A new method for geoelectrical investigations underwater1

A new electrical method is proposed for determining the apparent resistivity of multi-earth layers located underwater. The method is based on direct current geoelectric sounding principles. A layered earth model is used to simulate the stratigraphic target. The measurement array is of pole-pole type; it is located underwater and is orientated vertically. This particular electrode configuration is very useful when conventional electrical methods cannot be used, especially if the water depth becomes very important. The calculated apparent resistivity shows a substantial quality increase in the measured signal caused by the underwater targets, from which little or no response is measured using conventional surface electrode methods. In practice, however, different factors such as water stratification, underwater streams or meteorological conditions complicate the interpretation of the field results. A case study is presented, where field surveys carried out on Lake Geneva were interpreted using the calculated apparent resistivity master-curves.     

云南玉溪盆地电性结构MT测深研究

利用大地电磁测深技术探测了云南玉溪盆地的电性结构及可能的断裂构造分布。在与地质构造近垂直的方向,布设了两条测线进行大地电磁观测,应用Rebocc二维反演方法获得了玉溪盆地两条测线的视电阻率剖面。结果显示,低阻体厚度的变化趋势与盆地第四系沉积层平均厚度的变化类似,在盆地西侧,厚度较深,高阻和低阻界面变化较陡。自西向东,低阻体厚度逐渐减小,高低阻界面变化趋势趋缓。总体来说,低阻体厚度比已有资料给出的沉积层厚度要深,导致这一结果的原因一方面可能是盆地沉积层厚度在不同的区域变化较大,另一方面也可能和沉积层下的岩层富含水资源有关。     

Use of four-electrode arrays in three-dimensional electrical resistivity imaging survey

The objective of this paper is to investigate the applicability of four-electrode arrays in 3D electrical resistivity imaging survey. A 3D resistivity imaging survey was carried out along fourteen parallel lines using dipole-dipole, Wenner-Schlumberger, and Wenner arrays with 2 m minimum electrode spacings. Roll-along measurements using a line spacing of 1 m were carried out covering a grid of 20 × 14 electrodes. The 3D least squares algorithm, based on the robust inversion method, was used in the inversion of the 3D apparent resistivity data sets. The results show that the 3D electrical resistivity imaging survey using the Wenner-Schlumberger and the dipole-dipole arrays, or the Wenner and the dipole-dipole arrays, in combination with an appropriate 3D inversion method, can be highly useful when the site conditions do not allow using the pole-pole or pole-dipole arrays.     

多同性源阵列电阻率法隧道超前探测方法与物理模拟试验研究

直流电阻率法以其对含水构造响应敏感且适应性强的特点,是隧道施工期超前地质预报的常用方法.针对目前定点源三极观测方式易受到测线附近旁侧异常干扰与聚焦观测方式探测距离过短无法三维成像的问题,提出了一种基于多同性源阵列电阻率的隧道超前探测新方法,利用环形布置的多同性源供电压制隧道掌子面后方的异常体的干扰,同时增强掌子面前方远处异常体的敏感度,阵列电极测量可为含水构造的三维反演成像提供三维数据.首先,开展了含水构造超前探测的数值正演模拟,发现多同性源方法的视电阻率纵向微分曲线极小值以及与横轴的交点位置可对异常体位置进行定性判断,探讨了多同性源方法对后方及侧向异常干扰的响应特征及识别方法.其次,将电阻率光滑约束与轨迹光滑策略引入蚁群反演算法,提出了一种最小二乘方法与改进蚁群算法相结合的混合反演算法,反演数值算例表明混合反演算法能够实现含水构造的三维成像,较好地反演出不同距离的含水构造位置,并使其边界较为清晰.为了验证多同性源探测方法的探测效果开展了物理模型试验,多同性源阵列电阻率法能较好的反映含水构造的存在,与实际含水构造的位置较为相符.     

