• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.550-564
• /
• 2009

When magnetotelluric (MT) data are obtained in the vicinity of the coast, the surrounding seas make it difficult to interpret subsurface structure, especially the deep part of the subsurface. We introduce an iterative method to correct the sea effect, based on the previous topographic correction method that removes the distortion due to topographic changes in seafloor MT data. The method first corrects the sea effect in observed MT impedance, and then inverts corrected response in a model space without the sea. Due to mutual coupling between the sea and the subsurface structure, the correction and inversion steps are iterated until the changes in each result become negligible. The method is tested for 1- and 2-D structures using synthetic MT data produced by 3-D forward modeling including surrounding seas. In all cases, the method closely recovers the true structure assumed to generate synthetic responses after a few iterations.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 1990

Controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) has the great advantage of efficient mapping resistivity distribution and relatively deep depth of investigation. Moreover, CSAMT may be regarded more attractive than audio-frequency magnetotelluric in the sense of the strong and controllable signal. However, it has the problem such as undershoot and/or near-field effect that is hard to be interpreted if the interpretation method of MT is directly applied. The problem arises from the existance of controlled source which makes CSAMT attractive. So the characteristics of CSAMT response should be thoroughly understood prior to interpretation stage. In this study, numerical modeling program for horizontally layered earth was developped for the interpretation of CSAMT field data. CSAMT field survey was run as a follow-up to resistivity dipole-dipole study over the same survey line at Bongmyung coal mine. The survey used a grounded dipole source 2 Km in length and located 7.5Km south in this study. A good agreement between field CSAMT data and calculated data was demonstrated even in geologically complex earth situations.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.37-50
• /
• 2024

The magnetotelluric (MT) survey can be affected by external environmental factors. In particular, when acquiring MT data in islands, it is essential to consider the combined effect of topography and sea to understand the results and make accurate interpretations. To analyze the MT response (apparent resistivity, phase) with consideration of the effect of topography and sea, a small cone-shaped island model surrounded by deep sea was created. Two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) forward modeling were performed on the terrain model considering topography and the island model considering both topography and sea. The 2-D MT response did not reflect the topographic and sea effect of the direction orthogonal to the 2-D profile. The 3-D MT response included topographic and sea effects in all directions. The XY and YX components of the apparent resistivity were separated on undulating topography, such as a hill. A conductor at 1 km below sea level could be distinguished from topographic and sea effects in the MT response, and low resistivity anomaly was attenuated at greater depths. This study will facilitate understanding of field data measured on small islands.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.123-134
• /
• 1999

Magnetotelluric responses may be affected by strong anisotropy of the high-conductivity layers (HCL) in the upper mantle or lower crust. We have studied two-dimensional anisotropy MT modelling to examine the effect of high anisotropic media. Electrical properties of a homogeneous anisotropic body are defined by a symmetric conductivity tensor and the problem is described by coupled diffusion equation in the frequency domain. In two-dimensional anisotropic environments, diagonal elements of the impedance tensor have higher values than those in isotropic environments. In some cases, TM mode phases reach more than 90°and apparent resistivities decrease for some frequency range because of telluric distortion. GB decomposition may be used to recover regional responses, but can be affected by the regional anisotropic effect. Considering these results, BC87 dataset was interpreted with a modified anisotropic model.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.136-147
• /
• 2004

In this study, the characteristics of magnetotelluric (MT) responses due to a three-dimensional (3-D) body are analyzed with 3-D numerical modeling. The first model for the analysis consists of a single isolated conductive body embedded in a resistive homogeneous half-space. The second model has an additional conductive overburden while the other conditions remain the same as the first one. The analysis of apparent resistivities shows well that the 3-D effects are dominant over some frequency range for the first model. Two mechanisms, current channeling and induction, for secondary electric fields due to the conductive body are analyzed at various frequencies: at high frequencies induction is more dominant than channeling, while at low frequencies channeling is more dominant than induction. Tippers have a strong relation to the position of anomalous body and the real and imaginary parts of induction vector also indicate the position of anomalous body. off-line conductive anomaly sometimes causes severe problem in 2-D interpretation. In such case, induction vector analysis can give information on the existence and location of the anomalous body. Each parameter of the second model shows similar responses as those of the first model. The only difference is that the magnitude of all parameters is decreased and that the domain showing the 3-D effects becomes narrower. As shown in this study, the analysis of 3-D effects provides a useful and effective means to understand the 3-D subsurface structure and to interpret MT survey data.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.153-164
• /
• 2009

We examined the regional 1-D deep resistivity structure of the Korean Peninsula using MT data acquired at seven sites located in the Kyongsang Basin and Kyonggi Massif. At the sites located in the Kyongsang Basin, surrounding sea distorts observed MT response and hence this distortion, so called "sea effect", is corrected using an iterative tensor stripping method. The 1-D layered inversion results for the seven MT sites reveal 4 layered structure, which is composed of 1) near surface layer, 2) upper crust, 3) lower crust and upper mantle, and 4) asthenosphere from the surface downward. Conrad interface, which is a boundary between upper and lower crust, is distinctly identified beneath all the MT sites. Conrad interface depth is estimated to about be 17km in the Kyongsang Basin and about 12km in the Kyonggi Massif, while the upper crust of the Kyongsang Basin is about 5 times more resistive than that of the Kyonggi Massif. Finally, asthenosphere is inferred to exist below a depth of approximately 100km with a resistivity of 200-300 ohm-m.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.99-108
• /
• 2008

To extend our detailed knowledge for the Hwasan caldera, we carried out magnetotelluric (MT) survey, which is pretty sensitive to electrical property variation in both horizontal and vertical direction of subsurface, across the Hwasan caldera with the direction of EW. The 2-D inversion results of observed MT data lead to following conclusions. Firstly, the depth of the basin basement inferred by the MT inversion results matches well with that suggested by previous potential studies, but the basement resistivity seems fairly low when compared to that of general case. This feature might be related with the large-scaled, highly conductive layer beneath the Euisung Sub-basin suggested by the previous MT study. Secondly, the high resistivity zones reaching to 4000 $\Omega{\cdot}m$ are imaged around two external ring fault boundaries. These zones are thought of as the response of the rhyolitic dykes intruding along the ring fault, and in the previous gravity data correspond to relatively high density anomalies. Thirdly, low resistivity zone reaching to 200 $\Omega{\cdot}m$ is detected around a depth of 1km beneath the central part of the caldera, which has not been yet reported in korean geophysical literatures. If we take account of the evolution model of the Hwasan caldera, this zone is regarded as the past sedimentary layer that subsided during the period of forming external ring fault system. In addition, the relatively low density anomaly observed in the central part of the caldera may be attributed to this sedimentary layer.