Method of pseudotopography: A new approach to analysis of magnetovariational and magnetotelluric data

Abstract

The method of pseudotopography is a new mode of representing magnetotelluric and magnetovariational data based on a 3-D generalization of geoelectric pseudosections widely used at the stage of qualitative interpretation. The paper considers a synthetic model whose layers, imitating the sedimentary cover, crust, and upper mantle, contain a poorly conductive and a few highly conductive prisms differing in strike. The pseudotopography of apparent resistivities demonstrates the static superposition effect: the effects of near-surface chaotic heterogeneities (geoelectric noise) together with the near-surface and crustal prisms are superimposed on the effect of the mantle prism, distorting the information on the deep structure of the Earth. However, the pseudotopographies of the Wiese-Parkinson matrix, horizontal magnetic tensor, phase tensor, and phases of the impedance tensor are free from the superposition effect: arising at definite frequencies, geoelectric noise and the effects of the shallower prisms decay with decreasing frequency, making the effects of deeper prisms recognizable. Thus, it is clearly demonstrated that magnetovariational and phase estimates, being independent of static distortion, can provide reliable information on the deep structure of the Earth and significantly enhance the effectiveness of magnetotellurics.