Enhanced Electrical Resistivity Tomography With Prior Physical Information

Abstract

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a key geophysical technique that provides detailed information on subsurface structures by measuring the distribution of electrical resistivity underground. ERT suffers from limitations in electrode arrangement, interference from environmental and instrument noise, and existing data processing algorithms that fail to adequately consider geological heterogeneity and uncertainty, resulting in insufficient inversion resolution. Traditional ERT methods rely on simplified algorithms and a limited number of observation points, which smooths model details and further reduces resolution. To address the resolution issues in ERT, this article proposes a deep learning inversion method that integrates prior physical information. This method uses low-resolution inversion results as prior knowledge to provide the deep learning algorithm with a constrained initial model, thereby combining the physical basis of traditional methods with the data-driven advantages of deep learning. The method not only retains the strengths of traditional inversion but also enhances the resolution and imaging efficiency of the inversion model using deep learning technology. Synthetic data experiments demonstrate that integrating deep learning significantly improves the model’s ability to detail subsurface structures, especially in the transition zones of shallow structures and the recovery of deep anomalies. Results from measured data indicate that the proposed method not only achieves high-resolution inversion but also maintains good consistency with prior information.