大斜度井和水平井井地三维电阻率数值模拟和联合反演

井地电阻率成像法利用井套管作电流源向井下供入大功率直流电流,在地表测量由地下介质的电性变化形成的电位分布,通过反演可得到地下介质的电阻率分布.针对大斜度井和水平井开展井地三维电阻率数值模拟和反演研究,对油田注水及压裂效果监测具有重要意义.基于井地电阻率成像法原理,采用有限差分法和不完全切勒斯基共轭梯度法进行了三维正演模拟,研究了大斜度井和水平井的井地电位响应特征.提出了采用层状约束阻尼最小二乘法由浅到深地进行大斜度井和水平井的多层联合反演,并对实际水平井井地电位各个层段数据进行了三维反演.模拟结果表明,倾斜线源和水平线源会对地面电位响应产生明显影响,在反演中需要考虑线源形态.实际水平井井地电位反演成像表明,考虑倾斜线源或者水平线源的联合反演得到了准确的水平井三维注水层成像图,得出注水层的真电阻率分布,能够判断注水运移方向.     

An application of three-dimensional electrical resistivity imaging for the detection of an underground waste-water system

A 3D electrical resistivity imaging survey is presented in this paper. The objective was to investigate an underground wastewater system at the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Apparent resistivity data were collected along ten parallel lines using a Wenner-Schlumberger configuration; electrode cables were oriented in the x-direction with 3 m spacing. Roll-along measurements using a line spacing of 3 m were carried out covering a grid of 20 × 10 electrodes. All data sets were merged into a single data file in order to perform a 3D inversion. Two different 3D least squares algorithms, based on the robust inversion method and the smoothness-constrained technique, were used for the inversion of the apparent resistivity data. Both the horizontal and vertical extents of the anomalous zones found by inversion are displayed. The results indicate the superiority of the robust inversion method over the smoothness-constrained technique at this site. The results are in sufficient accordance with previously known information about the investigation area. The results show that 3D electrical resistivity imaging surveys, in combination with an appropriate 3D inversion method, can be highly useful for engineering and archaeological investigations as well as for environmental applications.     

Some considerations on electrical resistivity imaging for characterization of waterbed sediments

The paper focuses on defining the performance and limits of ERI in the detection and sedimentary characterization of near-bottom thin layers. The analysis of the resolution of floating and submerged cables, and the effect of the accuracy of a priori information (resistivity and thickness) in the data inversion, is based on theory, models and actual data. Theoretical models show that the actual reconstruction of the near water-bottom sediments, in terms of geometry and resistivity, can be obtained only with the submerged cable, however, the data, unlike that acquired with the floating cable, require a priori information on water resistivity and thickness for the data inversion. Theoretical forward models based on wrong a priori water thickness and resistivity information influence the inverted model in different ways, depending on the under- and over-estimation of water resistivity and thickness, and the resistivity contrast of the water–solid layer; however a water–solid resistivity contrast of less than 2 and within 10% of error in water resistivity has no effect. Overestimating water resistivity depicts a ground similar to the actual ground in terms of resistivity, more so than the underestimation of water resistivity. Moreover, the data inversion is less influenced by water parameter error in the case of low resistivity contrast in the water–solid layer, than it is for high resistivity contrast. Wenner and Schlumberger arrays give comparable results, while a dipole–dipole array seems to be more sensitive to the accuracy of apparent resistivity measurements and a priori information on water.The theoretical considerations were validated by actual data acquired with a submerged cable on the Tiber River. The study has shown that if highly accurate measurements are made of water thickness and resistivity, then electrical resistivity imaging from the submerged cable can be used in addition to, or even to substitute, seismic data for the reconstruction of the features and sedimentary characterization of near-bed sediments where seismic data fail to give a suitable resolution.     

