The spectral induced polarisation response of triassic sandstone from the UK

The Permo-Triassic sandstones form the second most important aquifer in the United Kingdom (U.K.) supplying about 25% of licensed groundwater abstractions in England and Wales (Allen et al., 1997). Geophysical methods have shown to have important applications in locating and characterising contaminants and determining the hydrological properties of the sandstone. In particular, SIP spectra of Triassic sandstone from the U.K. have already been shown to change dramatically with contamination (Scott and Barker, 2001). Low frequency Spectral Induced Polarisation (SIP) has been used to measure the electrical properties of samples of Triassic sandstone from around the U.K. in order to characterise the different SIP responses of this sandstone. Here we present the work carried out so far.