Helicopter-borne Electromagnetic Research Articles

Airborne Electromagnetic Survey over the Touro Copper VMS World Class Deposit (NW Spain): Geological and Geophysical Correlation

Electromagnetic (EM) methods belong to the main geophysical techniques used in the mineral exploration of massive sulphides. For selecting EM anomalies as possible massive sulphide targets, it is important to combine the geophysical results with other geological and/or geochemical techniques. In 2015, Atalaya Mining started a new mineral exploration project in the Touro Cu deposit, combining geological, geochemical (ore over 0.2% Cu), and geophysical techniques. The geophysical survey consisted of helicopter-borne EM using the versatile time-domain electromagnetic (VTEM™) max system operated by Geotech Ltd. with full-waveform processing. In total, 509 line-km of geophysical data were acquired during the survey that was completed in 2018. The results showed the massive sulphide Touro ore to be typically of the order of 0.25 ohm·m (4S/m conductivity) and host rock in the range of 1000–30,000 ohm·m, measured directly on the drill core. This modelling agreed well with the sub-horizontal dips observed for the known Touro ore bodies. The conductance modelled by the plate estimation of the VTEM data were also in good agreement with those provided by Geotech Ltd. and the resistivity/conductivity measurements we made on the massive sulphide samples from several Touro ore bodies. The combination of flat dips, good conductance, shallow depth, and, lastly, lack of conductive overburden or noneconomic conductive stratigraphy, i.e., graphitic shales and sulphide iron formation make the Touro project an ideal target for airborne electromagnetic prospecting. This paper presents the excellent correlation observed between the EM airborne anomalies and the massive sulphide blocks of the Touro copper deposit. Favourable factors contributing to the success of the survey were the high contrast in resistivity/conductivity between the massive sulphide Touro ore and the amphibolite host rock and minimal interference from “nuisance” conductors, such as graphitic shales.

Comparison of Airborne Electromagnetic and Ground-based Resistivity Observations: Case Study Banda Aceh Basin

Airborne measurements are very useful to cover very large areas. Nine month after the Aceh Tsunami and Earthquake in 2004, BGR (Federal Institute for Geoscience and Natural Resources) conducted a fresh water supply exploration survey within a project called Helicopter Project Aceh (HELP ACEH). The helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) device operates at five frequencies. The HEM can estimate the 1D resistivity models down to a depth of 150 m for the high electrical resistivity areas and 50 m for low electrical resistivity areas. In this paper, the airborne data of 2005 are compared with resistivity data acquired in Banda Aceh basin in 2018. The HEM output consists of 1D resistivity models derived by inversion of the processed data. These 1D resistivity models are compared with the 2D resistivity models derived from ground-based resistivity measurements. However, the 2D models on the ground are transformed into 1D resistivity models so it can be used for comparison. The transformation is conducted by averaging the resistivity values in the each layer, so every layer only has one resistivity value. Both methods are influenced by many factors. For example, resistivity on the ground is affected by local conditions. The airborne measurements are also influenced by objects that are at the surface of the ground. In some cases, the airborne resistivity models have some differences in absolute resistivity values, but they often have the same structural pattern compared with the ground-based resistivity models.

A comparison of 2D inversion of RMT and 1D weighted joint inversion of ground-based and helicopter-borne electromagnetic data

A Pleistocene buried valley, the Cuxhaven Valley, located in Northern Germany, is extensively studied by three different electromagnetic methods. In order to enhance the resolution of the very shallow subsurface structures, the radiomagnetotelluric (RMT) measurements were conducted on the buried valley in addition to the helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) and transient electromagnetic (TEM) data, which were available from the study area along the same profile. First, the RMT soundings are interpreted using the conventional 1D and 2D inversion algorithms. The RMT interpreted models inferred two-layer structure of the subsurface up to a depth of 30 m, which comprises a resistive layer at the top. Available lithological data is used for correlating the resistivity values derived from the 2D inversion of the RMT data with the subsurface formation. Subsequently, a 1D weighted joint inversion algorithm is utilized to interpret these three data sets jointly. The 2D interpreted models of RMT soundings are compared with the 1D weighted joint interpreted models of RMT, HEM, and TEM soundings.

