Assessing the effects of 1D assumption violation in vertical electrical sounding (VES) data processing and interpretation

Abstract

This research aimed to discover the possible effects of 1D assumption violations on VES data interpretations. In order to do so, 1D inversion results of logarithmically spaced and linearly spaced VES measurements are compared with their relevant 2D inverted models. Some real case studies are also examined by 1D and 2D inversions to test the results. It is found that linearly spaced VES measurements are not really suitable for 1D inversion in the case of 1D assumption violations and logarithmically spaced VES can better handle these problematic features. In the case of semi-infinite horizontal layers and also small surface resistivity inhomogeneities, logarithmically spaced VES datasets mostly provide a reliable 1.5D model while linearly spaced VES datasets suffer from remarkable artifacts. In the case of vertical structures, both linearly spaced and logarithmically spaced VES techniques fail. In this case (i.e., a vertical dike), artifacts in the form of “extra layer” appear in those VES stations that are adjacent to the dike. However, for VES stations on the dike structure, no extra layer appears in the 1D inversion result. It must be emphasized that 1D violating features are not improbable in many geological situations so they must be considered in mind when processing and interpreting the geophysical VES data.