After nearly two decades of development, transient electromagnetic (TEM) 3D forward modeling technology has significantly improved both numerical precision and computational efficiency, primarily through advancements in mesh generation and the optimization of linear equation solvers. However, the dominant approach still relies on direct solvers, which require substantial memory and complicate the modeling of electromagnetic responses in large-scale models. This paper proposes a new method for solving large-scale TEM responses, building on previous studies. The TEM response is expressed as a matrix exponential function with an analytic initial field for a step-off source, which can be efficiently solved using the Shift-and-Invert Krylov (SAI-Krylov) subspace method. The Arnoldi algorithm is used to construct the orthogonal basis for the Krylov subspace, and the preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) method is applied to solve large-scale linear equations. The paper further explores how dividing the off-time and optimizing parameters for each time interval can enhance computational efficiency. The numerical results show that this parameter optimization strategy reduces the iteration count of the PCG method, improving efficiency by a factor of 5 compared to conventional iterative methods. Additionally, the proposed method outperforms direct solvers for large-scale model calculations. Conventional approaches require numerous matrix factorizations and thousands of back-substitutions, whereas the proposed method only solves about 300 linear equations. The accuracy of the approach is validated using 1D and 3D models, and the propagation characteristics of the TEM field are studied in large-scale models.

Overlying hard and thick igneous rocks pose numerous potential safety hazards during the exploitation of coal resources. Identifying the spatial distribution of igneous rocks and analyzing their impact on coal mining are a primary research concern. In this study, a coal mine was investigated in depth. Initially, based on the seismic information, the authors predicted the occurrence conditions of igneous rocks in coal measure strata. Subsequently, two models were developed via the UDEC software4.00: one with igneous layers and the other without. Using the simulation results, the change law of stress, the roof abscission layer, and roof strata subsidence in the overburden during coal face advancement were analyzed. Through a comparison of the simulation results, the hazard-causing mechanism of the igneous intrusion was discussed. Consequently, the occurrence of igneous rocks in the overburden is crucial for predicting potential safety hazards, and the seismic inversion method can be considered an effective tool for evaluating overlying igneous strata.

The traditional source uses a square wave with a fixed fundamental frequency to excite transient electromagnetic (TEM) fields, with harmonic energy primarily concentrated in the low-frequency range, limiting the detection resolution of the TEM. The differential pulse, composed of two square waves with identical pulse widths but opposite polarities, concentrates harmonic energy more effectively. By adjusting the pulse width of the differential pulse, the concentration frequency band of harmonic energy can be changed, enabling multi-resolution detection of geological structures at different depths. In this study, TEM fields are excited using differential pulses of varying pulse widths during power supply. A preconditioned precise integration time-sweeping wavefield reverse transformation method is applied to interpret the virtual wavefield from the diffusion field, effectively improving the numerical accuracy and noise resistance of the virtual wavefield. Then, the finite-difference migration imaging method is used to obtain imaging profiles for differential pulses of different pulse widths, and stacking techniques are applied to acquire high-resolution characteristics of electrical interfaces at various depths. Finally, the feasibility of the method is verified through a complex geological model. By comparing the relative anomalies of square waves and differential pulses with different pulse widths, the results show that the electromagnetic anomalies for differential pulses are increased by 53.7%. Therefore, using differential pulses as the excitation source leads to higher-resolution electromagnetic responses, which in turn result in high-resolution imaging.

In China, groundwater loss caused by underground coal mining is becoming increasingly serious. The key to groundwater restoration is to repair mining-induced water-conducting fractures (WCFs) in the overlying strata. In this study, the adsorption–consolidation sealing characteristics of chemical precipitates were used to conduct permeability reduction (PR) experiments, including adding mixed CaCO₃ and Fe(OH)₃ to a sandstone specimen with a single fracture at room temperature. An aqueous solution of Na₂CO₃ was used as the simulated groundwater, and a solution of mixed CaCl₂ and FeCl₂ was used as the repair reagent to simulate the water seepage conditions of a fractured rock mass. The two aqueous solutions were simultaneously injected into a single-fractured rock specimen at a constant flow rate. The experimental results show that the Fe(OH)₃ colloid encapsulated CaCO₃ crystals in a mixed precipitate, reducing the overall structural stability of the mixed precipitate and restricting repair and PR efficiency. However, the Fe(OH)₃ precipitate had better PR efficiency in the initial stage of the experiment. Therefore, a better scheme was put forward to repair the WCF, utilizing a mixed Fe(OH)₃ and CaCO₃ precipitate with a molar ratio close to 1:4 in the early stage and a single CaCO₃ precipitate in the later stage.