Coastal groundwater systems: mapping chloride distribution from borehole and geophysical data

Information on chloride (Cl) distribution in aquifers is essential for planning and management of coastal zone groundwater resources as well as for simulation and validation of density-driven groundwater models. We developed a method to derive chloride concentrations from borehole information and helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) data for the coastal aquifer in the Elbe-Weser region where observed chloride and electrical conductivity data reveal that the horizontal distribution of salinity is not uniform and does not correlate with the coastline. The integrated approach uses HEM resistivity data, borehole petrography information, grain size analysis of borehole samples as well as observed chloride and electrical conductivity to estimate Cl distribution. The approch is not straightforward due to the complex nature of the geology where clay and silt are present. Possible errors and uncertainties involved at different steps of the method are discussed.

Sea-ice thickness from field measurements in the northwestern Barents Sea

The Barents Sea is one of the fastest changing regions of the Arctic, and has experienced the strongest decline in winter-time sea-ice area in the Arctic, at -23 +/- 4% per decade. Sea-ice thickness in the Barents Sea is not well studied. We present two previously unpublished helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) ice thickness measurements from the northwestern Barents Sea acquired in March 2003 and 2014. The HEM data are compared to ice thickness calculated from ice draft measured by ULS deployed between 1994 and 1996. These data show that ice thickness varies greatly from year to year; influenced by the thermodynamic and dynamic processes that govern local formation vs long-range advection. In a year with a large inflow of sea-ice from the Arctic Basin, the Barents Sea ice cover is dominated by thick multiyear ice; as was the case in 2003 and 1995. In a year with an ice cover that was mainly grown in situ, the ice will be thin and mechanically unstable; as was the case in 2014. The HEM data allow us to explore the spatial and temporal variability in ice thickness. In 2003 the dominant ice class was more than 2 years old; and modal sea-ice thickness varied regionally from 0.6 to 1.4 m, with the thinner ice being either first-year ice, or multiyear ice which had come into contact with warm Atlantic water. In 2014 the ice cover was predominantly locally grown ice less than 1 month old (regional modes of 0.5–0.8 m). These two situations represent two extremes of a range of possible ice thickness distributions that can present very different conditions for shipping traffic; or have a different impact on heat transport from ocean to atmosphere.

A cut-&-paste strategy for the 3-D inversion of helicopter-borne electromagnetic data — II. Combining regional 1-D and local 3-D inversion

As a standard procedure, multi-frequency helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) data are inverted to conductivity–depth models using 1-D inversion methods, which may, however, fail in areas of strong lateral conductivity contrasts (so-called induction anomalies). Such areas require more realistic multi-dimensional modelling. Since the full 3-D inversion of an entire HEM data set is still extremely time consuming, our idea is to combine fast 1-D and accurate but numerically expensive 3-D inversion of HEM data in such a way that the full 3-D inversion is only carried out for those parts of a HEM survey which are affected by induction anomalies. For all other parts, a 1-D inversion method is sufficient. We present a newly developed algorithm for identification, selection, and extraction of induction anomalies in HEM data sets and show how the 3-D inversion model of the anomalous area is re-integrated into the quasi-1-D background. Our proposed method is demonstrated to work properly on a synthetic and a field HEM data set from the Cuxhaven tunnel valley in Germany. We show that our 1-D/3-D approach yields better results compared to 1-D inversions in areas where 3-D effects occur.

Airborne and ground geophysical mapping of coastal clays in Eastern Friesland, Germany

Coastal areas such as the German Bight are at risk from storms and rising sea level that may affect the hydrogeologic setting. Because knowledge of the distribution of clayey sediments is important for understanding the current status of this dynamic setting, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) has focused on geophysical research projects on the North Sea coast applying airborne and ground geophysics. The airborne system operated by BGR was used to survey a 20- by 31-km large coastal area in Eastern Friesland, Germany, including the islands of Langeoog and Spiekeroog. Helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) data were collected at six frequencies. In addition, the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics commissioned a SkyTEM survey covering a 2-km-wide north–south strip. On the island of Langeoog, ground geophysical methods, such as transient electromagnetics (TEM) and magnetic resonance soundings (MRS) were used to investigate the hydrogeologic setting in greater detail. Onshore, the airborne electromagnetic results clearly outlined a complex electrically conductive pattern occurring at a shallow depth. Comparison with borehole results provided by the State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology confirmed that these conductors were caused by clayey material, particularly down to an approximate 20-m depth. This pattern continues offshore, and it is likely that the saltwater is linked to stripes of clayey sediments and the fresh groundwater flows out to the Wadden Sea in between. On the islands, the HEM results revealed the freshwater lenses and showed some indications for clay layers within these freshwater lenses. The application of TEM and MRS helped to distinguish lithology from salinity and confirmed the existence of these clay layers. We demonstrated the usefulness of combining the spatial airborne data with geophysical and borehole data available at sparsely distributed sites on the ground to investigate hydrogeologic settings.

