• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.268-274
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• 2007

Traditional two-dimensional (2D) interpretation of magnetotelluric (MT) data utilizes only transverse magnetic (TM)-mode data, because 2D inversion of transverse electric (TE)-mode data results in spurious features when 3D structures exist in the subsurface. The application of a 3D inversion algorithm to a single MT profile can reduce contamination due to off-profile anomalies and help us to incorporate TE-mode data in the interpretation. In this study, we conduct 2D and 3D inversions of MT data observed along two lines in Jeju Island. First, we invert apparent resistivities and phases in the TM and TE modes separately. Then, we perform 2D joint inversion of both TM- and TE-mode data and 3D inversion of both Zxy- and Zyx-mode data corresponding to TE- and TM-mode data in 2D. The resistivity images derived from all four data show that the geoelectrical structure in Jeju Island is a three-layered earth with the resistive-conductive-resistive stratigraphy within a depth of 5 km. The 3D inversion does not produce clear anomalies in the reconstructed profile image, while all of 2D do. This attributed to the possibility that 2D inversion results are distorted by exiting off-profile 3D anomalies in Jeju. With 3D inversion of 2D profile MT data, we can deduce more reliable results that are not seriously distorted by off-profile 3D anomalies.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.199-206
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• 2003

Characteristics of the static shift are discussed by comparing the three-dimensional MT inversion with/without static shift parameterization. The galvanic distortion by small-scale shallow feature often leads severe distortion in inverted resistivity structures. The new inversion algorithm is applied to four numerical data sets contaminated by different amount of static shift. In real field data interpretations, we generally do not have any a-priori information about how much the data contains the static shift. In this study, we developed an algorithm for finding both Lagrangian multiplier for smoothness and the trade-off parameter for static shift, simultaneously in 3-D MT inversion. Applications of this inversion routine for the numerical data sets showed quite reasonable estimation of static shift parameters without any a-priori information. The inversion scheme is successfully applied to all the four data sets, even when the static shift does not obey the Gaussian distribution. Allowing the static shift parameters have non-zero degree of freedom to the inversion, we could get more accurate block resistivities as well as static shifts in the data. When inversion does not consider the static shift as inversion parameters (conventional MT inversion), the block resistivities on the surface are modified considerably to match possible static shift. The inhomogeneous blocks on the surface can generate the static shift at low frequencies. By those mechanisms, the conventional 3-D MT inversion can reconstruct the resistivity structures to some extent in the deeper parts even when moderate static shifts are in the data. As frequency increased, however, the galvanic distortion is not frequency independent any more, and thus the conventional inversion failed to fit the apparent resistivity and phase, especially when strong static shift is added. Even in such case, however, reasonable estimation of block resistivity as well as static shift parameters were obtained by 3-D MT inversion with static shift parameterization.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.261-266
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• 2007

An efficient three-dimensional (3D) inversion of magnetotelluric (MT) data can be carried out by using approximate sensitivities or avoiding the calculation of a full sensitivity matrix. In this paper, we propose approximate sensitivities for efficient 3D MT inversion based on the Gauss-Newton method and test and compare four kinds of sensitivities. Applying the four sensitivities to both synthetic and field data shows that the effects of sensitivities are highly dependent on data and thus applying various combinations of sensitivities is recommended for efficient inversion and good images.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.259-267
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• 2007

An efficient algorithm for inverting static-shifted magnetotelluric (MT) data has been proposed to produce a three-dimensional (3D) resistivity model. In the Gauss-Newton approach, computational costs associated with construction of a full sensitivity matrix usually make 3D MT inversion impractical. This computational difficulty may be overcome by using approximate sensitivities. We use four kinds of sensitivities in particular orders in the inversion process. These sensitivities are computed 1) analytically for an initial, homogeneous earth, 2) exactly for a current model, 3) approximately by the Broyden method, and 4) approximately using the previous adjoint fields. Inversion experiments with static-shifted synthetic and field MT data indicate that inversion results are highly dependent on characteristics of data and thus applying various combinations of sensitivities is helpful in obtaining a good image of the subsurface structure with reasonable computation time.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.95-103
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• 2014

This paper presents a practical inversion method for recovering a three-dimensional (3D) resistivity model and static shifts simultaneously. Although this method is based on a Gauss-Newton approach that requires a sensitivity matrix, the computer time can be greatly reduced by implementing a simple and effective procedure for updating the sensitivity matrix using the Broyden's algorithm. In this research, we examine the approximate inversion procedure and the weighting factor ${\beta}$ for static shifts through inversion experiments using synthetic MT data. In methods using the full sensitivity matrix constructed only once in the iteration process, a procedure using the full sensitivity in the earlier stage is useful to produce the smallest rms data misfit. The choice of ${\beta}$ is not critical below some threshold value. Synthetic examples demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper is effective in reconstructing a 3D resistivity structure from static-shifted MT data.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.184-196
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• 2008