The use of reference models from a priori data to guide 2D inversion of electrical resistivity tomography data

Clay-rich till plains cover much of the UK. Such sites are attractive locations for landfills, since clay aquitards lower the risk of landfill leachate entering groundwater. However, such tills often contain sand and gravel bodies that can act as leachate flow routes. Such bodies may not be detected by conventional site investigation techniques such as drilling boreholes and trial pitting. A method of guided inversion, where a priori data are used to construct structural reference models for use in inverting electrical resistivity tomography data, was proposed as a tool to improve the detection of sand and gravel bodies within clay-rich till sequences.
Following a successful 2D guided inversion synthetic modelling study, a field study was undertaken. Wenner 2D electrical resistivity tomography lines, resistivity cone penetrometry bores and electromagnetic induction ground resistivity data were collected over a site on the East Yorkshire coast, England, where sand and gravel lenses were known to exist from cliff exposures. A number of equally valid geoelectrical models were constructed using the electromagnetic and resistivity cone data. These were used as structural reference models in the inversion of the resistivity tomography data. Blind inversion using an homogenous reference model was also carried out for comparison.
It was shown for the first time that the best solution model produced by 2D inversion of one data set with a range of structural reference models could be determined by using the l ₂ model misfit between the solution models and associated reference models (reference misfit) as a proxy for the l ₂ misfit between the solution models and the synthetic model or 'best-guess' geoelectrical model (true misfit). The 2D methodology developed here is applicable in clay-rich till plains containing sand and gravel bodies throughout the UK.     

南海天然气水合物远景区海洋可控源电磁探测试验

为了测试我国自主设计与研发的海洋可控源电磁仪器性能及其在水合物探测中的适用性,本文从海洋可控源电磁法基本原理出发,首先根据试验海域水合物地质特征,建立简化地电模型开展理论研究,确定海洋可控源电磁试验的技术方案;利用研发的海洋可控源电磁仪器,在南海天然气水合物远景区开展探测试验,首次获得了我国深水海域的海洋可控源电磁数据.通过对采集数据进行处理与反演,获得了试验剖面的海底电性结构模型,揭示了4号测点下方存在一个50m厚的高阻层,其电阻率为25Ωm、顶部埋深为181m,为该区天然气水合物调查提供了有价值的电性参考资料.研究结果表明,自主研发的海洋可控源电磁仪器性能达到了预期的设计指标,这标志着我国海洋可控源电磁探测技术向实用化进程迈出了重要一步.     

Out‐of‐plane effects in 2D borehole‐to‐surface resistivity tomography and applications in mineral exploration

In this paper, we discuss the effects of anomalous out‐of‐plane bodies in two‐dimensional (2D) borehole‐to‐surface electrical resistivity tomography with numerical resistivity modelling and synthetic inversion tests. The results of the two groups of synthetic resistivity model tests illustrate that anomalous bodies out of the plane of interest have an effect on two‐dimensional inversion and that the degree of influence of out‐of‐plane body on inverted images varies. The different influences are derived from two cases. One case is different resistivity models with the same electrode array, and the other case is the same resistivity model with different electrode arrays. Qualitative interpretation based on the inversion tests shows that we cannot find a reasonable electrode array to determine the best inverse solution and reveal the subsurface resistivity distribution for all types of geoelectrical models. Because of the three‐dimensional effect arising from neighbouring anomalous bodies, the qualitative interpretation of inverted images from the two‐dimensional inversion of electrical resistivity tomography data without prior information can be misleading. Two‐dimensional inversion with drilling data can decrease the three‐dimensional effect. We employed two‐ and three‐dimensional borehole‐to‐surface electrical resistivity tomography methods with a pole–pole array and a bipole–bipole array for mineral exploration at Abag Banner and Hexigten Banner in Inner Mongolia, China. Different inverse schemes were carried out for different cases. The subsurface resistivity distribution obtained from the two‐dimensional inversion of the field electrical resistivity tomography data with sufficient prior information, such as drilling data and other non‐electrical data, can better describe the actual geological situation. When there is not enough prior information to carry out constrained two‐dimensional inversion, the three‐dimensional electrical resistivity tomography survey is the better choice.     

