Geoelectric imaging properties of traditional arrays and of the optimized Stummer configuration

Abstract

In this paper a systematic, semi‐empirical comparison is presented between two‐dimensional geo‐electric models and their inversion images, obtained by using five different electrical resistivity arrays and an optimized Stummer configuration. Eight different models (more or less in order of growing complexity) are studied and both noise‐free and noisy data cases are considered. The results show that (1) the quality of the inversion images obtained with traditional arrays depends significantly on the model and on the noise level, (2) among the traditional arrays it is definitely the dipole‐dipole array that provides inversion images mostly similar to the geoelectric models, (3) the inversion images obtained by using the optimized Stummer configuration are even more similar to the original geoelectric model than those obtained by the dipole‐dipole array. It means that the optimized Stummer array is even better than the best traditional array, the dipole‐dipole array, especially in the deepest part of the inversion images. We conclude that in a general field situation the Stummer configuration is good enough for not being forced to search specific configurations. As presented, optimization procedures, involving null arrays could even further improve the quality of the inversion images obtained by using the Stummer configuration.