Seismic and electromagnetic fields in porous media

For the characterization of fluids in rocks, understanding wave propagation in poroelastic media is essential, and research was carried out on different aspects. It has been discovered that mesoscopic heterogeneities in the frame and the fluid are needed to explain wave attenuation in fluid-saturated porous media. Our research also showed that using the full waveform in predictions of poroelastic wave propagation sometimes characterises the medium properties much better than travel time and attenuation attributes alone.

Using complex resistivity measurements we study the electric response of heterogeneous porous media to electromagnetic disturbances. This provides fundamental understanding of the electric properties of porous media that is used in electromagnetic inversion. Through physical experiments on porous soil and rock samples, we study the coupled electromagnetic and seismic response of porous media. This confirms the validity of the existing theoretical model for these coupled wavefields.