We perform MT soundings in Bendigo, the northern part of Victoria, Australia, to investigate the deep subsurface geologic structure. The primary purpose of this survey is to figure out whether the discontinuity such as faults extends northward. The time series of MT signal were measured over 11 days at 71 measurement stations together with at remote reference, which help enhance the quality of impedance estimation and its interpretation. The impedances are estimated by robust processing using remote reference technique and then inverted with 2D MT 2D inversion. We can see that known faults are clearly imaged in MT 2D inversion. Comparing resistivity images from MT 2D inversion with interpreted boundary from reflection seismic exploration, two interpretations match well each other.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.390-397
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• 2003

A three-dimensional (3D) inversion technique has been developed for interpretation of magnetotelluric (MT) data. The inversion method is based on the linearized least-squares (Gauss-Newton) method with smoothness regularization. In addition to the underground 3D resistivity distribution, static shifts are also treated as unknown parameters in the inversion. The forward modeling is by the staggered-grid finite difference method. A Bayesian criterion ABle is applied to search the optimum trade-off among the minimization of the data misfit, model roughness and static shifts. The method has been applied to several MT datasets obtained at geothermal fields in Japan and other Asian countries. In this paper, two examples will be discussed: one is the data at the Ogiri geothermal area, southwestern Japan, and the other is at the Pohang low-enthalpy geothermal field, southeastern Korea. The inversion of the Ogiri data has been performed stably, resulting in a good fitting between the observed and computed apparent resistivities and phases. The recovered 3D resistivity structure is generally similar to the two-dimensional (2D) inversion models, although the deeper portion of the 3D model seems to be more realistic than that of the 2D model. The 3D model is also in a good agreement with the geological model of the geothermal reservoirs. 3D interpretation of the Pohang MT data is still preliminary. Although the fitting to the observed data is very good, the preliminary 3D model is not reliable enough because the station coverage is not sufficient for a 3D inversion.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2004

This article reviews recent developments in three-dimensional (3-D) magntotelluric (MT) imaging. The inversion of MT data is fundamentally ill-posed, and therefore the resultant solution is non-unique. A regularizing scheme must be involved to reduce the non-uniqueness while retaining certain a priori information in the solution. The standard approach to nonlinear inversion in geophysis has been the Gauss-Newton method, which solves a sequence of linearized inverse problems. When running to convergence, the algorithm minimizes an objective function over the space of models and in the sense produces an optimal solution of the inverse problem. The general usefulness of iterative, linearized inversion algorithms, however is greatly limited in 3-D MT applications by the requirement of computing the Jacobian(partial derivative, sensitivity) matrix of the forward problem. The difficulty may be relaxed using conjugate gradients(CG) methods. A linear CG technique is used to solve each step of Gauss-Newton iterations incompletely, while the method of nonlinear CG is applied directly to the minimization of the objective function. These CG techniques replace computation of jacobian matrix and solution of a large linear system with computations equivalent to only three forward problems per inversion iteration. Consequently, the algorithms are efficient in computational speed and memory requirement, making 3-D inversion feasible.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.267-272
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• 2007

Uiseong subbasin belonging to Kyungsang basin resulted from volcanic activity in the late Cretaceous. In this study, we carry out MT and gravity survey at the Hwasan caldera, which was formed of volcanic and abyssal rocks complex, then analyze and identify geological substructure. Potential survey such as gravity and magnetic survey has been mainly carried out in former studies, so depth information for understanding substructure was not enough. To complement a potential survey, we use MT method, which has high vertical resolution. Moreover we make a simple 2D model comparing with former study. The result of MT and gravity 2D modeling shows that this area is roughly composed of 3 layers; The bottom layer is a basement. In the second layer, intrusive rocks having high resistivity is placed along the ring faults and the sedimentary layer of low resistivity is inside caldera. The highest layer is alluvium. To comprehend the 3D structure of the Hwasan caldera, we perform 3D gravity inversion, and construct the 3D model from the result of 3D gravity inversion. MT responses are calculated by using the constructed 3D model and the 3D model of the Hwasan caldera's structure is suggested after comparing the calculated values with the observed values at MT line.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.286-301
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• 2008

When magnetotelluric (MT) data are obtained in vicinity of the coast, the sea can distort observed MT responses, especially those of deep part of subsurface. We introduce an iterative method to correct the sea effect, based on the previous topographic correction method which removes the distortions due to topographic changes in seafloor MT data. The method first corrects the sea effect in observed MT impedance, and then inverts corrected responses in a model space without the sea. Due to mutual coupling between sea and subsurface structure, the correction and inversion steps are iterated until changes in each result become negligible. The method is validated for 1-D and 2-D structure using synthetic MT data produced by 3-D forward modeling including surrounding seas. In all cases, the method closely recovers the given structure after a few iterations. To test the applicability of the proposed method to field data, we generate synthetic MT data for the Jeju Island whose 1-D conductivity structure is well known, using 3-D forward modeling. The distortions due to the surrounding sea start to appear below the frequency about 1 Hz, and are relatively severe in the electrical field perpendicular to the coastline because of the location of the observation sites. The proposed method successfully eliminates the sea effect after three iterations, and both 1-D and 2-D inversion of corrected responses closely recover the given subsurface structure of the Jeju Island model.