Power line ground resistance detection using helicopter electromagnetic systems

Power line grounding can be a serious concern for the power supply industry. Only a small amount of ground resistance is acceptable because a good electric contact of power line towers with the earth reduces the possibility of the natural hazard associated with lightning. We investigated the possibility of using helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) apparatus to detect the ground resistances of power line towers. Two induction systems were considered: a transmitter-earth-receiver system and a power line loop-earth-receiver system. The transmitter-earth-receiver system built the background signal in the HEM receiver, whereas the power line loop-earth-receiver system produced the signal used for resolving the power line ground resistances. By ignoring the mutual coupling between the two systems, we calculated the induced electromotive forces in the power line loop above which the HEM bird was flown and its two immediate neighbor loops. We replaced other loops along the power line with the Norton-Thevinin equivalence and solved the current flow in the power line loop by the mesh current method. Using the current in the power line loop as induction source, we calculated the electromagnetic responses in the HEM receiver from the power line loop-earth-receiver system. For identification of the poorly grounded towers, we introduced ratios of in-phase and quadrature to signal amplitude and the HEM phase. We evaluated numerical experiments showing that these parameters can well identify power line towers with high ground resistances, and they were insensitive to the flight altitude and direction. Moreover, we also took the catenaries of the power line into consideration so that the elevation differences between towers resulting from rugged mountains could be easily incorporated into the interpretation. We considered vertical coaxial (VCA) and horizontal coplanar (HCP) coil configurations. It was found that the signal for HCP coil has multiple peaks, whereas the VCA coil signal has only a single peak, so we recommend the VCA coil array for power line ground resistance detection. The inversion of synthetic data showed that the power line ground resistances can be resolved from the HEM survey.

Calculation of One-dimensional Forward Modelling of Helicopter- borne Electromagnetic Data and a Sensitivity Matrix Using Fast Hankel Transforms

The helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) frequency-domain exploration method is an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) technique that is widely used for vast and rough areas for resistivity imaging. The vast amount of digitized data flowing from the HEM method requires an efficient and accurate inversion algorithm. Generally, the inverse modelling of HEM data in the first step requires a precise and efficient technique provided by a forward modelling algorithm. The exact calculation of the sensitivity matrix or Jacobian is also of the utmost importance. As such, the main objective of this study is to design an efficient algorithm for the forward modelling of HEM frequency-domain data for the configuration of horizontal coplanar (HCP) coils using fast Hankel transforms (FHTs). An attempt is also made to use an analytical approach to derive the required equations for the Jacobian matrix. To achieve these goals, an elaborated algorithm for the simultaneous calculation of the forward computation and sensitivity matrix is provided. Finally, using two synthetic models, the accuracy of the calculations of the proposed algorithm is verified. A comparison indicates that the obtained results of forward modelling are highly consistent with those reported in Simon et al. (2009) for a four-layer model. Furthermore, the comparison of the results for the sensitivity matrix for a two-layer model with those obtained from software is being used by the BGR Centre in Germany, showing that the proposed algorithm enjoys a high degree of accuracy in calculating this matrix.

Electromagnetic divergence correction for 3D anisotropic EM modeling

Until now, the application of divergence correction has been focusing on the electromagnetic (EM) isotropic modeling. However, in regions where the earth demonstrates strong electrical anisotropy due to lamina or faults saturated with water, the traditional divergence corrections may not be working for EM modeling. In this paper, based on the divergence-free property of the current density, we propose a divergence correction technique to speed up the EM modeling process for a 3D arbitrarily anisotropic earth. The volume current density weighting method is adopted for the discretization of divergence correction, so it can be applied to non-uniform grid model. By enforcing the constraints associated with the divergence-free property, the quasi-minimal residual (QMR) iterations and the total computational time for the EM modeling are largely reduced. Furthermore, we discuss how to divide the QMR process into sections and the influence of the number of iterations and the normalized residual on the solution process. We take a helicopter-borne EM system over a 3D earth with arbitrarily electrical anisotropy as an example to examine the effectiveness of our anisotropic divergence correction technique on the EM modelings.

