A versatile integral equation technique for magnetic modelling

A requirement currently exists in both mineral exploration and environmental or engineering geophysics for a technique to model the magnetic fields caused by bodies with large to extreme susceptibilities in which both induced and remanent magnetizations are significant. It is well known that modelling such magnetic fields is not amenable to any known approximation. It is a significantly difficult task that requires the solution of a magnetostatic boundary value problem. Analytical solutions to the problem are extremely useful for providing insight but generally of limited application in practical interpretation due to the geometrical complexity of real situations. Available numerical solutions include both volume and surface integral equation formulations. However neither of these are particularly efficient for the purpose. An alternative surface integral equation formulation is presented here which represents the required magnetic field in terms of a double layer over the surface of the body. The technique accommodates both remanent and induced magnetization and is generally applicable to any 3D body in a magnetic environment for which the Green's function is available. The present technique has significant advantages over other integral equation solutions in the geophysical literature. It is particularly economic in terms of the density of the surface discretization and consequently the computational effort. Moreover, it is extremely robust. It is found to yield accurate solutions for the type of thin bodies that cause numerical instability with other surface integral equation approaches.     

Gravity field determination using boundary element methods

The Boundary Element Method (BEM), a numerical technique for solving boundary integral equations, is introduced to determine the earth's gravity field. After a short survey on its main principles, we apply this method to the fixed gravimetric boundary value problem (BVP), i.e. the determination of the earth's gravitational potential from measurements of the intensity of the gravity field in points on the earth's surface. We show how to linearize this nonlinear BVP using an implicit function theorem and how to transform the linearized BVP into a boundary integral equation using the single layer representation. A Galerkin method is used to transform the boundary integral equation using the single layer representation. A Galerkin method is used to transform the boundary integral equation into a linear system of equations. We discuss the major problems of this approach for setting up and solving the linear system. The BVP is numerically solved for a bounded part of the earth's surface using a high resolution reference gravity model, measured gravity values of high density, and a 50 50 m² digital terrain model to describe the earth's surface. We obtain a gravity field resolution of 1 1 km² with an accuracy of the order 10^–3 to 10^–4 in about 1 CPU-hour on a Siemens/Fujitsu SIMD vector pipeline machine using highly sophisticated numerical integration techniques and fast equation solvers. We conclude that BEM is a powerful numerical tool for solving boundary value problems and may be an alternative to classical geodetic techniques.     

GEOELECTRIC MODELS IN ENGINEERING GEOPHYSICS*

Man's engineering activities are concentrated on the uppermost part of the earth's crust which is called engineering-geologic zone. This zone is characterized by a significant spatialtemporal variation of the physical properties status of rocks, and saturating waters. This variation determines the specificity of geophysical and, particularly, geoelectrical investigations. Planning of geoelectric investigations in the engineering-geologic zone and their subsequent interpretation requires a priori) geologic-geophysical information on the main peculiarities of the engineering-geologic and hydrogeologic conditions in the region under investigation. This information serves as a basis for the creation of an initial geoelectric model of the section. Following field investigations the model is used in interpretation. Formalization of this a priori) model can be achieved by the solution of direct geoelectric problems. An additional geologic-geophysical information realized in the model of the medium allows to diminish the effect of the “principle of equivalence” by introducing flexible limitations in the section's parameters. Further geophysical observations as well as the correlations between geophysical and engineering-geologic parameters of the section permit the following step in the specification of the geolectric model and its approximation to the real medium. Next correction of this model is made upon accumulation of additional information. The solution of inverse problems with the utilization of computer programs permits specification of the model in the general iterational cycle of interpretation.     

