Inversion of self-potential of idealized bodies’ anomalies using particle swarm optimization

The particle swarm optimization (PSO) method was applied to the inversion of single and multiple self-potential (SP) data anomalies caused by buried bodies with simple geometry like spheres, cylinders and inclined sheets. The inversion parameters are the depth of the body, the location of the anomaly, the electric current dipole moment, the polarization angle or the inclination angle and the half-width in the sheet-like body case. The algorithm was tested on synthetic data with single and multiple SP anomalies and applied to two experimental data from Surda area (India) and Vilarelho da Raia (Portugal). The inversion results showed good agreement with the previous results obtained using other techniques. The great advantage of the PSO method is that it is fast and does not require assumptions about the shape of the source of the SP anomaly.