TRANSFORMATION OF DIPOLE RESISTIVITY SOUNDING MEASUREMENTS OVER LAYERED EARTH BY LINEAR DIGITAL FILTERING *

The technique of linear digital filtering as developed for the direct interpretation of Schlumberger and Wenner soundings (Ghosh 1971) has been applied here for the derivation of the resistivity transform function from the field dipole measurements as the first step in directly interpreting dipole data. Filter coefficients for this transformation have been worked out for the radial-polar, perpendicular and parallel (30°) arrays of dipole sounding. The procedure combines speed with accuracy.     

RESISTIVITY SOUNDING ON A LAYERED TRANSITIONAL EARTH*

Master curves are presented for three-layer earth-sections, the electrical resistivity in the intermediate layer of which has a linear variation with depth. A new approach is proposed to interpret the sounding data with the help of RMS difference in apparent resistivity values.     

THE APPLICATION OF LINEAR FILTER THEORY TO THE DIRECT INTERPRETATION OF GEOELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY SOUNDING MEASUREMENTS*

Koefoed has given practical procedures of obtaining the layer parameters directly from the apparent resistivity sounding measurements by using the raised kernel function H(λ) as the intermediate step. However, it is felt that the first step of his method—namely the derivation of the H curve from the apparent resistivity curve—is relatively lengthy. In this paper a method is proposed of determining the resistivity transform T(λ), a function directly related to H(λ), from the resistivity field curve. It is shown that the apparent resistivity and the resistivity transform functions are linearily related to each other such that the principle of linear electric filter theory could be applied to obtain the latter from the former. Separate sets of filter coefficients have been worked out for the Schlumberger and the Wenner form of field procedures. The practical process of deriving the T curve simply amounts to running a weighted average of the sampled apparent resistivity field data with the pre-determined coefficients. The whole process could be graphically performed within an quarter of an hour with an accuracy of about 2%.     

A STUDY ON THE DIRECT INTERPRETATION OF RESISTIVITY SOUNDING DATA MEASURED BY WENNER ELECTRODE CONFIGURATION*

This paper describes certain procedures for deriving from the apparent resistivity data as measured by the Wenner electrode configuration two functions, known as the kernel and the associated kernel respectively, both of which are functions dependent on the layer resistivities and thicknesses. It is shown that the solution of the integral equation for the Wenner electrode configuration leads directly to the associated kernel, from which an integral expression expressing the kernel explicitly in terms of the apparent resistivity function can be derived. The kernel is related to the associated kernel by a simple functional equation where K₁(λ) is the kernel and B₁(λ) the associated kernel. Composite numerical quadrature formulas and also integration formulas based on partial approximation of the integrand by a parabolic arc within a small interval are developed for the calculation of the kernel and the associated kernel from apparent resistivity data. Both techniques of integration require knowledge of the values of the apparent resistivity function at points lying between the input data points. It is shown that such unknown values of the apparent resistivity function can satisfactorily be obtained by interpolation using the least-squares method. The least-squares method involves the approximation of the observed set of apparent resistivity data by orthogonal polynomials generated by Forsythe's method (Forsythe 1956). Values of the kernel and of the associated kernel obtained by numerical integration compare favourably with the corresponding theoretical values of these functions.     

THE DETERMINATION OF FILTER COEFFICIENTS FOR THE COMPUTATION OF STANDARD CURVES FOR DIPOLE RESISTIVITY SOUNDING OVER LAYERED EARTH BY LINEAR DIGITAL FILTERING *

The technique of linear digital filtering developed for the computation of standard curves for conventional resistivity and electromagnetic depth soundings is applied to the determination of filter coefficients for the computation of dipole curves from the resistivity transform function by convolution. In designing the filter function from which the coefficients are derived, a sampling interval shorter than the one used in the earlier work on resistivity sounding is found to be necessary. The performance of the filter sets is tested and found to be highly accurate. The method is also simple and very fast in application.     

