GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION

OF
GROUND WATER

B.Rajkumar
Asst. Hydrogeologist

 Geophysical exploration is the scientific measurement of

physical properties of earths crust for investigation of

ground water, mineral deposits or geologic structures.

Geophysical

methods

detect

differences

in

physical

properties within the earths crust.

Density, Magnetism ,Elasticity and Electrical Resistivity are

properties

most

commonly

measured

in

various

Geophysical methods.

Geophysical Methods
Electric Resistivity Method
Seismic Refraction Method
Seismic Reflection Method
Gravimetric Method
Magnetic Method
Electromagnetic Method
Ground Penetrating Radar
and others

Electrical resistivity method

Electrical Resistiviy Methods are more popular because they

are successful in dealing with a variety of problems like

groundwater studies, and subsurface structure.
Electrical resistivity is the resistance of a volume of
material to the flow of electrical current.
current is introduced into the ground through a pair of

current electrodes
resulting potential difference is measured between another

pair of potential electrodes

V
a 2a
Apparent resistivity is then calculated as:
I
5

Electrical Resistivity method

Electrical resistivity method

Profiling and Sounding are two types of resistivity investigations.

Profiling is done to detect lateral changes in resistivity. This study

reveals the changes in the subsurface lithology or structure from
place to place.
Sounding is done to determine the vertical changes in resistivity,

this study reveals changes in lithology, at a particular place with

increasing depth.

Gradient resistivity profiling

Gradient resistivity profiling is a special set up for
resistivity profiling in which current electrodes are kept at
large separation and the one-third central space is
scanned by moving the potential electrode pair.

Gradient resistivity profiling

L2 (1 x 2 /L2 )2 V
V
a

K
2 2
2l
1 x /L
I
I
a Apparent Resistivity
2L Distance between two current electrode
2l Distance between potential electrodes
X Distance between the centre of the current
electrodes to the centre of the potential
electrodes

The Wenner configuration

This was developed by Wenner in 1915. In this configuration, the

outer electrode C1 and C2, are used to send current into the
ground and the inner electrode P1 and P2 are used to measure the
potential. The important feature of this set-up is that the distance
between any two successive electrodes is equal. The apparent
resistivity measured with the wenner array is given by pa= 2
a[v] /I ,

10

The Wenner configuration

a = 2 a R,
Where
a= Distance between two successive electrodes
R= V/I (V= Voltage, I = Current)

11

The Schlumberger Configuration:

This was developed by Schlumberger in 1916. This
method measures the potential gradient rather than
the potential difference. For this purpose, potential
electrodes are kept at smaller separation compared to
the current .Here A and B are the current electrode
and M and N are the potential electrodes. Electrodes
in general MN1/5 AB relation is maintained in this
investigation.

12

The Schlumberger Configuration:

[(AB/2)2 (MN/2)2/]
a = R --------------------MN

Where AB/2 = Half current electrode separation

MN/2 = Half potential electrode separation

R = V/ I (V= Voltage) ( I= Current)

13

Axial pole dipole array

The axial poledipole array can be applied for ground- water
exploration even at places where Schlumberger configuration
could not be laid due to non-availability of space on any one side
of
the
sounding array
location.
The
pole-dipole
contains four collinear electrodes. One of
the current (source) electrodes is installed at an effective
infinity distance, which is approximately five to ten times the
survey depth. The other current electrode is placed in the vicinity
of the two potential (receiver) electrodes.

14

Interpretation Of VES
Data
Plot of apparent Resistivity values for different electrode
separation on Logarithmic scale
Interpretation through curve matching techniques

Type of VES curves

15

Master Curves

16

17

Thank you!

18