Stage terrain 3A

Muckenbach

Electrical surveying
Introduc:on

Ø The principle method for measuring the surface resis:vity is always the same.

Ø An electric current is sent into the subsurface through two electrodes

embedded into the ground.

Ø Then, the poten:al difference, resul:ng from the spread of the electric
current, is measured within the medium.

Ø The devices used in the field differ by the spa:al distribu:on of electrodes.
Introduc:on

Ø From these measurements, i.e. the electric current I and poten:al difference
ΔV, we can deduce the apparent resis:vity of the subsurface.

Ø We can then determine the “electrical” structure of the subsurface, in terms

of resis:vity.

ØSince dry rocks are generally poor conductors, low electrical resis:vity is oHen
associated with the presence of water and/or clay in the subsurface, or, more
rarely, the presence of conduc:ve minerals in the rock or soil.
Introduc:on
Theory

Ø A homogeneous medium has a

resis:vity ρ (or conduc:vity σ = 1/ρ).

Ø Ohm's Law tells us that J = -σ V,

where J is the vector current density
and V the electric poten:al.

Ø By solving this equa:on in spherical

coordinates in a homogeneous half-
space, we see that the poten:al V at
distance r from a point current source
is given by: V = A/r

Øwhere A is a constant.
Theory

Ø When the electrode placed on the

surface of the Earth (C1 in the figure)
delivers a current I, we can show that
the constant A is ρI/(2π)

ØHence we can express the resis:vity

ρ as a func:on of measured quan::es:

Øρ = 2π(V/I)r
Theory
Ø In prac:ce, the current I is injected
into the subsurface through two
electrodes (C1 and C2) fed by a current
generator.

Ø Similarly, two measuring electrodes

(P1 and P2) permit the measurement of
the poten:al difference ΔV between
the measuring points.

ØThe equipoten:als and current lines

for two injec:on electrodes are shown
in the figure opposite.
Examples
Examples
Types of array

Ø Schlumberger

Ø Dipole-Dipole

ØWenner

ØPole-Dipole

ØPole-Pole
Types of array
Types of array
Schlumberger

Ø Spacing between measuring electrodes (M and N) is fixed at the centre of

the survey and is small in comparison to the current electrodes (A and B) .

Ø Measurements are made for different posi:ons of current injec:on

electrodes, as long as the measured signal is strong enough to be measured.
Dipole-dipole

Ø Spacing between measuring electrodes (M and N) and the current

electrodes (A and B) is fixed.

Ø Measurements are made by changing the spacing between the two sets of
electrodes.

Ø Gives beYer resolu:on than the Schlumberger, but does not penetrate as
deep.
SYSCAL R1+

Ø SYSCAL R1+ is a new all-in-one mul:-node resis:vity imaging system.

Ø 48 electrodes.

Ø 2 channels.

Ø More informa:on here: hYp://www.iris-instruments.com/syscal-

junior.html
The data
Ø The data were extracted from the SYSCAL from the “serial port” using a USB connec:on.
The programs you’ll need to download to interpret the data are:

Ø PROSYS II
Ø PROSYS II allows you to see the data in a line-by-line format, rather like MicrosoH
Excel.

Ø RES2DINV
Ø 2D resis:vity and IP inversion (to display and invert the data).

Ø PROSYS II and RES2DINV are available for FREE download:

hYp://www.iris-instruments.com/download.html

Ø The other program, used to make the different array programs, is:

ØELECTRE II (you don’t need to download this)

Ø Sequence management for mul:-electrode units (to define the acquisi:on setup).
Ø Used to make the programs “Schlum” (Schlumberger) and “DD” (dipole-dipole).
PROSYS II

Ø PROSYS II is used to manipulate the data before it is converted into a

RES2DINV file.

Ø The program is rather like MicrosoH Excel in that the data is displayed in
rows and columns.