核磁共振与瞬变电磁三维联合解释方法

传统核磁共振地下含水量解释多采用基于均匀半空间或层状导电模型的一维反演,分层给出地下含水信息.然而,这些方法忽略了地下复杂电阻率分布信息对结果的影响,也不能很好地反映局部三维含水构造.本文从三维电介质中核磁共振响应的正演理论出发,提出首先利用瞬变电磁数据进行基于等效导电平面法的快速电阻率成像,然后将成像结果作为核磁共振三维反演的电性模型,进行联合解释.激发磁场的分布采用有限元法直接求解,通过引入伪δ源实现电流源的加载,并强加散度条件排除了三维磁场模拟中"弱解"的影响.针对核磁共振灵敏度矩阵的病态性和数据中存在的干扰信号,提出考虑罚项的非线性拟合目标函数,利用线性化方法进行核磁共振反演.模型数据表明该方法能较准确反映地下三维含水构造,实测算例进一步证明了方法的有效性.本研究将促使核磁共振方法在岩溶、裂隙水、孤立水体等复杂水文地质条件及隧道、矿井灾害水源探测等方面得到有效应用.     

Field test to compare 3D imaging capabilities of three arrays in a site with high resistivity contrast regions

The applicability of three kinds of electrode configurations used to delineate a buried horizontal pipe was studied. A 3D resistivity imaging survey was carried out along eight parallel lines using pole-pole, pole-dipole, and dipole-dipole arrays with 1m minimum electrode spacings. Roll-along measurements were carried out to cover a rectangular grid. The 2D and 3D least squares algorithms based on the robust inversion method were used in the inversion of the apparent resistivity data sets. The 2D inversion of data sets could not delineate the orientation and dimension of the subsurface anomalies clearly. To obtain more accurate results, a 3D joint inversion of the pole-pole and pole-dipole data sets was performed, as well as of pole-pole and dipole-dipole data sets. In this case, both horizontal and vertical dimensions of subsurface structures were resolved. The resulting model obtained from each array was compared to those of joint inversion method. The result showed that the horizontal resolution does not improve so much as that in the vertical direction when joint inversion is applied.     

基于不等式约束的三维电阻率探测混合反演方法

三维电阻率探测的线性反演和非线性反演中均存在着多解性的固有难题.电阻率线性反演方法的效率较高,但反演结果对初始模型的依赖性较强,易陷入局部极小;而非线性反演方法不依赖初始模型,但搜索效率极低,尚未见到关于三维电阻率非线性反演的文献.针对上述问题,融合线性与非线性反演方法的互补优势,提出了最小二乘法(线性方法)与改进遗传算法(非线性方法)相结合的混合反演方法的概念和思想.首先,提出了将介质电阻率变化范围作为不等式约束引入反演方程的思路,以实现压制多解性、提高可靠性的目标.提出了宽松不等式约束和基于钻孔推断的局部严格不等式约束的获取及定义方法.在此基础上,分别提出了基于不等式约束的最小二乘线性反演方法和遗传算法非线性反演方法.其次,对于遗传算法在变异搜索方向控制、初始群体产生等方面进行了改进,优化了其搜索方向和初始群体多样性.然后,提出了混合反演方法及其实现方案,利用改进遗传算法进行第一阶段反演,发挥其对初始模型的依赖程度低的优势,搜索到最优解附近的空间,输出当前最优个体;利用最小二乘法进行第二阶段反演,将遗传算法得到的当前最优个体作为初始模型,在最优解附近空间执行高效率的局部线性搜索,最终实现地电结构的三维成像.最后,开展了合成数据与实际工程算例验证,与传统最小二乘方法进行了对比,发现混合反演方法在压制多解性、摆脱初始模型依赖和提高反演效果方面有较好效果.     

