On: “EM Coupling, Its Intrinsic Value, Its Removal, and the Cultural Coupling Problem”, by Jeffrey C. Wynn and Kenneth L. Zonge (GEOPHYSICS, October 1975, p. 831–850)

Geophysics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 543-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles M. Swift ◽  
Gerald W. Hohmann

We agree with the authors that an understanding of inductive coupling is important in the proper interpretation of induced polarization data. We also agree that “the ultimate value and purpose of studying coupling is to effect its removal from induced polarization data and thereby contribute to the value and usefulness of these data.”

Geophysics ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 831-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey C. Wynn ◽  
Kenneth L. Zonge

The induced polarization method of geophysical prospecting has been in use for more than 25 years with varying degrees of success. Until recently, its two principle drawbacks were (1) the inability to distinguish between anomalous rock responses and, (2) inability to distinguish between these rock responses and inductive coupling. The first problem was solved by K. L. Zonge in 1972. Solutions to the coupling problem go back to 1932, and have been expanded and elaborated upon by successive authors since then. In most of these papers, electromagnetic coupling was separated into two functions, here designated as P, a purely inductive term, and Q, a grounding or purely resistive term. This paper extends this work into a study of the reflective coupling contribution and the effects of anisotropy. Two immediate results are: (a) the development of an ultra‐low‐frequency deep sounding technique for highly conductive overburden environments, and (b) a successful iterative technique for the removal of coupling from complex resistivity field data. A study was made of the effect of electrically conductive pipelines on induced polarization and complex resistivity data. It appears that the so‐called “pipeline effect” is a composite of several effects, including current focusing nonlinearities, electromagnetic induction, and complex electrode polarization. The pipeline effect is generally predictable, while the effect of a fence or an irregular conductive inhomogeneity is not as simple.


Minerals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fouzan A. Alfouzan ◽  
Abdulrahman M. Alotaibi ◽  
Leif H. Cox ◽  
Michael S. Zhdanov

The Saudi Arabian Glass Earth Pilot Project is a geophysical exploration program to explore the upper crust of the Kingdom for minerals, groundwater, and geothermal resources as well as strictly academic investigations. The project began with over 8000 km2 of green-field area. Airborne geophysics including electromagnetic (EM), magnetics, and gravity were used to develop several high priority targets for ground follow-up. Based on the results of airborne survey, a spectral induced polarization (SIP) survey was completed over one of the prospective targets. The field data were collected with a distributed array system, which has the potential for strong inductive coupling. This was examined in a synthetic study, and it was determined that with the geometries and conductivities in the field survey, the inductive coupling effect may be visible in the data. In this study, we also confirmed that time domain is vastly superior to frequency domain for avoiding inductive coupling, that measuring decays from 50 ms to 2 s allow discrimination of time constants from 1 ms to 5 s, and the relaxation parameter C is strongly coupled to intrinsic chargeability. We developed a method to fully include all 3D EM effects in the inversion of induced polarization (IP) data. The field SIP data were inverted using the generalized effective-medium theory of induced polarization (GEMTIP) in conjunction with an integral equation-based modeling and inversion methods. These methods can replicate all inductive coupling and EM effects, which removes one significant barrier to inversion of large bandwidth spectral IP data. The results of this inversion were interpreted and compared with results of drill hole set up in the survey area. The drill hole intersected significant mineralization which is currently being further investigated. The project can be considered a technical success, validating the methods and effective-medium inversion technique used for the project.


2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélie Gazoty ◽  
Esben Auken ◽  
Jesper Pedersen ◽  
Gianluca Fiandaca ◽  
Anders Vest Christiansen

Geophysics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (9) ◽  
pp. 1327-1341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas W. Oldenburg ◽  
Yaoguo Li

We develop three methods to invert induced polarization (IP) data. The foundation for our algorithms is an assumption that the ultimate effect of chargeability is to alter the effective conductivity when current is applied. This assumption, which was first put forth by Siegel and has been routinely adopted in the literature, permits the IP responses to be numerically modeled by carrying out two forward modelings using a DC resistivity algorithm. The intimate connection between DC and IP data means that inversion of IP data is a two‐step process. First, the DC potentials are inverted to recover a background conductivity. The distribution of chargeability can then be found by using any one of the three following techniques: (1) linearizing the IP data equation and solving a linear inverse problem, (2) manipulating the conductivities obtained after performing two DC resistivity inversions, and (3) solving a nonlinear inverse problem. Our procedure for performing the inversion is to divide the earth into rectangular prisms and to assume that the conductivity σ and chargeability η are constant in each cell. To emulate complicated earth structure we allow many cells, usually far more than there are data. The inverse problem, which has many solutions, is then solved as a problem in optimization theory. A model objective function is designed, and a “model” (either the distribution of σ or η)is sought that minimizes the objective function subject to adequately fitting the data. Generalized subspace methodologies are used to solve both inverse problems, and positivity constraints are included. The IP inversion procedures we design are generic and can be applied to 1-D, 2-D, or 3-D earth models and with any configuration of current and potential electrodes. We illustrate our methods by inverting synthetic DC/IP data taken over a 2-D earth structure and by inverting dipole‐dipole data taken in Quebec.


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