A computer-implemented method of hydrocarbon source rock characterization, comprising: a. receiving, at a computer processor, a seismic dataset representative of a subsurface volume of interest and a low frequency model of the subsurface volume of interest, wherein the seismic dataset contains frequencies in the range ~4-60 Hz and wherein the low frequency model contains frequencies in the range ~0-6 Hz; b. inverting, via the computer processor, the seismic dataset using the low frequency model to generate reservoir attributes; c. receiving, at the computer processor, maturity data from core measurements or basin modeling; and d. using the generated reservoir attributes and the maturity data, characterizing, via the computer processor, the hydrocarbon source rock based on the reservoir attributes and maturity data, wherein the characterizing includes: deriving a function AI = f(TOC, Ro), or deriving a function Ro = f(AI, TOC), or deriving a function Ro = f(Vp, TOC), wherein AI is acoustic impedance, TOC is Total Organic Content, Ro is vitrinite reflectance, and Vp is compressional velocity; and generating a 2-D or 3-D map of one or more of estimated TOC, source rock location, source rock thickness, and source rock maturity based on the derived function, and wherein: the seismic dataset is recorded seismic data from a seismic survey; and the method comprises designing well paths or designing drilling strategies or assessing hydrocarbon charge based on the generated 2-D or 3-D map. a. receiving, at a computer processor, a seismic dataset representative of a subsurface volume of interest and a low frequency model of the subsurface volume of interest, wherein the seismic dataset contains frequencies in the range ~4-60 Hz and wherein the low frequency model contains frequencies in the range ~0-6 Hz; b. inverting, via the computer processor, the seismic dataset using the low frequency model to generate reservoir attributes; c. receiving, at the computer processor, maturity data from core measurements or basin modeling; and d. using the generated reservoir attributes and the maturity data, characterizing, via the computer processor, the hydrocarbon source rock based on the reservoir attributes and maturity data, wherein the characterizing includes: deriving a function AI = f(TOC, Ro), or deriving a function Ro = f(AI, TOC), or deriving a function Ro = f(Vp, TOC), wherein AI is acoustic impedance, TOC is Total Organic Content, Ro is vitrinite reflectance, and Vp is compressional velocity; and generating a 2-D or 3-D map of one or more of estimated TOC, source rock location, source rock thickness, and source rock maturity based on the derived function, deriving a function AI = f(TOC, Ro), or deriving a function Ro = f(AI, TOC), or deriving a function Ro = f(Vp, TOC), wherein AI is acoustic impedance, TOC is Total Organic Content, Ro is vitrinite reflectance, and Vp is compressional velocity; and generating a 2-D or 3-D map of one or more of estimated TOC, source rock location, source rock thickness, and source rock maturity based on the derived function, and wherein: the seismic dataset is recorded seismic data from a seismic survey; and the method comprises designing well paths or designing drilling strategies or assessing hydrocarbon charge based on the generated 2-D or 3-D map. the seismic dataset is recorded seismic data from a seismic survey; and the method comprises designing well paths or designing drilling strategies or assessing hydrocarbon charge based on the generated 2-D or 3-D map.