Simple relative space–time scaling of electrical and electromagnetic depth sounding arrays: implications for electrical static shift removal and joint DC‐TEM data inversion with the most‐squares criterion

Abstract

ABSTRACT A simple scaling relationship is shown to facilitate comparison, correlation and integration of data recorded using the common experimental configurations in electrical and electromagnetic depth sounding. Applications of the scheme to field data from typical geological and landfill environments show that it is robust and, where transient electromagnetic (TEM) data are available, enables easy identification and quantification of electrical static shift (galvanic distortion) in magnetotelluric and direct current (DC) sounding curves. TEM‐based procedures are suggested for both the direct removal of static shift in DC sounding curves and effective joint data inversion with the most‐squares criterion in the presence of static shift. A case study of aquifer characterization using sounding data from borehole sites in the Vale of York in England shows that static shift is a common problem in this glacial‐covered terrain and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed joint DC‐TEM inversion strategy in handling distorted soundings.