| Abstract: | Furness , P. 1993. Gradient Array Profiles over thin resistive veins. Geophysical Prospecting 41 , 113–130. Gradient array geoelectric surveys are commonly used to explore for buried sheet-like targets. It is demonstrated that under certain circumstances the responses of such features can become practically equivalent for a range of models differing considerably in resistivity and thickness. This is the dual of the familiar equivalence phenomenon associated with thin beds in geoelectric sounding operations. Hence the geoelectric response profiles over thin dipping resistive veins are conveniently studied by considering equivalent forms with vanishing thickness and infinite resistivity but with the same resistivity-thickness product. The effects of varying the dip, depth of burial, depth extent and resistivity–thickness product of such features on the gradient array response profiles are investigated by means of a series of numerical experiments. These demonstrate several effects of significance to survey design and data interpretation. In particular it is found that while the resistivity–thickness product influences the amplitude of the response profiles it has little effect on their form. A similar behaviour is found to be exhibited by veins with extended depth extent when the dip is varied. A complete quantitative interpretation of gradient array profiles over thin dipping resistive veins is thus only possible for veins of limited depth extent. For veins with an extended depth dimension, the data is ambiguous (in a practical sense) in terms of the dip and the resistivity–thickness product. Here, the interpretation can only be expected to deduce the horizontal and vertical locations of the vein apex. |
