The possibility of electrical stratification in the Earth as disclosed by surface‐measurements of currents and potentials

Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union
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Abstract

Early application of electricity to the ground was of interest particularly to telegraphy especially when it was first commercially applied. There was available at that time the Newtonian analysis of sources and sinks in a semi‐infinite medium which could be applied directly to ground‐contacts. Experiments conducted at that time showed that, while the electrical ground‐resistivity was a factor, it was under engineering control. In computing the resistance of a ground‐contact, Kennelly [see 1 of “References” at end of paper] equated the conducting surface buried in the ground to that of a hemisphere in a medium having a uniform resistivity, and the values so secured were within the safe limits of operation of telegraph‐ and cable‐lines. Later Ollendorf [2] gave a very much more detailed solution of a large number of different types of ground‐contacts for which was computed the current‐ and potential‐distribution in the ground immediately around the ground‐electrode. Wenner [3] also gave a classical solution for the measurement of ground‐resistivity by using separate current‐ and potential‐contacts to the ground which was good practice for measuring the resistivity of metal conductors.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The possibility of electrical stratification in the Earth as disclosed by surface‐measurements of currents and potentials
Series title Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union
DOI 10.1029/TR020i003p00383
Volume 20
Issue 3
Year Published 1939
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Description 7 p.
First page 383
Last page 389
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