Tikhonov Regularization of Electrical Conductivity Depth Profiles in Field Soils

Electromagneetic induction is an established, noninvasive technique for measuring the apparent electrical conductivity of soils and contaminants in soils and aquifers. Nevertheless, the noninvasive determination of electrical conductivity depth profiles using only aboveground electromagnetic induction measurements remains difficult since it involves ill‐posed inverse problems. Tikhonov regularization is an established technique for the solution of ill‐posed linear inverse problems. We used Tikhonov regularization for estimating the electrical conductivity depth profile of the soil from aboveground electromagnetic induction measurements. Results from the inversion of sets of Geonics EM‐38 measurements are reported. It was found that this technique is superior to other inverse techniques previously reported in the literature.