AN INTERPRETATION THEORY FOR INDUCED POLARIZATION VERTICAL SOUNDINGS (TIME-DOMAIN)*

In this paper it is shown how one may obtain a generalized Ohm's law which relates the induced polarization electric field to the steady-state current density through the introduction of a fictitious resistivity defined as the product of the chargeability and the resistivity of a given medium. The potential generated by the induced polarization is calculated at any point in a layered earth by the same procedure as used for calculating the potential due to a point source of direct current. On the basis of the definition of the apparent chargeability m_a, the expressions of m_a for different stratigraphie situations are obtained, provided the IP measurements are carried out on surface with an appropriate AMNB array. These expressions may be used to plot master curves for IP vertical soundings. Finally some field experiments over sedimentary formations and the quantitative interpretation procedure are reported.