Two-dimensional direct current (DC) resistivity inversion: Data space Occamʹs approach

A data space Occamʹs inversion algorithm for 2D DC resistivity data has been developed to seek the smoothest structure subject to an appropriate fit to the data. For traditional model space Gauss–Newton (GN) type inversion, the system of equations has the dimensions of M × M, where M is the number of model parameter, resulting in extensive computing time and memory storage. However, the system of equations can be mathematically transformed to the data space, resulting in a dramatic drop in its dimensions to N × N, where N is the number of data parameter, which is usually less than M. The transformation has helped to significantly reduce both computing time and memory storage. Numerical experiments with synthetic data and field data show that applying the data space technique to 2D DC resistivity data for various configurations is robust and accurate when compared with the results from the model space method and the commercial software RES2DINV.