Geophysical characterization of a small pre-Alpine catchment

This paper presents an application of surface wave methods to the characterization of a small-scale mountain catchment. The area represents a well-identified hydrological catchment having a limited size and moderate slope. Geologically, the site is characterized by weathered basaltic rocks, with a large percentage of clay sediments, and strong lateral variability. The general aim of the investigation is to obtain structural information about the system to understand its hydrogeological and hydrological behavior, and particularly the identification of a solid bedrock. Electrical methods (surface electric resistivity tomography, and frequency domain electromagnetic methods) are strongly influenced by the presence of clay, and while they evidence differences between different areas of the catchment, these measurements could not highlight any significant bedrock. The high electrical conductivity prevented use of ground penetrating radar as a means of investigating the site structure. The p