AN EXTENSION OF THE BORN INVERSION METHOD TO A DEPTH DEPENDENT REFERENCE PROFILE*

An extension of the multidimensional Born inversion technique for acoustic waves is described. In earlier work, a perturbation in reference sound velocity was determined by assuming that the reference velocity was constant. In this extension, we allow the reference velocity to be a function of the depth variable z. The output of this method is a high-frequency bandlimited reflectivity function of the subsurface. The reflectivity function is an array of bandlimited singular functions scaled by the normal reflection strength. Each singular function is a Dirac delta function of a scalar argument which measures distance normal to a reflecting interface. Thus, the reflectivity function is an indicator map of subsurface reflectors equivalent to the map produced by migration. In addition to the assumption of small perturbation, the method requires that the reflection data reside in the high frequency regime in a well-defined sense. The method is based on the derivation of an integral equation for the perturbation in sound velocity from a known reference velocity. When the reference velocity is constant, the integral equation admits an analytic solution as a multifold integral of the reflection data. Further high frequency asymptotic analysis simplifies this integral considerably and leads to an extremely efficient numerical algorithm for computing the reflectivity function. The development of a computer code to implement this constant-reference-velocity solution is published elsewhere. For a reference velocity c(z) we can no longer invert the integral equation exactly. However, we can write down an asymptotic high-frequency approximation for the kernal of the integral equation and an asymptotic solution for the perturbation. The computer implementation of this result is designed along the same lines as the code for constant background velocity. In tests the total processing time for this algorithm with depth-dependent background velocity is usually considerably less than that required by a standard Kirchhoff migration algorithm. The method is implemented as a migration technique and compared with alternative migration algorithms on the flanks of the salt dome.     

Parametric exponentially correlated surface emission model for L-band passive microwave soil moisture retrieval

Surface soil moisture is an important parameter in hydrology and climate investigations. Current and future satellite missions with L-band passive microwave radiometers can provide valuable information for monitoring the global soil moisture. A factor that can play a significant role in the modeling and inversion of microwave emission from land surfaces is the surface roughness. In this study, an L-band parametric emission model for exponentially correlated surfaces was developed and implemented in a soil moisture retrieval algorithm. The approach was based on the parameterization of an effective roughness parameter of H_p in relation with the geometric roughness variables (root mean square height s and correlation length l) and incidence angle. The parameterization was developed based on a large set of simulations using an analytical approach incorporated in the advanced integral equation model (AIEM) over a wide range of geophysical properties. It was found that the effective roughness parameter decreases as surface roughness increases, but increases as incidence angle increases. In contrast to previous research, H_p was found to be expressed as a function of a defined slope parameter m = s²/l, and coefficients of the function could be well described by a quadratic equation. The parametric model was then tested with L-band satellite data in soil moisture retrieval algorithm over the Little Washita watershed, which resulted in an unbiased root mean square error of about 0.03 m³/m³ and 0.04 m³/m³ for ascending and descending orbits, respectively.     

FUNDAMENTAL FUNCTIONS FOR HORIZONTALLY STRATIFIED EARTH*

The potential distribution and the wave propagation in a horizontally stratified earth is considered and the analogy of the mathematical expression for seismic transfer function, electromagnetic and electric kernel functions, and magnetotelluric input impedance is discussed. Although these specific functions are conveniently treated by a separate expression in each method, it is indicated that the function for seismic and electromagnetic methods is mathematically the same with a change in the physical meaning of the variables from one method to the other. Similarly, the identity of the mathematical expressions of the resistivity kernel function and magnetotelluric input impedance is noticed. In each method a specific geophysical function depends on the thickness and the physical properties of the various layers. Every specific function involves two interdependent fundamental functions, that is P_n and Q_n, or P_n and P*_n, having different physical meaning for different methods. Specific functions are expressible as a ratio P_n/Q_n or P*_n/P_n. Fundamental functions may be reduced to polynomials. The fundamental polynomials Q*_n and P*_n describing the horizontally stratified media are a system of polynomials orthogonal on the unit circle, of first and second order, respectively. The interpretation of geophysical problems corresponds to the identification of the parameters of a system of fundamental orthogonal polynomials. The theorems of orthogonal polynomials are applied to the solution of identification problems. A formula for calculating theoretical curves and direct resistivity interpretation is proposed for the case of arbitrary resistivity of the substratum. The basic equation for synthetic seismograms is reformulated in appendix A. In appendix B a method is indicated for the conversion of the seismic transfer function from arbitrary to perfectly reflective substratum.     

