Depth of Current Penetration

Current flow tends to occur close to the surface. Current penetration can be increased by
increasing separation of current electrodes.
Electrode Arrays
An electrode array consists of two electrodes at which DC current flows into and out of
the ground plus two electrodes between which the potential difference at the surface is
measured .

The apparent resistivity measured by different arrays is not the same, because the
geometric factor K is different.

Wenner: Alternating +ve and ve near-surface regions cancel, and main response is from
depth, which is fairly uniform laterally. Good for determining depth variations in 1-D
Earth.
B. Schlumberger: Equivalent vertical resolution to Wenner (distance between contours),
but deep response is concave upwards. More sensitive to lateral variation in Earth.
C.Dipole-Dipole: Poor vertical resolution as contours spaced widely. Lobes from each
dipole penetrate deeply indicating good sensitivity to lateral variation at depth.

Resistivity profiling or imaging is a method for investigating the subsurface by measuring the
capacity of earth materials to pass electrical current. resistivity imaging can resolve small and
irregular anomalies even in areas of complex subsurface geometry.
pseudosection
Increasing the electrode separation, increases depth of penetration.Repeating the same profile
with different electrode spacing, allows construction of a pseudosection of apparent
resistivity.Pseudosection is constructed by plotting measured value at intersection of lines drawn
at 45o from current and potential dipoles, and contouring result
eLktrode arrays

An electrode array is a configuration of electrodes used for measuring either an electric current
or voltage. Some electrode arrays can operate in a bidirectional fashion, in that they can also be
used to provide a stimulating pattern of electric current or voltage.
Common arrays include:

Schlumberger (Wenner)
Wenner alpha

Wenner beta

Wenner gamma

Pole-pole

Dipole-dipole

Pole-dipole

Equatorial dipole-dipole
Signal-contribution sections

Near-surface inhomogeneities strongly influence the choice of array. Their

effects are graphically illustrated by contours of the signal contributions that
are made by each unit volume of ground to the measured voltage, and hence
to the apparent resistivity
Depth of Current Penetration
Current flow tends to occur close to the surface. Current penetration can be increased by
increasing separation of current electrodes.