POTENTIAL AND APPARENT RESISTIVITY OVER DIPPING BEDS

Abstract

The potential field due to a point source of current, located on the surface of the earth near a dipping bed, is given in an exact expression and modified expressions are developed for computations. These expressions lead to graphs of the potential field and to apparent resistivity vertical profiles which are presented. The Schlumberger electrode configuration is used. This configuration consists of two current electrodes and two potential electrodes, the latter placed close enough together that the current density between them can be considered to be uniform. With this configuration oriented perpendicular to the strike of the dipping bed, the apparent resistivity is paradoxical in that it approaches either zero or infinity as the electrode separation increases without limit.