Piezomagnetic fields produced by dislocation sources

Tectonomagnetic modeling based on the linear piezomagnetic effect is reviewed with special attention to dislocation models. Stacey's scheme was the prototype for such modeling, as proposed in his first seismomagnetic calculations in 1964. The linear piezomagnetic law is presented, in which the stress-induced magnetization is expressed as a linear combination of stress components. The Gauss law for magnetic field and the Cauchy-Navier equation for static elastic equilibrium are combined through linear piezomagnetism and the Hooke law to yield the basic equation for piezomagnetic potential. A representation theorem for its solution is given by surface integrals of the displacement and its normal derivative over the strained body.A Green's function method is developed to compute the piezomagnetic field produced by a dislocation surface in an elastic half-space. Volterra's formula for piezomagnetic potential is derived by modifying Stacey's scheme for tectonomagnetic modeling. The Green's functions for the problem are called elementary piezomagnetic potentials, which are defined as potentials produced by elementary dislocations. Special consideration is required to construct the elementary piezomagnetic potentials, because the stress field around a point dislocation has a singularity of orderr ^–3. The integral representing elementary piezomagnetic potentials is not uniformly convergent. Owing to inappropriate convergency, the Green's functions obtained in an earlier study led to a puzzling outcome. Revised Green's functions give consistent results with those obtained so far by numerical integrations. Generally the piezomagnetic field produced by dislocation sources is weak in the case of a homogeneous earth model. Two enhancement effects for piezomagnetic signals are suggested: one due to inhomogeneous magnetization and the other via bore-hole observations.     

Topological invariants of field lines rooted to planes

Abstract

Two open curves with fixed endpoints on a boundary surface can be topologically linked. However, the Gauss linkage integral applies only to closed curves and cannot measure their linkage. Here we employ the concept of relative helicity in order to define a linkage for open curves. For a magnetic field consisting of closed field lines, the magnetic helicity integral can be expressed as the sum of Gauss linkage integrals over pairs of lines. Relative helicity extends the helicity integral to volumes where field lines may cross the boundary surface. By analogy, linkages can be defined for open lines by requiring that their sum equal the relative helicity.

With this definition, the linkage of two lines which extend between two parallel planes simply equals the number of turns the lines take about each other. We obtain this result by first defining a gauge-invariant, one-dimensional helicity density, i.e. the relative helicity of an infinitesimally thin plane slab. This quantity has a physical interpretation in terms of the rate at which field lines lines wind about each other in the direction normal to the plane. A different method is employed for lines with both endpoints on one plane; this method expresses linkages in terms of a certain Gauss linkage integral plus a correction term. In general, the linkage number of two curves can be put in the form L=r + n, |r|≦1J2, where r depends only on the positions of the endpoints, and n is an integer which reflects the order of braiding of the curves.

Given fixed endpoints, the linkage numbers of a magnetic field are ideal magneto-hydrodynamic invariants. These numbers may be useful in the analysis of magnetic structures not bounded by magnetic surfaces, for example solar coronal fields rooted in the photosphere. Unfortunately, the set of linkage numbers for a field does not uniquely determine the field line topology. We briefly discuss the problem of providing a complete and economical classification of field topologies, using concepts from the theory of braid equivalence classes.     

Вычисление первой и второй вертикальных производных силы тяжести

Summary Following Molodensky's suggestions anomalies of the vertical gradient of gravity were used to achieve a greater accuracy in the determination of the figure of the Earth by gravimetrical methods. The existing methods of computing this quantity do not take into account inclinations of the physical surface of the Earth. Using the Laplace equation, the second derivative ∂² T/∂v ² (1) of the disturbing potentialT is expressed by the second derivatives ofT along the tangentsτ ₁ andτ ₂ to the physical surface of the Earth in mutually perpendicular planes and by the derivatives of gravity anomalies (2). The derivatives ∂² T/∂τ ₁ ² and ∂² T/∂τ ₂ ² have been determined using the Molodensky method [4] of solving his integral equation for the single layer density. In the zero approximation, the Noumerov formula [2] was obtained; however, the results obtained using this formula should be referred to the physical surface of the Earth, not to the Listing geoid. The correction of the first approximation is given by formula (16). The second vertical derivative of gravity anomalies can be determined using the expression (20).      