Numerical modelling of climate change impacts on freshwater lenses on the North Sea Island of Borkum using hydrological and geophysical methods

Abstract. A numerical, density dependent groundwater model is set up for the North Sea Island of Borkum to estimate climate change impacts on coastal aquifers and especially the situation of barrier islands in the Wadden Sea. The database includes information from boreholes, a seismic survey, a helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) survey, monitoring of the freshwater-saltwater boundary by vertical electrode chains in two boreholes, measurements of groundwater table, pumping and slug tests, as well as water samples. Based on a statistical analysis of borehole columns, seismic sections and HEM, a hydrogeological model is set up. The groundwater model is developed using the finite-element programme FEFLOW. The density dependent groundwater model is calibrated on the basis of hydraulic, hydrological and geophysical data, in particular spatial HEM and local monitoring data. Verification runs with the calibrated model show good agreement between measured and computed hydraulic heads. A good agreement is also obtained between measured and computed density or total dissolved solids data for both the entire freshwater lens on a large scale and in the area of the well fields on a small scale. For simulating future changes in this coastal groundwater system until the end of the current century, we use the climate scenario A2, specified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and, in particular, the data for the German North Sea coast. Simulation runs show proceeding salinisation with time beneath the well fields of the two waterworks Waterdelle and Ostland. The modelling study shows that the spreading of well fields is an appropriate protection measure against excessive salinisation of the water supply until the end of the current century.

Accurate 1D forward and inverse modeling of high-frequency helicopter-borne electromagnetic data

Frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) data are commonly interpreted using quasistatic approximations in forward and inverse solutions. At high-frequencies ([Formula: see text]), the accuracy of this approach is often insufficient. Implementation of a full solution of the forward problem that includes displacement currents in both subsurface and air, however, may cause singularity problems during numerical evaluation of the secondary field integral using Hankel or Laplace transforms, particularly at high frequencies. These effects can be reduced by a wavenumber shift during numerical evaluation, a transformation of the integral by partial integration, or a combination of both. Based on these corrections, the resulting forward responses obtained with various fast Hankel transforms or numerical Laplace transforms are nearly identical. The inversion of HEM data also requires some modification. For a half-space inversion, the parameter sets, such as look-up tables, linear or polynomial approximations have to be modified for frequencies above some 10 kHz. The quasistatic formulas used in multi-layer inversion procedures have to be replaced by the accurate formulas. Fortunately, singularity problems are restricted to the forward calculation as the derivatives of the Jacobian matrix are not affected. Accurate high-frequency forward and inverse modeling enables a successful usage of helicopter-borne electromagnetics for near-surface investigations and expands the range of applications in environmental and geotechnical issues.

Application of frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetics for groundwater exploration in urban areas

Airborne geophysical methods have been used successfully in groundwater exploration over the last decades. Particularly airborne electromagnetics is appropriate for large-scale and efficient groundwater surveying. Due to the dependency of the electrical conductivity on both the clay content of the host material and the mineralisation of the water, airborne electromagnetics is suitable for providing information on groundwater resources, water quality, aquifer conditions and protection levels. Frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems are used to investigate near-surface groundwater occurrences in detail even in rough terrain and populated areas. In order to reveal the subsurface conductivity distribution, the quantities measured, the secondary magnetic fields, are generally inverted into resistivity–depth models. Due to the skin-effect the penetration depths of the electromagnetic fields depend on the system characteristics used: high-frequency data describe the shallower parts of the conducting subsurface and the low-frequency data the deeper parts. Typical maximum investigation depths range from some ten metres (highly conductive saltwater saturated sediments) to several hundred metres (resistive hard rocks). In urban areas there are a number of man-made sources affecting the electromagnetic measurements. These effects on the secondary field values are discussed on the basis of synthetic data as well as uncorrected and corrected field data. The case histories of different hydrogeological setups in Indonesia, The Netherlands and Germany demonstrate that airborne electromagnetics can be applied to groundwater exploration purposes even in urban areas.