Ø You should first separate your data into separate files. Each of the surveys
you performed should have its own PROSYS file.
PROSYS II – elimina:ng bad data
Ø Your dataset will likely contain some bad values. Your field report should
contain “cleaned-up” inversions. You will correct the inversions for the
topography for your final reports. We will now look at some examples of data
cleaning…
Ø The number in the column
on the far leH is the
calcula:on step number.

Ø In the example shown

here, calcula:on step #94
recorded a nega:ve Rho.

Ø The datapoint can be

eliminated by unchecking the
box next to the calcula:on
step number.
PROSYS II – elimina:ng bad data
Ø The easiest way to find strange data is to look at “Processing à Exterminate
bad data point…”
Ø You will see a graph of
Rho against depth.

Ø In the example, I have

highlighted two odd data
points.

Ø To delete them click on

them so that they change
colour from blue to red.

Ø When you click “OK” the

data will be excluded.
PROSYS II – elimina:ng bad data

Ø If you’re s:ll having problems, there are plenty of op:ons to explore

Ø For example, you can filter the data (easily done by modifying the standard
devia:on). You can also remove nodes. The program is easy to use, so you
should try several methods to best clean your data.

Ø To check your progress, click on “View à Rho pseudo sec:on”

PROSYS II - expor:ng
Ø When you are happy with your
data, you then need to save the data
as a RES2DINV file.

Ø Select the data you would like to

export (the :cked boxes on the leH
hand side). Export each survey
separately.

Ø “File”
Ø “Export and save”
Ø “Res2dinv/Res3dinv...”

Ø Make sure you select “Rho” as the

type of measurement

Ø AHer you have saved the file you

can open it using RES2DINV.
RES2DINV
Ø The RES2DINV program uses the smoothness-constrained least-squares
method inversion technique (Sasaki, 1992) to produce a 2D model of the
subsurface from the apparent resis:vity data.

Ø The program will automa:cally choose the op:mum inversion parameters

for a data set. However, the inversion parameters can be modified by the user.

Ø To load your data, click “File à Read data file”

Ø The data will load and the program will tell you whether there are s:ll some
nega:ve or strange data points. You can either go back to PROSYS II and try to
find the strange data, or you can try to remove them using the RES2DINV
program.
RES2DINV – managing the data
Ø If there are s:ll problems with
very high or very low resis:vity,
you can also manipulate the
data using RES2DINV.

Ø Click on “Edit à Exterminate

bad data points”

Ø The data should look like a

series of sub-parallel lines (as
shown in the example opposite).
Ø Strange data points can be iden:fied as those that deviate from the series of
sub-parallel lines.
Ø To remove them, click on the data points (they will turn red).
Ø Then click “Exit à Quit edit window” and agree to the changes.
Ø You will now have to save the updated file and reopen it in RES2DINV.
RES2DINV
Ø To perform the inversion, you need to first read your RES2DINV file
Ø Then select “Inversion à Least squares inversion”
RES2DINV – the inversion

absolute error in the itera:on

RES2DINV – the inversion
RES2DINV – error analysis
Ø If you like, you can perform
an error analysis.

Ø Explore the program as

much as you want…
RES2DINV – the inversion

Ø If there is a problem with your inversion:

o Perhaps the program has warned you about nega:ve or high/low values.
o Or your inversion is a single colour with a very high absolute error.
o Or any other problems.

Ø Then you should exit RES2DINV and reopen the data in PROSYS II to recheck
the data for strange values.
RES2DINV – manual

Ø FREE download available from:

hYp://www.geotomosoH.com/downloads.php
For your field report
Ø Very brief theory

Ø Methods (How did you perform the survey? Which survey? What
orienta:on? What equipment did you use? How did you perform the
inversion?...). For your field report, your methods sec:on should be
immaculate.

Ø Results (show the preliminary profiles – i.e. without topographic correc:on)

Ø Interpreta:on (Offer some very brief basic interpreta:ons. What can you
say about the subsurface? Water level? Geological contact? What are the
differences between Schlumberger and dipole-dipole?...)