Modelling tensor magnetic gradient responses in marine CSEM

Abstract

Conventional marine CSEM and tensor magnetic gradiometer measurements were compared over numerical models of idealised exploration targets in 1 km water columns. It was found that because of their low amplitudes, tensor gradiometer measurements present challenges. When background-normalised data were compared, it was found that tensor magnetic gradient data showed comparable amplitudes. It was also found that one tensor component showed little variation with the underlying model. This suggests that it might be used to estimate a background when seafloor topography or dipping strata are present.