Integral equation method for simulation of electromagnetic fields in nonhomogeneous conducting media (Q1128398)

Mathematical modeling of electromagnetic fields in nonhomogeneous conducting media is frequently employed in various applied problems. In particular, it is the basis for the theory of electromagnetic methods in geophysical prospecting for mineral deposits. Electromagnetic methods in geophysics utilize the fact that the structure of the Earth's crust and interior is closely linked with the distribution of electrical conductivity in the Earth. It is for this reason that electromagnetic prospecting usually seeks to determine the three-dimensional distribution of electrical conductivity from surface observations of the electromagnetic field as a function of the coordinates of the observation point and some additional parameter (source location, field frequency, or time). The solution of the inverse problem of electromagnetic sounding naturally relies on repeated solution of the direct problem. The mathematical modeling methods threrefore should ensure rapid computation of fields for a large number of close models. The integral equation method meets these requirements. We consider the most general model that represents the actual structure of the Earth by a homogeneous-stratified medium with a local three-dimensional conducting inclusion and apply a mixed iterative method for its numerical solution.