On the problem of determining the vertical gradients of gravity anomalies

Summary Green's theorem on harmonic functions makes it possible to determine the integral relationship between the harmonic function and its derivative with respect to the normal on a closed Lyapunov surface. The conditions of solvability are given by Fredholm's theory of integral equations. The solution for a sphere was presented by Molodenskii[3] and the general solution with the help of Molodenskii's parameter k by Ostach[4]. The present paper indicates a possibility of solving this problem with the help of a system of linear algebraic equations, a simplified modification of the Ostach-Molodenskii solution and, finally, a method, based on Eremeev's solution of the fundamental integral equation[5].     

THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF FREQUENCY-DOMAIN INDUCED POLARIZATION SOUNDINGS OVER HORIZONTAL BEDS*

Following up our recent study of an indirect procedure for the practical determination of the maximum frequency-effect, defined as fe = 1 ? pρ_∞/ρdc with ρ_∞ the resistivity at infinite frequency, we show at first how, through the Laplace transform theory, ρ_∞ can be related to stationary field vectors in the simple form of Ohm's law. Then applying the equation of continuity for stationary currents with a suitable set of boundary conditions, we derive the integral expression of the apparent resistivity at infinite frequency ρ_∞,a in the case of a horizontally layered earth. Finally, from the definition of the maximum apparent frequency-effect, analytical expressions of fe_α are obtained for both Schlumberger and dipole arrays placed on the surface of the multi-layered earth section in the most general situation of vertical changes in induced polarization together with dc resistivity variations not at the same interfaces. Direct interpretation procedures are suggested for obtaining the layering parameters directly from the analysis of the sounding curves.     

EFFECTS OF WELL CASING ON POTENTIAL FIELD MEASUREMENTS USING DOWNHOLE CURRENT SOURCES1

A mathematical formulation for the electric potential from point current-sources coaxial with a metal casing has been obtained. The excitation caused by the axial point-sources will produce currents in the pipe. By assuming that the pipe can be divided into many cylindrical ring segments with constant axially-directed current, the solution of the fields inside and outside the pipe can be formulated in an integral form. The integral equation applied to the segmented pipe yields a set of simultaneous linear equations which are solved for the currents in the pipe; these are then used to calculate the potentials anywhere outside the pipe in the medium. This solution has been used to study the distribution of the potentials in a half-space for a single current-source at and beyond the bottom of a finite length of casing. For a casing 0.1 m in radius and 0.006 m in wall thickness with a conductivity of 10⁶ S/m, in a half-space of 10^-2 S/m, it was found that only in a region very near the pipe does the pipe exert substantial influence on the fields of a point-source 100 casing diameters beyond the end of the pipe. It appears that cross-hole resistivity surveys can be implemented without corrections for the casing if the source is located at least 50–100 casing diameters beyond the end of the casing. Hole-to-surface surveys are much more affected by the pipe. For a pipe-source separation of 100 casing diameters, the surface measurements must not be closer than a half pipe length for a 5% or less field distortion.     

The GPS-gravimetry boundary value problem

Boundary value problem (BVP) plays a funda-mental role in physical geodesy that aims at determin-ing the earth’s shape and its external gravity field. TheMolodensky BVP and the Stokes BVP are typical inphysical geodesy, and the gravity anomaly is a kind ofbasic data. With the wide use of GPS, measurementaccuracy of the earth’s surface can reach one centime-ter, while that of the gravity measurement can reachμgals. Hence, it is necessary to establish a new kind ofBVP which can satisfy…     

ON THE BREMMER SERIES DECOMPOSITION: EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES*

A Bremmer Series decomposition of the solution y(t) to the lossless wave equation in layered media is where the y_j(t) are physically meaningful constituents (i.e., y₁(t) are primaries, y₂(t) are secondaries, etc.). This paper reviews Mendel's state space models for generating the constituents; reviews Bremmer's integral equation models for generating the constituents; and demonstrates how Mendel's state space models can be obtained by a careful decomposition of Bremmer's integral equation models. It shows that Mendel's equations can be viewed as approximate numerical solutions of Bremmer's integral equations. In a lossless homogeneous medium, the approximations become exact.     

