Geological Behavior (GBR)

INTEGRATING SEISMIC REFRACTION IMAGING AND ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TOMOGRAPHY TO DELINEATE AQUIFER ZONES IN SELECTED AREAS AROUND MARABAN RIDO, KADUNA

October 8, 2025 Posted by sarah In Geological Behavior (GBR)

ABSTRACT

INTEGRATING SEISMIC REFRACTION IMAGING AND ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TOMOGRAPHY TO DELINEATE AQUIFER ZONES IN SELECTED AREAS AROUND MARABAN RIDO, KADUNA

Journal: Geological Behavior (GBR)
Author: Halima Haruna, Abdullah Musa Ali

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

DOI: 10.26480/gbr.02.2025.72.80

This research is aimed at integrating Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) methods to delineate potential aquifer zones in parts of MarabanRido, Kaduna, Northwest, Nigeria. The research area, located in Kaduna South, features a mix of deposits and basement rock formations, making it a challenging region for groundwater exploration. The ERT survey utilized the ABEM Terrameter SAS 4000 with multi-electrode configurations, while the SRT employed a 24-channel ABEM Terraloc Pro2 seismic acquisition system. Data from both methods were processed using advanced software—RES2DINV for ERT and ReflexW for SRT to generate 2D resistivity and velocity models. The topsoil layer exhibits a seismic velocity range of 650 to 800 m/s and a resistivity range of 50 – 400Ωm, overlying a weathered basement with seismic velocity range of 900 to 2000 m/s with resistivity values between 500 and 1000Ωm. A third layer with velocities from 920 to >1384 m/s corresponds to resistivity values of 2058–9486 Ωm, indicative of moderately to highly weathered granite transitioning into fresh basement rock. The average overburden thickness is approximately 8 m, with basement depths around 20 m. The depth ranges and structural patterns interpreted from the ERT data align strongly with the SRT results, confirming the reliability of the integrated geophysical approach. The strong correlation between wave velocity and resistivity distributions allowed for accurate identification of groundwater-bearing zones, particularly within fractured and weathered basement complexes. This integrated method proves to be a reliable tool for hydrogeological investigations in crystalline hard rock terrains, supporting its application in groundwater explanation.
Pages 72-80
Year 2025
Issue 2
Volume 9

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