Hybrid parametric/smooth inversion of electrical resistivity tomography data

The standard smooth electrical resistivity tomography inversion produces an estimate of subsurface conductivity that has blurred boundaries, damped magnitudes, and often contains artifacts. In many problems the expected structure is well constrained in some parts subsurface, but incorporating prior information not a trivial task. this study we developed algorithm combines parametric strategies. regions where constrained, model was parameterized with only few variables, while rest voxels. We tested hybrid strategy on two synthetic models contained highly resistive or conductive near-surface horizontal layer target beneath. each testing scenario, improved resolution feature boundaries magnitudes had fewer artifacts than inversion. A sensitivity analysis showed successfully recovered features when range regularization parameters, initial models, data noise levels were tested. can potentially be expanded to applications including marine surveys, permafrost/frozen ground studies, urban geophysics, anywhere allows part simple geometric shapes.