The response of a horizontal conducting cylinder embedded in a uniform earth for uniform and line current sources

The response of a horizontal conducting cylinder embedded in a uniform conducting earth is studied using mathematical models of uniform and line current source excitation for the period range 10 to 10⁴ s. The line current source is located at heights ranging from 100–750 km above the surface of the earth. From the calculated results, it is shown that for periods greater than 10³ s the ratioE _x /H _y at the surface of the earth for localized fields, such as the auroral and equatorial electrojet normally situated at heights of about 100 km, is considerably different from that for a uniform source. The results presented also show that the magneto-telluric method of geophysical prospecting for ore bodies in regions of the electrojet may not be very practicable for periods exceeding 10³ s.     

3D Modelling of the electromagnetic response of geophysical targets using the FDTD method1

A publicly available and maintained electromagnetic finite-difference time domain (FDTD) code has been applied to the forward modelling of the response of 1D, 2D and 3D geophysical targets to a vertical magnetic dipole excitation. The FDTD method is used to analyse target responses in the 1 MHz to 100MHz range, where either conduction or displacement currents may have the controlling role. The response of the geophysical target to the excitation is presented as changes in the magnetic field ellipticity. The results of the FDTD code compare favourably with previously published integral equation solutions of the response of 1D targets, and FDTD models calculated with different finite-difference cell sizes are compared to find the effect of model discretization on the solution. The discretization errors, calculated as absolute error in ellipticity, are presented for the different ground geometry models considered, and are, for the most part, below 10% of the integral equation solutions. Finally, the FDTD code is used to calculate the magnetic ellipticity response of a 2D survey and a 3D sounding of complicated geophysical targets. The response of these 2D and 3D targets are too complicated to be verified with integral equation solutions, but show the proper low- and high-frequency responses.     

The dynamic response of a fluid‐filled borehole under a normal point load on the free surface

The dynamic response of a semi‐infinite fluid‐filled borehole embedded in an elastic half‐space under a concentrated normal surface load is analysed in the long‐wavelength limit. The solution of the problem is obtained with integral transforms in the form of a double integral with respect to the slowness and frequency. The partial P‐ and SV‐wave responses are further transformed to path integrals along Cagniard paths in the complex slowness plane. Unlike the traditional Cagniard‐de Hoop technique based on the Laplace transform of time dependence, this paper is based on the Fourier transform. The tube‐wave response is presented as a causal integral over a slowness range. The resultant representation in the time‐domain is suitable for the numerical evaluation of the complete response in the fluid‐filled borehole, especially at large distances. Asymptotic analysis of seismic phases arising in the borehole is performed on the basis of the obtained solution. The complete asymptotic wavefield consists in P‐ and SV‐waves, the Rayleigh wave and the low‐frequency Stoneley (tube) wave. Pressure synthetics obtained by the use of the asymptotic formulas are shown to be in good agreement with straightforward calculations.     

Simultane interpretation geophysikalischer messdatensysteme

Summary After general definitions in1 and deducing a special method in2, it will be shown in3 on a simple concrete example the effectiveness of the simultaneous interpretation of two series of data belonging two different geophysical methods, namely, it can be determined in the simultaneous way deep values, too, although both methods, separately, are not capable under the given conditions even for estimation of the great order of the deep. In4 there are some conclusions; above all it is emphasized for any geophysical method the necessity and importance of the general applicable form of the interpretation procedures.     

Explicit solution of a free boundary problem for a nonlinear absorption model of mixed saturated-unsaturated flow

In wet soils, zones of saturation naturally develop in the vicinity of impermeable strata, surface ponds and subterranean cavities. Hydrology must be then concerned with transient flow through coexisting unsaturated and saturated zones. The models of advancing saturated zones necessarily involve a nonlinear free boundary problem.A closed-form analytic solution is presented for a nonlinear diffusion model under conditions of ponding at the surface. The soil water diffusivity is restricted to the special functional form D(θ) = a/(b − θ)², where θ is the water content field to be determined and a, b are positive constants. The explicit solution depends on a parameter C (determined by the data of the problem), according to two cases: 1 < C < C₁ or C ≥ C₁, where C₁ is a constant which is obtained as the unique solution of an equation. This result complements the study given in P. Broadbridge, Water Resources Research, 1990, 26, 2435–2443, in order to established when the explicit solution is available. The behavior of the bifurcation parameter C₁ as a function of the driving potential is studied with the corresponding limits for small and large values. Moreover, the sorptivity is proven to be continuously differentiable function of the variable C.     