TRANSFORMATION OF SCHLUMBERGER APPARENT RESISTIVITY TO DIPOLE APPARENT RESISTIVITY OVER LAYERED EARTH BY THE APPLICATION OF DIGITAL LINEAR FILTERS *

A simple extension of our previous work in which digital filters were developed to transform dipole resistivity measurements over layered earth to Schlumberger ones leads us to the development of filters for transforming the latter to the former. As in the previous work we use a sampling interval of 1/6 In 10 in designing the filters that are both accurate and fast in operation.     

DIRECT INTERPRETATION OF RESISTIVITY DATA OVER TWO-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES*

A direct interpretation scheme is developed which is capable of determining most of the geological features of a ground which can be assumed to be two dimensional in structure. This scheme extends the earlier work of Pekeris (1940) and Koefoed (1968) to the case where the basal layer of a ground is undulating. It also has a limited use for finding the parameters of a dipping dyke in the lower medium. Though the top and dip of the dyke can be determined, this is not true for the thickness.     

A GENERAL TECHNIQUE FOR THE DIRECT INTERPRETATION OF RESISTIVITY DATA OVER TWO-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES*

The indirect method of interpreting resistivity data is capable only of limited success because of the difficulty of calculating type curves for complex structures. Consequently a need arises for a direct method of interpretation for complex generalized structures. Such a technique for the direct interpretation of apparent resistivity data, obtained by electrical soundings carried out over two-dimensional structures, has been developed from an examination of the Hankel transform of such data. The method is based on the observation that the asymptotic expansion of the Hankel transform is critically dependent upon the minimum distance between the measuring device and the surface of discontinuity in resistivity. The variation in the across strike direction may be mapped by a sequence of depth soundings made parallel to each other and separated in the across strike direction.     

MODEL STUDIES ON SOME ASPECTS OF RESISTIVITY AND MEMBRANE POLARIZATION BEHAVIOUR OVER A LAYERED EARTH*

Electrolytic model tank experiments to study resistivity and time domain induced polarization (IP) response over layered earth models were initiated primarily to facilitate the understanding of field results. Alternate layers of clay and sand (or clay-coated sand) with, in some cases, a surficial layer of water were assembled in the tank and resistivity and IP measurements made for a range of electrode spacings using the Wenner configuration. Graphite and silver-silver chloride electrodes were used as current and potential electrodes respectively. Clay-coated (3% by weight) sand was found to generate stronger polarization than either clay or sand alone. Apparent chargeability m_a was observed to be positive for a nonpolarizable surface layer. For a polarizable surface layer, the sign of IP was controlled by the polarizability, the thickness of the second layer, and the spacing of the electrode spreads. The apparent chargeability m_a can theoretically change sign from positive to negative and vice versa with a gradual increase in electrode spacing, and such negative IP effects were obtained in a few observations. A simultaneous decrease in IP and an increase in resistivity, which is a qualitative diagnostic feature for the occurrence of clean freshwater sand aquifers, could also be generated in the model tank experiment. Combined resistivity and IP soundings were carried out near Fredericton Junction and Tracy, New Brunswick, Canada. Field curves are presented along with the model curves for qualitative comparison and understanding of IP behaviour over a layered earth. Twenty-five out of twenty-seven soundings show only positive apparent chargeabilities, whereas two show chargeability sign changes (positive/negative/positive). The model study gives reason to believe that surface soils and Quaternary gravel boulder deposits near Fredericton Junction are relatively non-polarizable. As an auxiliary experiment, sand and clay were taken in different proportions by weight and mixed thoroughly with water in a cement mixer. The mixtures were then compressed with a suitable die and plunger under 3.6 Pa pressure to prepare cylindrical samples of height 18 cm and diameter 15.5 cm. IP measurements were done on the flat faces using the Wenner configuration with a= 2 cm. Chargeability was found to be negative for 100 and 90% clay mixtures. It reached a positive maximum for an 80% clay-20% sand mixture and then decreased gradually with increasing sand and decreasing clay content.     

