Numerical Modelling of TEM Fields by the Edge-Based Finite Element Method Using Tetrahedral Element for Central Rectangular Loops

Abstract

In this study, we have implemented an edge-based finite element method for the numerical modeling of the transient electromagnetic method. We took the Helmholtz equation of the electric field as the governing equation for the edge-based finite element analysis. The modeling domain was discretized using linear tetrahedral mesh supported by Whitney-type vector basis functions. We inferred the equations by applying the Galerkin method. The system of equation was solved using a corrected version of the Bi Conjugate Gradient Stabilized Method (BiCGStab) algorithm to reduce the computational time. We obtained numerical solution for electric field in the Laplace domain; then the field was transformed into the time domain using the Gaver-Stehfest algorithm. Following this, the impulse response of the magnetic field was obtained through the Faraday law of electromagnetic induction as it is considerably more stable and computationally more efficient than inversion using the Fourier Transform. 3D geoelectric models were used to investigate the convergence of the edge-based finite element method with the analytic solution. The results are in good agreement with the analytical solution value for two resistivity contrasts in the 3D geoelectric brick model. We also compared the results of tetrahedral elements with the brick element in the 3D horizontal sheet and 3D conductive brick model. The results indicated that these two elements show very similar errors, but tetrahedral reflects fewer relative errors. For the low resistivity geoelectric model, numerical checks against the analytical solution, integral-equation method, and finite-difference time-domain solutions showed that the solutions would provide accurate results.