Loop-Loop Sounding/ Dipole EM sounding

In case of dipole EM sounding two small circular loops are place at a distance more than
5 times than the diameter of the loops say ‘r’ apart and frequency is varied at a
particular location and observations are made. Measurement consist reading real and
imaginary components of either resultant field or secondary field (with compensator).
Generally, fields are measured in terms of Primary field at receiver location.

The concept of Mutual impedance or Mutual coupling is used when dealing with Dipole
EM sounding.

Horizontal Coplanar loops system is in maximum coupled position and Perpendicular

loop system is in minimum coupling position.
 Horizontal Coplanar loops/ Maximum Coupled system

Perpendicular loops/ Minimum Coupled system

Vertical Coplanar Loops

Vertical Coaxial Loops

Transmitter Receiver
In free space, if we pass current I in transmitter coil and signal V0 is induced in receiver coil then the ratio V0/I will
be impedance Z0. When the system is placed over subsurface structure and if same current flow ‘I ‘ produces V emf
in receiver coil then impedance Z=V/I . The ratio Z/Z0 is known as Mutual Impedance ratio and is it equal to the
ratio of vertical component of resultant field to the Primary field at receiver coil (Hz/Hzp)
 𝑍 𝑉 𝐻𝑧
= =
𝑍0 𝑉0 𝐻𝑧𝑃

Theoretically we know 𝐻𝑧𝑃 for any location due to a given loop system. Now 𝐻𝑧 over multilayered earth can be
computed by solving diffusion equation in appropriate coordinate system in similar way as DC resistivity case.

𝜎1 , ℎ1 𝛻 2 𝐻𝑧 = 𝑗𝜔𝜇𝜎𝐻𝑧
𝜎2 , ℎ2 The above equation can be solved for Hz using
spherical symmetry and suitable boundary conditions
for various loop system. The solution of Hz for any
loop system over multilayered earth can be written in
𝜎𝑖 , ℎ𝑖 the following functional form dealing with resistivity,
thicknesses, frequency and T-R separation r)

𝜎𝑛−1 , ℎ𝑛−1 𝐻𝑧 (𝑓) = 𝐹(𝜌𝑖, , ℎ𝑖 , 𝑓, 𝑟)

𝜎𝑛 , ℎ𝑛 inf

𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 𝐻𝑧𝑃 𝑓 𝑖𝑠 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦

 ∞
𝑍 𝐻𝑧
= = 1 − 𝑟 3 න 𝜆2 𝑅 𝜆 𝐽0 𝜆𝑟 𝑑𝜆 (1)
𝑍0 𝐻𝐶𝑃𝐿
𝐻𝑧𝑃 0

r is T-R separation,  is integration variable and depend on r in similar way like DC resistivity case, 𝐽0 is
Bessel function of zeroth order. 𝑅 𝜆 is complex EM kernel function and it is like resistivity transform (T) in
case of DC resistivity method. 𝑅 𝜆 can also be computed using recurrence relation over n-layer case

𝑅𝑁,𝑁 = 0 ℎ𝑁 −→ 𝑖𝑛𝑓
𝑗 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑁 𝑡𝑜 1.
𝑇𝑗−1,𝑗 + 𝑅𝑗,𝑁 𝜆 𝑒 −2ℎ𝑗 𝑉𝑗
𝑅𝑗−1,𝑁 𝜆 =
1 + 𝑇𝑗−1,𝑗 𝑅𝑗,𝑁 𝜆 𝑒 −2ℎ𝑗𝑉𝑗
𝑉𝑗 − 𝑉𝑘
𝑇𝑗,𝑘 =
𝑉𝑗 + 𝑉𝑘

𝑉𝑗 = 𝜆2 + 𝑎𝑗2

𝑎𝑗 = 𝑖𝜔𝜇𝜎𝑗 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓

Equation (1) is Hankel integral and can be transformed into convolution integral using suitable change of variable as x=ln(r )
and y=ln(1/) like Dc resistivity case.
 +∞
𝑍
= 1 − 𝑒 2𝑥 න 𝑒 −2𝑦 𝑅 𝑦 𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 𝐽0 (𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 (2)
𝑍0 𝐻𝐶𝑃𝐿 −∞

A filter function can be computed for quantity in bracket [ ] in equation (2) and Mutual
impedance ratio Z/Z0 can be computed easily like apparent resistivity for Schlumberger array.

Similar expressions have been derived for various loops system.

