ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The need for information about the depth extend of the buried targets was one of the main reasons for the development of the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The term implies that automated multiplexers are used for data acquisition which are subsequently inverted by some mathematical scheme. The present work presents the merits of resistance mapping and also its drawbacks which created the need to apply ERT in archeological prospection. An algorithm for inverting resistivity data is presented in brief both in its 2-D and 3-D versions. Examples of 2-D ERTs demonstrate the potential of the method and also its applicability and efficiency in treating problems of the archaeological research.The employment of the method for large scale surveys is discussed and a practical scheme to collect tomographic data along the resistance survey is presented. The scheme is based on the modification of a widely used commercial system. Its use reduces significantly the effort and time required to carry out a large scale ERT survey. The pseudo 3-D images obtained by combining parallel tomographic profiles are compared against the full 3-D inversion of the data. A practical guide is presented for the production of acceptable and reliable full 3-D tomographic images when 2-D data are used which have been collected along parallel traverses.
