Patent ID: 8078439

Claim:
A method of simulating the signal of a virtual electromagnetic source in conducting an electromagnetic survey, comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a configuration for a virtual electromagnetic source to be simulated, and calculating its dimensions; (b) locating a dipole source at a first excitation location, said first excitation location corresponding to a first segment of said virtual electromagnetic source; (c) energizing the dipole source; (d) measuring an electromagnetic signal at one or more receiver locations, wherein said one or more receivers and said dipole source are real items of electromagnetic surveying hardware; (e) repeating steps b, c and d for one or more additional excitation locations, each said additional excitation location corresponding to an additional, sequential segment of said virtual electromagnetic source; and (f) using a computer to combine the measured electromagnetic signals using the electromagnetic source superposition principle so as to simulate the signal of the virtual electromagnetic source.