The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation

Ground penetrating Radar (GPR) is a high-frequency geophysical prospecting method whose signal is affected by dielectric permittivity (ε), electrical conductivity (σ) and magnetic permeability (μ), but it is common practice to assume that magnetic permeability has a negligible influence on electroma...

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Main Authors: Alejandra I. Sánchez, Luis A. Gallardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1632441/full
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author Alejandra I. Sánchez
Luis A. Gallardo
author_facet Alejandra I. Sánchez
Luis A. Gallardo
author_sort Alejandra I. Sánchez
collection DOAJ
description Ground penetrating Radar (GPR) is a high-frequency geophysical prospecting method whose signal is affected by dielectric permittivity (ε), electrical conductivity (σ) and magnetic permeability (μ), but it is common practice to assume that magnetic permeability has a negligible influence on electromagnetic (EM) fields in geophysical applications. In this paper, we analyze the distinctive effect of magnetic permeability on the radar signal. To evaluate the transit of an electromagnetic wave, we developed a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm that accounts for ε−,μ−, and σ− heterogeneities. Using a hypothetical coupled-layer model and an archaeological test example, we demonstrate the importance of considering magnetic permeability in numerical EM modeling, concluding that magnetic permeability is as relevant as the other property variations and also is the only property that simultaneously affects the velocity and attenuation of the electromagnetic wave and produces a unique energy partition unpredicted by any combination of the other two EM properties.
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spelling doaj-art-53d9cae4d66940f5aea6a24289f5e2b22025-08-20T05:32:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-08-011310.3389/feart.2025.16324411632441The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximationAlejandra I. SánchezLuis A. GallardoGround penetrating Radar (GPR) is a high-frequency geophysical prospecting method whose signal is affected by dielectric permittivity (ε), electrical conductivity (σ) and magnetic permeability (μ), but it is common practice to assume that magnetic permeability has a negligible influence on electromagnetic (EM) fields in geophysical applications. In this paper, we analyze the distinctive effect of magnetic permeability on the radar signal. To evaluate the transit of an electromagnetic wave, we developed a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm that accounts for ε−,μ−, and σ− heterogeneities. Using a hypothetical coupled-layer model and an archaeological test example, we demonstrate the importance of considering magnetic permeability in numerical EM modeling, concluding that magnetic permeability is as relevant as the other property variations and also is the only property that simultaneously affects the velocity and attenuation of the electromagnetic wave and produces a unique energy partition unpredicted by any combination of the other two EM properties.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1632441/fullarchaeological geophysicselectromagnetic propertiesground penetrating radar (GPR)magnetic permeabilityGPR modeling
spellingShingle Alejandra I. Sánchez
Luis A. Gallardo
The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
Frontiers in Earth Science
archaeological geophysics
electromagnetic properties
ground penetrating radar (GPR)
magnetic permeability
GPR modeling
title The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
title_full The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
title_fullStr The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
title_full_unstemmed The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
title_short The magnetic permeability signature in high-frequency electromagnetic data modeling: a case study for GPR approximation
title_sort magnetic permeability signature in high frequency electromagnetic data modeling a case study for gpr approximation
topic archaeological geophysics
electromagnetic properties
ground penetrating radar (GPR)
magnetic permeability
GPR modeling
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1632441/full
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