restarted from any of the plurality of correlation buffers;
• and
• correlating the data stored in the correlation buffers to the backwards propagated data at each point in the grid;
• wherein
• time steps in the computer simulation at which the correlation buffers are stored are selected, at least in part, by balancing (i) reduction of computer storage requirements from storing a correlation buffer instead of a full state buffer, without ability to restart the computer simulation, versus (ii) reduction of computation time from storing a full state buffer from which the computer simulation can be restarted.

A system for correlating simulated data to collected data, comprising:

• a processor;
• a storage system, comprising data structures representing:
• measured data;
• a propagation algorithm configured to propagate the measured data backwards-in-time across a grid;
• a computer simulation configured to generate forward-in-time simulated data across the grid;
• and
• a memory, wherein the memory comprises code to direct the processor to:
• propagate the measured data backwards-in-time across the grid;
• populate the grid with forward-in-time simulated data from the computer simulation;
• store a correlation checkpoint at a selected time step during the computer simulation, said correlation checkpoint containing information sufficient to perform a correlation but insufficient to restart simulation;
• wherein the selecting a time step for storing a correlation checkpoint balances (i) reduction of computer storage requirements from storing a correlation checkpoint instead of a full state checkpoint, without ability to restart the computer simulation, versus (ii) reduction of computation time from storing a full state checkpoint from which the computer simulation can be restarted;
• and
• correlate the backwards propagated data to the simulated data stored in the correlation checkpoint.