TRAITEMENT AUTOMATIQUE DES SONDAGES ELECTRIQUES AUTOMATIC PROCESSING OF ELECTRICAL SOUNDINGS*

I. Introduction In this section the problem is stated, its physical and mathematical difficulties are indicated, and the way the authors try to overcome them are briefly outlined. Made up of a few measurements of limited accuracy, an electrical sounding does not define a unique solution for the variation of the earth resistivities, even in the case of an isotropic horizontal layering. Interpretation (i.e. the determination of the true resistivities and thicknesses of the ground-layers) requires, therefore, additional information drawn from various more or less reliable geological or other geophysical sources. The introduction of such information into an automatic processing is rather difficult; hence the authors developped a two-stage procedure:

• a) the field measurements are automatically processed, without loss of information, into more easily usable data;
• b) some additional information is then introduced, permitting the determination of several geologically conceivable solutions.

The final interpretation remains with the geophysicist who has to adjust the results of the processing to all the specific conditions of his actual problem. II. Principles of the procedure In this section the fundamental idea of the procedure is given as well as an outline of its successive stages. Since the early thirties, geophysicists have been working on direct methods of interpreting E.S. related to a tabular ground (sequence of parallel, homogeneous, isotropic layers of thicknesses h_i and resistivities ρ_i). They generally started by calculating the Stefanesco (or a similar) kernel function, from the integral equation of the apparent resistivity: where r is the distance between the current source and the observation point, S₀ the Stefanesco function, ρ(z) the resistivity as a function of the depth z, J₁ the Bessel function of order 1 and λ the integration variable. Thicknesses and resistivities had then to be deduced from S₀ step by step. Unfortunately, it is difficult to perform automatically this type of procedure due to the rapid accumulation of the errors which originate in the experimental data that may lead to physically impossible results (e.g. negative thicknesses or resistivities) (II. 1). The authors start from a different integral representation of the apparent resistivity: where K₁ is the modified Bessel function of order I. Using dimensionless variables t = r/2h₀ and y(t)=ζ (r)/ρ₁ and subdividing the earth into layers of equal thicknesses h₀ (highest common factor of the thicknesses h_i), ø becomes an even periodic function (period 2π) and the integral takes the form: The advantage of this representation is due to the fact that its kernel ø (function of the resistivities of the layers), if positive or null, always yields a sequence of positive resistivities for all values of θ and thus a solution which is surely convenient physically, if not geologically (II.3). Besides, it can be proved that ø(θ) is the Fourier transform of the sequence of the electric images of the current source in the successive interfaces (II.4). Thus, the main steps of the procedure are: a) determination of a non-negative periodic, even function ø(θ) which satisfies in the best way the integral equation of apparent resistivity for the points where measurements were made; b) a Fourier transform gives the electric images from which, c) the resistivities are obtained. This sequence of resistivities is called the “comprehensive solution”; it includes all the information contained in the original E.S. diagram, even if its too great detail has no practical significance. Simplification of the comprehensive solution leads to geologically conceivable distributions (h, ρ) called “particular solutions”. The smoothing is carried out through the Dar-Zarrouk curve (Maillet 1947) which shows the variations of parameters (transverse resistance R_i= h_i.ρ_i–as function of the longitudinal conductance C_i=h_i/ρ_i) well suited to reflect the laws of electrical prospecting (principles of equivalence and suppression). Comprehensive and particular solutions help the geophysicist in making the final interpretation (II.5). III. Computing methods In this section the mathematical operations involved in processing the data are outlined. The function ø(θ) is given by an integral equation; but taking into account the small number and the limited accuracy of the measurements, the determination of ø(θ) is performed by minimising the mean square of the weighted relative differences between the measured and the calculated apparent resistivities: minimum with inequalities as constraints: where t_l are the values of t for the sequence of measured resistivities and p_l are the weights chosen according to their estimated accuracy. When the integral in the above expression is conveniently replaced by a finite sum, the