On the estimation of the maximum depth of investigation of transient electromagnetic soundings: the case of the Vizcaino transect, Mexico

We test an approach proposed in the literature for estimating the maximum depth of investigation (MDI) of in-loop transient electromagnetic soundings (TEM) with data from the Vizcaino transect, a profile of 38 TEM soundings crossing the Baja California peninsula. The validity of this approach is con...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Flores, Carlos, Romo, José M., Vega, Mario
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:México
Recursos:UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL AUTÓNOMA DE MÉXICO
Repositorio:Geofísica Internacional
Idioma:español
inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:revistagi.geofisica.unam.mx:article/410
Acesso em linha:http://revistagi.geofisica.unam.mx/index.php/RGI/article/view/410
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:sondeos electromagnéticos transitorios
profundidad máxima de investigación
polarización inducida
transient electromagnetic soundings
maximum depth of investigation
induced polarization
Descrição
Resumo:We test an approach proposed in the literature for estimating the maximum depth of investigation (MDI) of in-loop transient electromagnetic soundings (TEM) with data from the Vizcaino transect, a profile of 38 TEM soundings crossing the Baja California peninsula. The validity of this approach is confirmed by comparing the MDI with the deepest interface of 16 stratified models. In these soundings, all located over the Vizcaino basin, the measured data are not affected by induced polarization. The models indicate the presence of a dipping conductor interpreted as a zone of seawater intrusion with a large lateral extension of over 70 km. The remaining 22 soundings, located over igneous and metamorphic rocks, show reversals in the voltage polarity, indicating the presence of induced polarization effects. The layered Cole-Cole models for these soundings suggest a significant decrease in the MDI. This is confirmed by analyzing the depth behavior of the subsurface current densities. We further analyze the noise level of a data set comprising close to 2000 late-time voltages of about 400 TEM sites acquired in northwestern Mexico. No difference was found between the stationary noise levels of winter and summer, presumably because near thunderstorms are practically absent in this part of Mexico.