Inversion of 2D spectral induced polarization imaging data

Laboratory measurements of various materials suggest that more information can be obtained by measuring the in‐phase and out‐of‐phase potentials at a number of frequencies. One common model used to describe the variation of the electrical properties with frequency is the Cole‐Cole model. Apart from the DC resistivity (ρ) and chargeability (m) parameters used in conventional induced‐polarization (IP) surveys, the Cole‐Cole model has two additional parameters, i.e. the time (τ) and relaxation (c) constants. Much research has been conducted on the use of the additional Cole‐Cole parameters to distinguish between different IP sources. Here, we propose a modified inversion method to recover the Cole‐Cole parameters from a 2D spectral IP (SIP) survey. In this method, an approximate inversion method is initially used to construct a non‐homogeneous starting model for the resistivity and chargeability values. The 2D model consists of a number of rectangular cells with constant resistivity (ρ), chargeability (m), time (τ) and relaxation (c) constant values in each cell. A regularized least‐squares optimization method is then used to recover the time and relaxation constant parameters as well as to refine the chargeability values in the 2D model. We present results from tests carried out with the proposed method for a synthetic data set as well as from a laboratory tank experiment.     

庐枞矿集区矾山-将军庙地区AMT三维反演及地质结构解释

庐江-枞阳矿集区是长江中下游成矿带内的一个重要的多矿种成矿区.为揭示矾山-将军庙地区的地质结构以指导找矿,首先,在庐枞矿集区北部的矾山-将军庙地区开展了三维音频大地电磁数据采集工作,采用Rhoplus方法进行AMT数据死频带校正保证数据质量,利用相位张量分析地下介质的维性特征;其次,利用模块化三维反演并行代码ModEM开展了实测数据的三维反演,获得了一个典型的具有双层结构特征的火山岩盆地三维地下电性模型;最后通过电性模型及其他地质资料的综合解释,依据反演模型中近地表的低阻层和深部的高阻隆起区,分别勾画出了火山岩地层的厚度和深部侵入岩的分布范围,并在小岭地区发现地表浅部下方存在一个含矿次级火山机构的高导体.     

Difficulties in determining electrical anisotropy in subsurface investigations

Surface electrical and electromagnetic methods have a limited resolution capability for determining the conductivity structure of the earth. In one-dimensional modelling a collection of many thin layers is frequently considered as one composite layer, which is then macro-anisotropic. Neither galvanic methods nor inductive methods alone can resolve the anisotropy of the ground, but a joint inversion of galvanic and inductive data may do so. The necessity of including the coefficient of anisotropy in the joint inversion of galvanic and inductive sounding data is demonstrated. An analysis is made of the combined use of geoelectrical and transient soundings to resolve the coefficient of anisotropy of a subsurface layer for varying thickness, resistivity and coefficient of anisotropy. It is found that the coefficient of anisotropy is well resolved only for layers that are many times thicker than the overburden and for coefficients of anisotropy that are not too small. The ability of the joint inversion of geoelectrical and transient sounding data to resolve macro-anisotropic layers is tested using realistic earth models determined from electrical logs.     

青藏高原东北缘玛沁-兰州-靖边剖面地壳上地幔电性结构研究

在青藏高原东北缘至鄂尔多斯地块沿玛沁—兰州—靖边剖面进行62个测点的大地电磁观测,采用Robust技术对观测数据进行了处理和张量阻抗分解.分析了视电阻率和阻抗相位曲线、二维偏离度、区域走向.采用RRI二维反演技术进行了资料的反演解释,二维剖面的电性结构显示：（1）玛沁断裂带、兰州深断裂带、马家滩—大水坑断裂带将剖面分为4个电性区块：巴颜喀拉地块、秦祁地块、边界带和鄂尔多斯地块.（2）区块1、2和4的地壳电性结构有类似特点：上地壳为高阻层,下地壳上部为低阻带,下地壳下部到上地幔电阻率随深度逐渐升高.区块3电性成层性差、结构复杂,是现今构造活动较强烈的地区.（3）玛沁断裂带、海原断裂带和罗山—云雾山断裂带为较陡立的超壳断裂带;西秦岭北缘断裂带为壳内断裂带.     

