Near-surface electromagnetic induction — Introduction

Abstract

There has been explosive growth in near-surface electromagnetic (EM) induction geophysics in the past several years (Everett, 2012). New and experienced practitioners are achieving great success in applying the method to an increasing variety of problems. Moreover, theorists are becoming better able to exploit the rich information content that is available in electromagnetic induction data sets. The EM induction method, with its broad opportunities to design new transmitters, receivers, and interpretation tools, continues to offer wide avenues to capture the spatial complexity of the subsurface. This special Geophysics issue brings forward the latest achievements, which should stimulate interest across a broad spectrum of geophysicists, as well as set the tone for continuing developments in this field. This special issue contains advances in theory, instrumentation, data processing and interpretation, and innovative applications of near-surface applied EM induction geophysics. The range of topics is varied and, as described below, includes modeling and inversion, airborne electromagnetics, hydrogeophysics, soil science, audiomagnetotellurics, unexploded ordnance (UXO) discrimination, archaeology, geothermal mapping, and joint inversion of EM and magnetic resonance sounding data. Vrbancich analyzes helicopter time-domain EM data acquired over shallow seawater overlying reefs and sediment-filled paleovalleys. A favorable comparison is shown of water depths and sediment thickness derived from 1D inversion with known bathymetry and independent marine seismic …