Comments on: "Ambiguity in induced polarization time constants and the advantage of the Pelton model" (Andreas Weller and Lee Slater, 2022, G eophysics, 87, no. 6, E393-E399)

The underlying Cole-Cole model of the frequency dependence of complex conductivity and resistivity predicts two time constants that are not identical but which are related to each other. The shorter time constant τσ predicts the current response to a voltage step and, in various models of a mineralized grain, is related to the intrinsic properties of the polarizable component, whereas the longer time constant τρ, which predicts the voltage response to a current step, is dependent on intrinsic material properties and also the relative volume of polarizable material as defined through chargeability. As a consequence, although we agree with most of the conclusions of the original paper, the specification τσ instead of τρ in reference tables will simplify.