Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Features of Instability in Solving the Inverse Problem of Vertical Electrical Sounding for Precision Monitoring

  • Published:
Seismic Instruments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

When solving many geophysical problems, vertical electrical sounding (VES) monitoring is used on stationary multielectrode installations. The resulting time series of observations can be considered as the VES profile (set of markers), deployed not in space, as with profile soundings, but in time. When solving the VES inverse problem for precision monitoring data on a stationary multielectrode VES array, the effect of a high-amplitude antiphase change in the resistivity of adjacent layers with time was discovered. This behavior is physically unlikely. To clarify the causes of this phenomenon, synthetic VES profiles, similar to real ones, were studied. In each layer of the model section, the law of the change (along the profile) in resistivity with time was set and synthetic curves of apparent resistivity were calculated. Then the VES inverse problem was solved. In this case, the same algorithms were used as for the experimental series. The obtained solutions were compared with the original synthetic resistivity profiles, which made it possible to analyze errors in the solution. The results showed that the effect of the antiphase change in resistivity of adjacent layers of the section (the swing effect in solving the inverse problem) is not associated with real changes in resistivity. It arises due to the special structure of the landscape of the discrepancy due to the equivalence in resistivity. This feature is not taken into account by standard algorithms for solving the inverse problem and can lead to rather large errors if no special countermeasures are taken. When monitoring a geoelectric section, increased requirements are imposed on the accuracy of solving the VES inverse problem. The required accuracy cannot be achieved with commonly used inversion algorithms. It is necessary to develop special algorithms for selecting a solution to the inverse problem that suppresses swing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 8.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Avtomatizirovannaya obrabotka dannykh na Garmskom geofizicheskom poligone (Automated Data Processing at the Garm Geophysical Test Site), Sidorin, A.Ya., Ed., Moscow: Nauka, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bobachev, A., Ipi2win User’s Guide, Moscow: Moscow State Univ., 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bobachev, A.A., IPI-1D complex: One-dimensional profile interpretation of VES and VES-VP 2020 data. http://geoelectric.ru/ipi2win.htm.

  4. Bogdanov, M.I., Kalinin, V.V., and Modin, I.N., Application of high-precision low-frequency electrical prospecting systems for long-term monitoring of hazardous geotechnical processes, Inzh. Izyskaniya, 2013, nos. 10–11, pp. 110–115.

  5. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Filtration of seasonal components of variations in geoelectric parameters at the Garm test site, Extended Abstract of Cand. Sci. (Phys.-Math.) Dissertation, Moscow: Institute of Geosphere Dynamics, 1996.

  6. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Fraktal’naya razmernost’, pokazatel’ Khersta i ugol naklona spektra vremennogo ryada (Fractal Dimension, Hurst Exponent, and Slope of the Spectrum of the Time Series), Moscow: Ob’’ed. Inst. Fiz. Zemli Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1997.

  7. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Sidorin, A.Ya., Nekotoryye voprosy metodiki otsenki srednesezonnykh funktsiy dlya geofizicheskikh dannykh (Some Problems of the Methodology for Assessing the Average Seasonal Functions for Geophysical Data), Moscow: Ob’’ed. Inst. Fiz. Zemli Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1999.

  8. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Sidorin, A.Ya., A two component model of geophysical processes: Seasonal variations and flicker noise, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2001, vol. 376, no. 1, pp. 65–70.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Sidorin, A.Ya., A flicker-noise problem in the study of cause-and-effect relationships between natural proceses, Dokl. Earth Sci., 2003, vol. 392, no. 7, pp. 1030–1034.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Sidorin, A.Ya., Seasonal variations of the apparent resistivity as a function of the sounding depth, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 2004a, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 177–193.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Sidorin, A.Ya., On the significance of correlation between fish electric activity and the electrotelluric field, Biophysics, 2004b, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 658–665.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Modin, I.N., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Constructing the optimal model of the geoelectric section using vertical electrical sounding data: Case study of the central part of the Garm research area, Izv., Atmos. Oceanic Phys., 2018a, vol. 54, no. 10, pp. 1490–1511. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001433818100031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Modin, I.N., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Method for constructing a model of a geoelectric section taking into account seasonal variations based on data from long-term vertical electric sounding monitoring in search of earthquake precursors, Seismic Instrum., 2018b, vol. 54, pp. 424–436. https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923918040023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Modin, I.N., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Seasonal variations in specific resistivity in the upper layers of the earth crust, Seismic Instrum., 2019, vol. 55, pp. 300–312. https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923919030058

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Mukhin, V.M., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Modified algorithm for calculating the water balance in the soil to identify exogenous variations in geophysical parameters, Geofiz. Issled., 2006, no. 5, pp. 116–133.

  16. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Mukhin, V.M., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Phase distinctions of seasonal variations in the soil moisture influx at stations of the Garm research area, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 2008, vol. 44, no. 9, pp. 728–737.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Deshcherevskii, A.V. and Zhuravlev V.I., Testirovanie metodiki otsenki parametrov flikker-shuma (Testing the Method for Estimating the Parameters of Flicker Noise), Moscow: Ob’’ed. Inst. Fiz. Zemli Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1996.

