Global apparent resistivity definition for a high-performance TEM excitation source

Abstract The high-performance transient electromagnetic method (TEM) excitation source is a new type of source that has been proposed for urban underground space exploration. This source is composed of two trapezoid plates. To ensure that the radiation field was focused in a certain direction, the two trapezoid plate-shaped antennas were arranged into a horn shape. This new source is characterised by high power, directional excitation and high resolution. The corresponding multi-component global apparent resistivity definition method is established for a high-performance transient electromagnetic excitation source. This method is studied using the inverse function theorem. Then, the monotonic relationship between components of the electromagnetic field and resistivity is analysed. For the fields that satisfy the monotonic relationship with half-space resistivity, the apparent resistivity can be calculated correctly to ignore the time period and location in the space. This means that this definition method can eliminate the limitation of early and late times, and the near and far zones. The apparent resistivity calculation results of the theoretical layered model reveal that global apparent resistivity curves show a regular change, which smoothly and comprehensively reflects the change of electrical information in the model. The experimental results of the 3D model show that the five-layer low-resistivity anomaly contained in the urban underground space designed in this paper exhibits an obvious response in the global apparent resistivity profile. It is concluded that a high-performance TEM excitation source possesses a high resolution, clearly reflecting all of the anomalies of a complex urban underground space model.