An Algorithm for Modeling and Interpretation of Seismoelectric Data

Generally speaking, seismoelectric modeling is a prospecting method based on seismic and electromagnetic waves, in which waves generated by a seismic source at the boundary of the two environments generate a relative fluid-solid motion formed as a result of antagonism between the elastic properties of the environment with the saturated fluid. This research has as its objective, a study of the effect of an electric field due to DC current on the propagation of seismic waves by pseudo spectral time domain method, or the more general concept of seismoelectric coupling effect. In this research, poroelastic equations were used for seismic waves and Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetic waves. Additionally, the seismoelectric effect or charge density, electrical conductivity, dielectric permittivity function, fluid viscosity and zeta potential were determined. DC electric field variations were compared with results of a physical experiment conducted in a modeled environment. The results revealed that DC electric significantly affected the propagation of elastic energy through seismoelectric coupling in a wide range of seismic frequency widths. Additionally, the boundaries of the substrata were specified using the horizontal component of the electric field of the magnetic wave.