Depth of investigation of collinear electrode arrays over homogeneous anisotropic half‐space in direct current methods

Abstract

The definition of depth of investigation as suggested by Evjen (1938) [subsequently used by Roy and Apparao (1971) also for the study of depth of investigation of electrode arrays in direct current methods for homogeneous isotropic earth] has been used to study the depth of investigation of various collinear electrode arrays for a homogeneous anisotropic half‐space. It has been shown that some simple transformations are to be applied to the expressions of normalized depth of investigation characteristic (NDIC) of the same arrays over homogeneous isotropic earth to obtain normalized depth of investigation characteristic of various arrays placed over homogeneous anisotropic earth. The novelty of anisotropy is that the depth of investigation of collinear electrode arrays over homogeneous anisotropic half‐space bears an inverse relationship with the coefficient of anisotropy and also depends upon array length and dip of the plane of stratification. The effect of the coefficient of anisotropy is most pronounced for horizontally stratified anisotropic earth and is independent of it for vertically stratified anisotropic earth—entirely consistent with the concept of the “;paradox of anisotropy.” The depth of investigation of all the collinear arrays for inclined stratification lies somewhere between the values obtained for horizontal and vertical stratifications.