RESISTIVITY SOUNDING ON A HORIZONTALLY STRATIFIED MULTI-LAYERED EARTH*

The electrical potential due to a point source of current placed on the ground surface is studied for a multi-layered earth consisting of homogeneous overburden of constant conductivity over a stack of transition layers where conductivity varies with depth according to power and exponential laws in even and odd layers, respectively. The general recursion relations are derived and are used to obtain expressions for the apparent resistivities for Schlumberger and Wenner electrode arrays. Their asymptotic behavior has been studied. The solutions for some particular cases are given: (i) odd layers with conductivities exponentially varying with depth while all even layers (and the first) have constant conductivities; (ii) even layer conductivities varying as a power law while odd number layers are of constant conductivity; and (iii) any two successive layers as transition layers and all others having constant conductivities. Further it is shown that Patella's theory is a particular case of the present study. It is concluded, therefore, that the present treatment is more general as all earlier models consisting of trasition layers can be derived from this study.     

MAGNETOTELLURIC SOUNDING ON A LAYERED EARTH WITH TRANSITIONAL BOUNDARY*

This work deals with a theoretical investigation of the magnetotelluric sounding where the horizontal layers of a geological section do not have a sharp but a transitional boundary. The ratio of the horizontal electric to the horizontal magnetic components gives a measure of “Cagniard impedance”, which together with the phase relationship between them, enables one to determine the subsurface geometry and the true resistivities. Utilising the principle of similitude a set of Resistivity Master Curves and the corresponding phase relationships are presented here for the case where the lower half-space is infinitely resistive. The relation between the relative transition thickness and the cut-off period is illustrated.     

水平多层大地上垂直磁偶极频率测深的全波视电阻率

本文根据视电阻率定义的原则,以及用不同的场量定义的视电阻率效果不同这一事实,提出一种新的全波视电阻率定义.在全区同时用均匀大地上电磁场的三个分量来分区定义祝电阻率.在远区视电阻率由磁场的水平分量求出,在近区由磁场的垂直分量或其实分量定义,而在过渡区则由电场的水平分量确定.用这种方法定义的视电阻率为电磁响应的单值函数,它随频率变化的曲线显著改善,能直观地反映地层电阻率随深度的变化,数值比较接近地层的真电阻率值,假极值效应明显压低.在计算中用切比雪夫多项式分段拟合均匀大地电磁响应的反函数,并给出一套系数,由此算出的视电阻率误差小于1％.     

TUTORIAL INTERPRETATION OF MAGNETOTELLURIC MEASUREMENTS OVER AN ELECTRICALLY DISPERSIVE ONE-DIMENSIONAL EARTH*

Frequency dispersion of electromagnetic parameters of earth materials has been widely documented in recent years. It is claimed that magnetotellurics (MT) may be significantly affected by dispersion. The paper studies the MT plane-wave interpretative problem for a one-dimensional earth characterized by the presence of dispersive layers. The theoretical properties of the MT field under the dispersion hypothesis, andthe main features of the dispersion phenomenon are synthetically reviewed. The examination of previously published MT curve responses over some models of dispersive earth section shows that ambiguity can arise when interpreting MT data with no other source of information. Thus it may be almost impossible to distinguish between the response of a dispersive section and an equally probable dispersion-free section. The dispersion magnetotelluric (DMT) method is proposed as a means to resolve the ambiguity. The DMT method is based on the execution, at the same site, of an MT sounding and of an always dispersion-free dc geoelectric deep sounding. The latter technique can be used to compute a synthetic dispersion-free MT wave impedance, to be compared with the measured MT wave impedance. The apparent dispersion function is introduced as a measure of divergence between the two wave impedances.     

