DC Resistivity Method

DC Resistivity Method - Observation of electric fields caused by current introduced into the ground as a means of studying earth resistivity in geophysical exploration. Resistivity is the property of a material that resists the flow of electrical current. The term is normally restricted to include only those methods in which a direct current, or a very slowly oscillating current, is used to measure the apparent resistivity.*

Useful References

• Burger, H. R., Exploration Geophysics of the Shallow Subsurface, Prentice Hall P T R, 1992.
• Robinson, E. S., and C. Coruh, Basic Exploration Geophysics, John Wiley, 1988.
• Telford, W. M., L. P. Geldart, and R. E. Sheriff, Applied Geophysics, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, 1990.
• The Berkeley Course in Applied Geophysics: DC Electric Methods. Course notes for DC and IP techniques.
• Forward modeling and inversion of DC resistivity data. Nice tutorial on 2D inversion of DC observations.
• Software for DC electrical survey and induced polarization. A listing of a variety of software, much freely available, for interpreting electrical data.

*Definition from the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Exploration Geophysics by R. E. Sheriff, published by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.