Reciprocal analysis and error quantification of fullwave Time-Domain electrical resistivity and Induced Polarization measurements

Summary

Measurement errors play a critical role in the reliability of geophysical imaging techniques, particularly in ill-posed and bad conditioned problems such as Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). Experimental errors—such as high contact resistance, low signal levels, and electromagnetic interference—can significantly introduce random and coherent noise in measurements. Reciprocal measurements, which involve switching current and voltage dipoles, offer a robust method for assessing data quality, though they are often time consuming in field and lab surveys. Error modeling commonly uses a single value of electrical resistance for each measurement point, limiting statistical reliability. Recent advances in instrumentation allow for the recording of full-waveforms of injected currents and measured potentials, enabling more sophisticated signal processing techniques. This study explores the use of reciprocal full-waveform analysis for data filtering and for enhancing the error estimation in time-domain ERT and induce polarization. By analyzing the complete signal information can yield valuable insights into data quality, especially for surveys in urban and noisy environments.