Complex images of a ground electrode in layered soils

Abstract

In this paper, the complex image method is used to model ground electrodes in layered soils. The image locations and amplitudes are determined through a simple Prony method [R. W. Hamming, Numerical Methods for Scientists and Engineers (Dover, New York, 1973), pp. 620–622]. As an example, a toroidal electrode in a four-layer soil is modeled using one real image and four complex images. The results obtained are identical to those reported recently in the literature, given by more than 10 000 images using the conventional electrostatic image method.