An assessment of inversion methods for AEM data applied to environmental studies

Airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys are currently being flown over populated areas and applied to detailed problems using high flight line densities. Interpretation information is supplied through a model of the subsurface resistivity distribution. Theoretical and survey data are used here to study the character and reliability of such models. Although the survey data were obtained using a fixed-wing system, the corresponding associations with helicopter, towed-bird systems are discussed. Both Fraser half-space and 1D inversion techniques are considered in relation to their ability to distinguish geological, cultural and environmental influences on the survey data. Fraser half-space modelling provides the dual interpretation parameters of apparent resistivity and apparent depth at each operational frequency. The apparent resistivity was found to be a remarkably stable parameter and appears robust to the presence of a variety of at-surface cultural features. Such features provide both incorrect altitude data and multidimensional influences. Their influences are observed most strongly in the joint estimate of apparent depth and this accounts for the stability of the apparent resistivity. Positive apparent depths, in the example data, result from underestimated altitude measurements. It is demonstrated that increasingly negative apparent depths are associated with increasing misfits between a 1D model and the data. Centroid depth calculations, which are a transform of the Fraser half-space parameters, provide an example of the detection of non-1D influences on data obtained above a populated area. 1D inversion of both theoretical and survey data is examined. The simplest use of the 1D inversion method is in providing an estimate of a half-space resistivity. This can be undertaken prior to multilayer inversion as an initial assessment. Underestimated altitude measurements also enter the problem and, in keeping with the Fraser pseudo-layer concept, an at-surface highly resistive layer of variable thickness can be usefully introduced as a constrained parameter. It is clearly difficult to ascribe levels of significance to a ‘measure’ of misfit contained in a negative apparent depth with the dimensions of metres. The reliability of 1D models is better assessed using a formal misfit parameter. With the misfit parameter in place, the example data suggest that the 1D inversion methods provide reliable apparent resistivity values with a higher resolution than the equivalent information from the Fraser half-space estimates.     

基于VTI各向异性介质的频率域海洋可控源电磁三维约束反演

近年来,海洋可控源电磁法(MCSEM)被引入油气勘探领域以降低勘探风险.在海洋环境中,受沉积因素所造成的电阻率各向异性的影响,地电模型往往会非常复杂.为更好地反映地下电性结构,本文实现了基于VTI各向异性介质的频率域海洋可控源电磁三维反演.其中,正演采用基于Yee氏交错网格的三维有限差分算法,所形成的离散线性系统通过大规模并行矩阵直接求解器(MUMPS)进行求解.反演采用基于不等式约束的有限内存BFGS(L-BFGS)算法.最后,利用VTI各向异性介质合成数据,分别进行了电阻率各向异性覆盖层和电阻率各向异性高阻层的三维反演,结果表明:(1)基于并行直接法的MCSEM非常适用于海洋电磁所特有的多场源问题;(2)针对各向异性覆盖层模型进行三维各向异性约束反演,提高了解的可靠性;(3)针对电阻率各向异性高阻层,Inline和broadside数据覆盖的反演结果对异常体位置有很好的反映.     

基于不等式约束的最小二乘法三维电阻率反演及其算法优化

基于光滑约束的最小二乘法是三维电阻率反演的主要方法,但该方法在某些情况下存在着多解性较强的问题,且普遍耗时较长,严重制约了三维反演方法的推广与发展.为改善上述问题,将表征模型参数变化范围的不等式约束作为先验信息引入最小二乘线性反演方法中,有效地改善了反演结果的精度,降低了反演的多解性问题.为了解决耗时较长的问题,基于预条件共轭梯度(PCG)算法和Cholesky分解法的特点提出了一套优化三维电阻率反演计算效率的计算方案.在该方案中,Cholesky分解法被用来求解敏感度矩阵计算中的多个点源场的正演问题,Cholesky分解法只需对总体系数矩阵进行一次分解,然后对不同的右端向量进行回代即可.将预条件共轭梯度法引入到三维电阻率反演方程的求解中,将雅可比迭代中的对角阵作为预处理矩阵,其具有求逆方便、无需内存空间的特点,有效地加快了收敛速度.对合成数据以及实测数据的反演算例表明,借助不等式约束和反演效率优化方案,最小二乘反演方法可得到较为精确的反演结果,有效地提高了反演计算效率,具有良好的推广前景.