Perpendicular loops

∞
𝑍
= −𝑟 3 න 𝜆2 𝑅 𝜆 𝐽1 𝜆𝑟 𝑑𝜆 (3)
𝑍0 𝑃𝑃𝐿 0

+∞
𝑍
= −𝑒 න 𝑒 −2𝑦 𝑅
2𝑥
𝑦 𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 𝐽1 (𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 (4)
𝑍0 𝑃𝑃𝐿 −∞
Vertical Coplanar Loops
∞
𝑍 2
=1− 𝑟 න 𝜆𝑅 𝜆 𝐽1 𝜆𝑟 𝑑𝜆 (5)
𝑍0 𝑉𝐶𝑃𝐿 0

+∞
𝑍
=1−න 𝑅 𝑦 𝑒 2(𝑥−𝑦) 𝐽1 (𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑦 (6)
𝑍0 𝑉𝐶𝑃𝐿 −∞

Vertical Coaxial Loops

𝑍 𝑟2 ∞ ∞
=1− න 𝜆𝑅 𝜆 𝐽1 𝜆𝑟 𝑑𝜆 − 𝑟 න 𝜆2 𝑅 𝜆 𝐽0 𝜆𝑟 𝑑𝜆 (7)
𝑍0 𝑉𝐶𝑋𝐿
2 0 0

𝑍 1 ∞ ∞
= 1 − න 𝑅 𝑦 𝑒2 𝑥−𝑦
𝐽1 𝑒 𝑥−𝑦
𝑑𝑦 − න 𝑅 𝑦 𝑒 3 𝑥−𝑦
𝐽0 𝑒 𝑥−𝑦 𝑑𝑦 (8)
𝑍0 𝑉𝐶𝑋𝐿
2 −∞ −∞
 Real and Imaginary component of the Z/Z0 can be computed and plotted w. r. to frequency for various loops system.

Amplitude and Phase of Z/Z0 can also be computed accordingly

𝑍
= 𝑋 + 𝑖𝑌
𝑍0

𝑍 2 𝑍 2
Amplitude= 𝑅𝑒 + 𝐼𝑚
𝑍0 𝑍0

𝑍
𝐼𝑚 𝑍
0
𝑃ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝑍
𝑅𝑒 𝑍
0

Real, Imaginary, Amplitude and Phase responses can be computed theoretically, and recorded field data can be interpreted
accordingly using these formulations.
The serious drawback of Dipole EM sounding is the lack of number of layer information in the sounding curves.
The nature of Dipole EM sounding curves for a particular loop systems will remain the similar over homogeneous
half-space as well as layered earth structures. By looking at the sounding curves it is not possible to tell the
number of layers present in the subsurface.

A priori information about the number of layers present in subsurface is required to interpret correctly the EM
sounding data.

2.0
VCPL VCXL
VCXL
Real(Z/Z0)

1.0

PPL
Real component of Z/Z0 for
HCPL homogeneous half-space
0
 1.0

VCXL

Imaginary (Z/Z0)
VCPL

0.0

PPL
HCPL
-1.0
frequency

Imaginary component of Z/Z0 for homogeneous half-space

The plot of Amplitude with frequency will be similar in nature as of real component of Z/Z0, and
plot of phase with frequency will be similar in nature as of Imaginary component of Z/Z0, Moreover the scale
on y axis will be different.
The joint interpretation of Dipole EM sounding data and Schlumberger sounding data overcomes the
limitations of Equivalence problem in the interpretation of Schlumberger sounding data.

ℎ2 𝜌2 = 𝑐3

𝜌2
ℎ2 𝜌2 = 𝑐2
𝜌2

ℎ2 𝜌2 = 𝑐1
ℎ2
ℎ2
DC resistivity
Dipole EM

Equivalence for a resistive intermediate layer in a 3 layer model

 ℎ2/ 𝜌2 = 𝑐3

ℎ2 /𝜌2 = 𝐴3 ℎ2 /𝜌2 = 𝐴2
ℎ2 /𝜌2 = 𝑐2
ℎ2 /𝜌2 = 𝐴1

ℎ2 /𝜌2 = 𝑐1

𝜌2
𝜌2

ℎ2
ℎ2
DC resistivity
Dipole EM

Equivalence for a conductive intermediate layer in a 3 layer model

This Dipole EM sounding together with Schlumberger sounding is beneficial in solving a typical ambiguity
in the interpretation of Electrical and EM data.