DIRECT INTERPRETATION OF TWO-ELECTRODE RESISTIVITY SOUNDINGS *

This paper describes the procedure for interpreting the apparent resistivity data measured with the two-electrode array directly with the help of kernel function. The calculation of kernel function from the observed resistivity curve is done by the method of decomposition. In the method of decomposition the resistivity curve is approximated by a sum of certain functions, whose choice is only restricted by the requirement that the contribution to the kernel function corresponding to them should be easily computable. A few such functions are classified. These, and the standard curves for corresponding kernel functions obtained by utilising an integral expression for two-electrode array expressing the kernel explicitly in terms of the apparent resistivity functions, are plotted on log-log scale. The determination of layer parameters, that is, the layer resistivities and thicknesses from the kernel function can be carried out by a method proposed by Pekeris (1940).     

水平多层大地上垂直磁偶极频率测深的全波视电阻率

本文根据视电阻率定义的原则,以及用不同的场量定义的视电阻率效果不同这一事实,提出一种新的全波视电阻率定义.在全区同时用均匀大地上电磁场的三个分量来分区定义祝电阻率.在远区视电阻率由磁场的水平分量求出,在近区由磁场的垂直分量或其实分量定义,而在过渡区则由电场的水平分量确定.用这种方法定义的视电阻率为电磁响应的单值函数,它随频率变化的曲线显著改善,能直观地反映地层电阻率随深度的变化,数值比较接近地层的真电阻率值,假极值效应明显压低.在计算中用切比雪夫多项式分段拟合均匀大地电磁响应的反函数,并给出一套系数,由此算出的视电阻率误差小于1％.     

RESISTIVITY SOUNDING ON A TWO-LAYER EARTH WITH TRANSITIONAL BOUNDARY*

A theoretical solution is obtained for the problem of a two-layer earth with transitional boundary. In practice, the transition layer can stand for the weathered zone in hard rock areas where the degree of weathering diminishes with depth. Master curves and tables of data are presented for the case when the lower half-space is infinitely resistive.     

AN APPROXIMATE METHOD OF RESISTIVITY SOUNDING INTERPRETATION*

An approximate method of interpretation of resistivity sounding is presented, which may be described as a very crude manner of application of the exact direct interpretation method. The accuracy of this method is fairly low, the errors being in the order of 25%. The method is very fast in application and well suited for application to multilayer cases. The main advantage of the method is that it is in close and clear relation to the exact theory.     

RESISTIVITY SOUNDING ON A MULTILAYERED EARTH CONTAINING TRANSITION LAYERS*

For curves over a horizontally stratified earth where any of the layers has a conductivity variation proportional to (1 +β·z)^N, where β and N are arbitrary constants and z is the depth to the layer, expressions for apparent resistivity for Wenner and Schlumberger sounding are derived. No assumption has been made about the continuity of conductivity at the interface. It is shown that most of the previous investigations in this connection can be regarded as particular cases of the present study.     

INTERPRETATION OF RESISTIVITY MEASUREMENTS OVER 2D STRUCTURES1

Resistivity measurements were carried out in a survey area in the south of Germany. This area is characterized by complicated subsurface geology. Schlumberger full-arrays and their respective half-arrays were recorded simultaneously. The results obtained by the one-dimensional (1D) interpretation of the full-array measurements were incorrect because of a resistivity discontinuity. This discontinuity, under a relatively thick overburden, could only be located by the half-array soundings. Its exact location and the resistivity distribution in the subsurface were ascertained by comparing the sounding curves with 2D model curves, which are calculated by a finite-difference method.     

THE QUANTITATIVE INTERPRETATION OF DIPOLE SOUNDINGS BY MEANS OF THE RESISTIVITY TRANSFORM FUNCTION*

In this paper a theorem is demonstrated which allows—after the introduction of a suitable dipole kernel function or dipole resistivity transform function—to write the apparent resistivity function as an Hankel transformable integral expression. As a practical application of the theorem a procedure of quantitative interpretation of dipole soundings is suggested in which the dipole resistivity transform function obtained after inversion of the original dipole apparent resistivity data is used to control the goodness of the set of layering parameters which have been derived with our previous method of transformation of dipole sounding curves into equivalent Schlumberger diagrams.