
%0 Journal Article
%A Smith, R.S. 
%A Lee, T.J. 
%T The impulse-response moments of a conductive sphere in a uniform field, a versatile and efficient electromagnetic model
%J Exploration Geophysics
%D 2001/06/01
%V 32
%N 2
%P 113-118
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/EG01113
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/EG01113 
%X The impulse response moments of a conductive sphere in free space excited by a uniform magnetic field can be used to approximate the moments of a sphere in a dipolar field. The numerical computations are straightforward and the approximation is especially good for higher-order moments. The greatest discrepancy is seen on the zeroth-order moment when the radius of the sphere is large. It is possible to improve the accuracy for the zeroth-order moment by modelling the large-radius sphere (in a dipole field) as the combined response of multiple small-radius spheres (each in a locally uniform field). The small spheres are closely packed inside the larger sphere. The discrepancy can be reduced to less than 15% in this manner. The sphere in a uniform field can also be used to approximate the response of a body that has its currents constrained to flow in a plane with a specific orientation. This means that plate-like bodies or anisotropic spheres can also be modelled. The third-order moment has been calculated from data acquired during a MEGATEM airborne electromagnetic survey of the Reid-Mahaffy test site. There is an anomalous response in the third-order moment that can be modelled by a sphere at 170 m depth with a conductivity of 15 S/m and a radius of 40 m. The currents flowing in the sphere are constrained to flow in a vertical plane. This model is consistent with the geology of the area and a hole drilled to test the anomalous zone. 
