%0 Journal Article
%T Sensitivity and Resolution Capacity of Electrode Configurations
%A Cyril Chibueze Okpoli
%J International Journal of Geophysics
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/608037
%X This paper reviews the geological conditions, data density, and acquisition geometry that have direct influence on the sensitivity and resolution capacity of several electrode configurations. The parameters appreciate the effectiveness of automated multichannel system which has evolved several electrode arrays that are cost effective, reduction in survey time, high sensitivity, and resolution capacity in 2D and 3D resistivity tomographies. The arrays are pole-pole, pole-dipole, pole-bipole, dipole-dipole, Wenner, Wenner- , , gradient, midpoint-potential-referred, Schlumberger, square, and Lee-partition arrays. The gradient array and midpoint-potential-referred are well suited for multichannel surveying and gradient array images are comparable to dipole-dipole and pole-dipole. 2D electrical resistivity surveys can produce out-of-plane anomaly of the subsurface which could be misleading in the interpretation of subsurface features. Hence, a 3D interpretation model should give more accurate results, because of the increase in the reliability of inversion images and complete elimination of spurious features. Therefore, the reduction of anomaly effects and damping factor due to signal to noise ratio result in better spatial resolution image, thus enhancing its usage in environmental and engineering research. 1. Introduction Most targets of environmental and engineering interest are at shallow depths. Geophysical responses from near-surface sources usually treated as noise in traditional geophysical exploration surveys are often the targets of interest in environmental and engineering investigations. The subsurface geology can be complex, subtle, and multiscale such that spatial variations can change rapidly both laterally and vertically. Thus, a closely spaced grid of observation points is required for their accurate characterization, high spatial resolution of the anomaly, and good target definition. Survey design in geoelectrical resistivity surveys must take into account the capabilities of the data acquisition system, heterogeneities of the subsurface electrical resistivities, and the resolution required. Other factors to be considered are the area extent of the site to be investigated, the cost of the survey, and the time required to complete the survey [1]. Geoelectrical surveys were introduced by Conrad Schlumberger and Marcel Schlumberger in 1932 and have subsequently been investigated by many researchers for numerous electrode configurations and subsurface structures. This concept has been used in the qualitative comparison of the effective
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijge/2013/608037/