Utilizing airborne electromagnetic data to map groundwater salinity and salt store at Chowilla, SA

The Chowilla floodplain in South Australia is part of the Bookmark Biosphere Reserve with wetlands supporting a wide range of plants and animals, and has provided recreational opportunities to the general public (MDBC, 2006). However, the threats from saline groundwater and salt accumulation at the surface, combined with the overall low rainfall and the lack of natural flooding events in the recent past, have had a negative consequence for vegetation health, especially the river red gums. Information on the spatial patterns of groundwater salinity and the near surface (top 15 m) salt stores in the floodplain is integral to our understanding of floodplain hydrological processes that may be active in the Lower Murray Basin of Australia. This information can be used to help develop appropriate remedial activities for the management of ecologically important wetlands and in particular assist in the maintenance of a healthy vegetation community. A helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) survey was conducted across the floodplain in conjunction with a validation drilling and borehole geophysical logging program. Based on the laboratory results from cored sediments and their pore fluids, we report on the salinity and salt store models calculated from the inverted HEM data.

Observations of sea ice thickness, surface roughness and ice motion in Amundsen Gulf

Ice thickness and surface roughness measurements of first‐year (FY) sea ice were collected with a fix‐mounted helicopter‐borne electromagnetic (HEM) ‐laser system in Amundsen Gulf in April to May 2004. The modal ice thickness values are in good qualitative agreement with different ice types identified in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery and shown on ice charts produced by the Canadian Ice Service. Modal ice thickness values which generally represent level ice thicknesses were about 2.0 m over landfast ice. A large range of modal ice thicknesses was observed in the mobile ice region, with values of about 0.2 m (young ice) in leads (where there was high radar backscatter), 0.6 m (thin FY ice) in the polynya (where there was medium to high backscatter), and about 1.1–1.9 m (thick FY ice) elsewhere. High surface roughnesses are strongly associated with high radar backscatter in SAR imagery, and are observed in areas of large shear. The ratio of the standard deviations of ice draft and averaged roughness in an area of landfast ice is in good agreement with the ratio of the standard deviations of ice draft and ice‐equivalent roughness expected from isostasy, with constant level ice and snow thickness. However, the standard deviation of ice‐equivalent roughness may be significantly underestimated, due to differences in snow thickness between level and deformed ice, and limitations of the laser processing method. Modal ice (plus snow) thicknesses measured with the HEM system are within the range of historical values measured at Cape Parry.

Levelling of helicopter-borne frequency-domain electromagnetic data

For about three decades helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) measurements have been used to reveal the resistivity distribution of the upper one hundred metres of the earth's subsurface. HEM systems record secondary fields, which are 3–6 orders of magnitude smaller than the transmitted primary fields. As both the primary fields and the secondary fields are present at the receivers, well-designed bucking coils are often used to reduce the primary fields at the receivers to a minimum. Remaining parts of the primary fields, the zero levels, are generally corrected by subtracting field values recorded at high altitudes (standard zero levelling) or estimated from resistivities of neighbouring lines or from resistivity maps (advanced zero levelling). These zero-levelling techniques enable the correction for long-term, quasi-linear instrumental drift. Short-term variations caused by temperature changes due to altitude variations, however, cannot be completely corrected by this procedure resulting in stripe patterns on thematic maps. Statistical methods and/or 2-D filter techniques called statistical levelling (tie-line levelling) and empirical levelling (microlevelling), respectively, used to correct stripe patterns in airborne geophysical data sets are, in general, not directly applicable to HEM data. Because HEM data levelling faces the problem that the parameter affected by zero-level errors, the secondary field, differs from the parameter generally levelled, the apparent resistivity. Furthermore, the dependency of the secondary field on both the resistivity of the subsurface and the sensor altitude is strongly nonlinear. A reasonable compromise is to microlevel both half-space parameters: apparent resistivity and apparent depth, followed by a recalculation of the secondary field components based on the half-space parameters levelled. Advantages and disadvantages of the diverse levelling techniques are discussed using a HEM data set obtained in a hilly region along the Saale River between the cities of Saalfeld and Jena in central Germany. It turns out from a comparison of apparent resistivity and apparent depth maps derived from levelled HEM data that manually advanced zero levelling of major level errors and automatic microlevelling of remaining minor level errors yield the best results.