problem of minimization becomes one known as quadratic programming. Moreover, the geophysicist may, if it is considered to be necessary, impose that the automatic solution keep close to a given distribution (h, ρ) (resulting for instance from a preliminary interpretation). If φ(θ) is the ø-function corresponding to the fixed distribution, the quantity to minimize takes the form: where: The images are then calculated by Fourier transformation (III.2) and the resistivities are derived from the images through an algorithm almost identical to a procedure used in seismic prospecting (determination of the transmission coefficients) (III.3). As for the presentation of the results, resorting to the Dar-Zarrouk curve permits: a) to get a diagram somewhat similar to the E.S. curve (bilogarithmic scales coordinates: cumulative R and C) that is an already “smoothed” diagram where deeper layers show up less than superficial ones and b) to simplify the comprehensive solution. In fact, in arithmetic scales (R versus C) the Dar-Zarrouk curve consists of a many-sided polygonal contour which múst be replaced by an “equivalent” contour having a smaller number of sides. Though manually possible, this operation is automatically performed and additional constraints (e.g. geological information concerning thicknesses and resistivities) can be introduced at this stage. At present, the constraint used is the number of layers (III.4). Each solution (comprehensive and particular) is checked against the original data by calculating the E.S. diagrams corresponding to the distributions (thickness, resistivity) proposed. If the discrepancies are too large, the process is resumed (III.5). IV. Examples Several examples illustrate the procedure (IV). The first ones concern calculated E.S. diagrams, i.e. curves devoid of experimental errors and corresponding to a known distribution of resistivities and thicknesses (IV. 1). Example I shows how an E.S. curve is sampled. Several distributions (thickness, resistivity) were found: one is similar to, others differ from, the original one, although all E.S. diagrams are alike and characteristic parameters (transverse resistance of resistive layers and longitudinal conductance of conductive layers) are well determined. Additional informations must be introduced by the interpreter to remove the indeterminacy (IV.1.1). Examples 2 and 3 illustrate the principles of equivalence and suppression and give an idea of the sensitivity of the process, which seems accurate enough to make a correct distinction between calculated E.S. whose difference is less than what might be considered as significant in field curves (IV. 1.2 and IV. 1.3). The following example (number 4) concerns a multy-layer case which cannot be correctly approximated by a much smaller number of layers. It indicates that the result of the processing reflects correctly the trend of the changes in resistivity with depth but that, without additional information, several equally satisfactory solutions can be obtained (IV. 1.4). A second series of examples illustrates how the process behaves in presence of different kinds of errors on the original data (IV.2). A few anomalous points inserted into a series of accurate values of resistivities cause no problem, since the automatic processing practically replaces the wrong values (example 5) by what they should be had the E.S. diagram not been wilfully disturbed (IV.2.1). However, the procedure becomes less able to make a correct distinction, as the number of erroneous points increases. Weights must then be introduced, in order to determine the tolerance acceptable at each point as a function of its supposed accuracy. Example 6 shows how the weighting system used works (IV.2.2). The foregoing examples concern E.S. which include anomalous points that might have been caused by erroneous measurements. Geological effects (dipping layers for instance) while continuing to give smooth curves might introduce anomalous curvatures in an E.S. Example 7 indicates that in such a case the automatic processing gives distributions (thicknesses, resistivities) whose E.S. diagrams differ from the original curve only where curvatures exceed the limit corresponding to a horizontal stratification (IV.2.3). Numerous field diagrams have been processed (IV. 3). A first case (example 8) illustrates the various stages of the operation, chiefly the sampling of the E.S. (choice of the left cross, the weights and the resistivity of the substratum) and the selection of a solution, adapted from the automatic results (IV.3.1). The following examples (Nrs 9 and 10) show that electrical prospecting for deep seated layers can be usefully guided by the automatic processing of the E.S., even when difficult field conditions give original curves of low accuracy. A bore-hole proved the automatic solution proposed for E.S. no 10, slightly modified by the interpreter, to be correct.