  18. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Zhuravlev, V.I., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Some filtering algorithms for geophysical temporal series, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 1996a, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 138–148.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Zhuravlev, V.I., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Linearity of spectra of nonseasonal components of geophysical time series, Dokl. Earth Sci., 1996b, vol. 347, no. 2, pp. 302–305.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Zhuravlev, V.I., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Spectral-temporal features of seasonal variations in apparent resistivity, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 1997a, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 217–226.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Deshcherevskii, A.V., Lukk, A.A., and Sidorin, A.Ya., Flicker-noise structure in the time realizations of geophysical fields, Izv., Phys. Solid Earth, 1997b, vol. 33, no. 7, pp. 515–529.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Elektricheskoe zondirovanie geologicheskoi sredy (Electrical Sounding of the Geological Environment), Khmelevskoi, V.K. and Shevnin, V.A., Eds., Moscow: Moscow State Univ., 1992, part 2.

  23. Elektrorazvedka metodom soprotivlenii (Electrical Prospecting by the Electrical Resistivity Method), Khmelevskoi, V.K. and Shevnin, V.A., Eds., Moscow: Moscow State Univ., 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Garmskii geofizicheskii poligon (Garm Geophysical Test Site), Sidorin, A.Ya., Ed., Moscow: Nauka, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Loke, M.H., Dahlin, T., and Rucker, D.F., Smoothness-constrained time-lapse inversion of data from 3D resistivity surveys, Near Surf. Geophys., 2014, vol. 12, pp. 4–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Lukk, A.A., Deshcherevskii, A.V., Sidorin, A.Ya., and Sidorin, I.A., Variatsii geofizicheskikh polei kak proyavlenie determinirovannogo khaosa vo fraktal’noi srede (Variations of Geophysical Fields as a Manifestation of Deterministic Chaos in a Fractal Environment), Moscow: Ob’’ed. Inst. Fiz. Zemli Ross. Akad. Nauk, 1996.

  27. Maillet, R., The fundamental equations of electrical prospecting, Geophysics, 1947, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 529–556. https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1437342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Morrow, C. and Brace, W.F., Resistivity changes in tuffs due to stress, J. Geophys. Res., 1981, vol. 86, no. B4, pp. 2929–2934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ostashevsky, M.G. and Sidorin, A.Ya., Apparatura dlya dinamicheskoi geoelektriki (Equipment for Dynamic Geoelectrics), Moscow: Inst. Fiz. Zemli Akad. Nauk SSSR, 1990.

  30. Pushkarev, V.N. and Sidorin, A.Ya., Comparison of the sensitivity of various methods of electrical exploration as applied to the problem of searching for earthquake precursors, Seism. Prib., 2002, vol. 37, pp. 74–88.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Sidorin, A.Ya., Results of precision observations of variations in apparent resistivity at the Garm test site, Dokl. AN SSSR, 1986a, vol. 290, no. 1, pp. 81–84.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Sidorin, A.Ya., Methods of dynamic geoelectrics in an automated earthquake forecasting system, in Prognoz zemletryasenii (Earthquakes Prediction), Dushanbe: Donish, 1986b, no. 6, pp. 88–96.

  33. Sidorin, A.Ya., Predvestniki zemletryasenii (Earthquake Precursors), Moscow: Nauka, 1992.

  34. Sidorin, A.Ya. and Zhuravlev, V.I., Estimation of the size of the earthquake preparation zones according to the data of electric sounding, in Modelirovanie predvestnikov zemletryasenii (Modeling of Earthquake Precursors), Moscow: Nauka, 1980, pp. 45–54.

  35. Supper, R., Ottowitz, D., Jochum, B., Kim, J.H., Römer, A., Baron, I., Pfeiler, S., Lovisolo, M., Gruber, S., and Vecchiotti, F., Geoelectrical monitoring: An innovative method to supplement landslide surveillance and early warning, Near Surf. Geophys., 2014, no. 12, pp. 133–150.

  36. Supper, R., Ottowitz, D., Jochum, B., Römer, A., Pfeiler, S., Kauer, S., Keuschnig, M., and Ita, M., Geoelectrical monitoring of frozen ground and permafrost in alpine areas: field studies and considerations towards an improved measuring technology, Near Surf. Geophys., 2014, no. 12, pp. 93–115.

  37. Wilkinson, P., Chambers, J., Kuras, O., Meldrum, P., and Gunn, D., Long-term time-lapse geoelectrical monitoring, First Break, 2011, vol. 29, pp. 77–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Yamazaki, Y., Electrical conductivity of strained rocks (1st paper). Laboratory experiments on sedimentary rocks, Bull. Earthquake Res. Inst. Univ. Tokyo, 1965, vol. 43, pp. 783–802.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Zhuravlev, V.I. and Sidorin, A.Ya., Optimization of the network of operational dipole soundings at the Garm test site, in Prognoz zemletryasenii (Earthquakes Prediction), Dushanbe: Donish, 1986, no. 7, pp. 162–168.

Download references

Funding

The study was carried out under the state assignment of IPE RAS (topic no. 0144-2019-0011).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    A. A. Bobachev

  2. Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, 123242, Moscow, Russia

    A. A. Bobachev, A. V. Deshcherevskii & A. Ya. Sidorin

Authors
  1. A. A. Bobachev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. V. Deshcherevskii
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Ya. Sidorin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Ya. Sidorin.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bobachev, A.A., Deshcherevskii, A.V. & Sidorin, A.Y. Features of Instability in Solving the Inverse Problem of Vertical Electrical Sounding for Precision Monitoring. Seism. Instr. 57, 302–320 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923921030038

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0747923921030038

Keywords:

Search

Navigation