CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF A SIMPLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE SURFACE RESISTIVITY APPARATUS

Geophysics is an invaluable resource for geologists performing subsurface investigations; and while many pieces of geophysical equipment (e.g., ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic units, seismic sensors, etc.) are very complicated to use and maintain, and very expensive to purchase and/or rent, some geophysical data can be collected by straightforward methods at relatively low cost. For example, surface resistivity information can be collected with a simple apparatus comprised of a battery, metal probes, cables, and multi meters. This study uses a homemade surface resistivity system with a Schlumberger array to collect geophysical depth profile data in an area well-constrained by hydrogeological information. These data are interpreted and compared against hydrogeological interpretations from several continuous lithological cores, monitoring wells/piezometers, and associated water-level measurements. This location provides an ideal setting for testing the resistivity apparatus’ accuracy and effectiveness.