A BOUNDARY-ELEMENT METHOD FOR 2-D DC RESISTIVITY MODELING WITH A POINT CURRENT SOURCE

A new boundary element method (BEM) is presented for 2-D de resistivit y modeling with a point source. When compared with previously publishe d techniques, the new method has two main features: (1) The normal der ivative of potential has been eliminated from the integral equation. T he formulation of the present method is simpler and requires less memo ry and time than the previous published methods. (2) Multiple subsurfa ce inhomogeneous bodies can be modeled. For a simple testing model, th e maximum relative error of reciprocity test is 0.24% and the average relative error is 0.05%. For the same model, the maximum relative diff erence between the BEM solution and the finite-element method solution is 1.14% and the average relative difference is 0.73%. For a field ge oelectrical profile, the responses of the constructed model agree with the observed data quite well.