A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetics in frequency- and time-domain at the Cuxhaven valley in Northern Germany

Two different airborne electromagnetic methods were applied in the same area: the frequency-domain helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) system operated by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Germany, and the time-domain SkyTEM system of the HydroGeophysics Group at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. For verification of and comparison with the airborne methods, ground-based transient electromagnetics and 2-D resistivity surveying were carried out. The target of investigation was the Cuxhaven valley in Northern Germany, which is a significant local groundwater reservoir. The course of this buried valley was revealed by drillings and the shape was determined by reflection seismics at several cross sections. We applied electrical and electromagnetic methods to investigate the structure of the valley filling consisting of gravel, sand, silt and clay. The HEM survey clearly outlines a shallow conductor at about 20m depth and a deeper conductor below 40m depth inside the valley. This is confirmed by 2-D resistivity surveying and a drilling. The thickness of the deeper conductor, however, is not revealed due to the limited investigation depth of the HEM system. The SkyTEM survey does not resolve the shallow conductor, but it outlines the thickness of the deeper clay layer inside the valley and reveals a conductive layer at about 180m depth outside the valley. The SkyTEM results are very consistent with ground-based transient electromagnetic soundings. Airborne electromagnetic surveying in general has the advantage of fast resistivity mapping with high lateral resolution. The HEM system is cost-efficient and fast, but the more expensive and slower SkyTEM system provides a higher depth of investigation. Ground-based geophysical surveys are often more accurate, but they are definitively slower than airborne surveys. It depends on targets of interest, time, budget, and manpower available by which a method or combination of methods will be chosen. A combination of different methods is useful to obtain a detailed understanding of the subsurface resistivity distribution.

A novel approach to the model appraisal and resolution analysis of regularized geophysical inversion

The existing techniques for appraisal of geophysical inverse images are based on calculating the model resolution and the model covariance matrices. In some applications, however, it becomes desirable to evaluate the upper bounds of the variations in the solution of the inverse problem. It is possible to use the Cauchy inequality for the regularized least-squares inversion to quantify the ability of an experiment to discriminate between two similar models in the presence of noise in the data. We present a new method for resolution analysis based on evaluating the spatial distribution of the upper bounds of the model variations and introduce a new characteristic of geophysical inversion, resolution density, as an inverse of these upper bounds. We derive an efficient numerical technique to compute the resolution density based on the spectral Lanczos decomposition method (SLDM). The methodology was tested on 3D synthetic linear and nonlinear electromagnetic (EM) data inversions, and also to interpret the helicopter-borne EM data collected by INCO Exploration in the Voisey’s Bay area of Canada.

Comparison of geophysical investigations for detection of massive ground ice (pingo ice)

Six different geophysical investigations, (1) ground‐penetrating radar, (2) DC resistivity sounding, (3) seismic refraction, (4) very low frequency (VHF) electromagnetic, (5) helicopter borne electromagnetic (HEM), and (6) transient electromagnetic (TEM) techniques, were employed to obtain information on the ice body properties of pingos near Fairbanks, Alaska. The surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were also compared from similar sites near one of the study pingos. The geophysical investigations were undertaken, along with core sampling and permafrost drilling, to enable measurement of the ground temperature regime. Drilling (ground truthing) results support field geophysical investigations, and have led to the development of a technique for distinguishing massive ice and overburden material of the permafrost. The two‐dimensional DC resistivity sounding tomography and ground‐penetrating radar profiling are useful for ice detection under heterogeneous conditions. However, the DC resistivity sounding investigation required high‐quality ground contact and less area coverage. The active layer thickness and the homogeneous horizontal structure of the overburden material are important parameters influencing detection of massive ice in permafrost for most methods such as seismic, TEM, or surface NMR.

Robust 1D inversion and analysis of helicopter electromagnetic (HEM) data

Ground-based electrical and electromagnetic methods are used systematically for quantitative hydrogeologic investigations in Denmark. In recent years, a desire for faster and more cost-efficient methods has led to growing interest in the possibility of using airborne systems, and in 2001 a number of test flights were performed using a frequency-domain, helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) system. We perform a theoretical examination of the resolution capabilities of the applied system. Quantitative model parameter analyses show that the system only weakly resolves conductive, near-surface layers but can resolve layer boundary to a depth of more than 100 m. Modeling experiments also show that the effect of altimeter errors on the inversion results is serious. We suggest a new interpretation scheme for HEM data founded solely on full nonlinear 1D inversion and providing layered-earth models supported by data misfit parameters and a quantitative model-parameter analysis. The backbone of the scheme is the removal of cultural coupling effects followed by a multilayer inversion that in turn provides reliable starting models for a subsequent few-layer inversion. A new procedure for correlation in the model space ensures model sections with slow lateral variations in resistivity, normally assumed in sedimentary environments. A field example from a Danish survey demonstrates that the interpretation scheme can produce satisfactory results within the limitations of the system.