Magnetotelluric Data Analysis Using Phase Tensor and Tipper Strike to Determine Geoelectrical Strike in “DKH” Geothermal Field

Abstract

The magnetotelluric (MT) method is passive geophysical method that measures natural electromagnetic field to estimate the subsurface resistivity structure. Before conducting 2D MT data inversion, data analysis, dimensionality, including determining the direction of the geoelectrical strike must be performed. It is needed to fulfill the assumption of 2D MT modeling. 2D modeling of magnetotelluric data is an important part because the results can determine the quality of the subsurface interpretation. Therefore, this paper describes the determination of the dimensonality and geoelectrical strike using the phase tensor and tipper strike parameters. The invariant parameters of phase tensor including skew angle (β) and ellipticity are used to get the information about the dimensionality and geoelectrical strike. The results from the phase tensor are plotted in a rose diagram to determine the main direction of the geoelectrical strike. The phase tensor analysis contains ambiguity 90°, therefore tipper strike used to validate the analysis. From the analysis, the result shows the 1D or 2D structures of the MT data in high frequency, meanwhile the lower frequency, the majority of the data show 3D structures. The dominant geoelectrical strike is around N15°E and it is confirmed with the regional structure of the area. Determination of dimensionality and geoelectrical strike are applied to MT data from the geothermal field.