Magnetotelluric (MT) Method

Dr. Hendra Grandis

Graduate Program in Applied Geophysics
Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering ITB

Geophysical Methods

Techniques applying physical laws (or theory) to the

study of the solid earth

Estimation of subsurface physical property distribution by

measuring relevant parameters :
density

gravity

susceptibility

magnetic field

resistivity

electric field, electromagnetic field

seismic wave travel time

velocity

Geo-electromagnetic Methods

Dependence of electric and magnetic phenomena on the

conductivity of the medium can be exploited to study the
solid Earth

Methods to estimate subsurface electrical property

(resistivity)
resistivity) distribution by measuring EM fields:
Magnetotellurics (MT), ControlledControlled-Source AudioAudio-freq.
MT (CSAMT),
Transient EM, Very Low Freq. EM (VLF(VLF-EM),
Ground Probing Radar (GPR)

Electrical resistivities
of rocks

What is magnetotellurics (MT) ?

MT is a geophysical method to estimate subsurface

electrical property (resistivity
(resistivity or conductivity) distribution
by measuring natural EM fields

Source of MT signals comes from interaction of Earth

Earths
permanent magnetic field with particles from the solar
wind and with atmospheric lightning

no need for transmitter, simplifies the logistics

random signals, low S/N (dead band ~ 1 Hz)

Electromagnetic Induction
transmitter generates
time varying EM fields

induce Eddy currents in

the conductor (Earth)

generate secondary
magnetic field

electric and magnetic

fields sensed at the
receiver

natural electromagnetic field

f > 1 Hz

f < 1 Hz

Characteristics of MT method

Infinite distance of source sounding site

plane wave assumption, time invariance of the
source
simplifies analysis of the governing equations

Frequency domain and wide frequency bands

intermediate to deep investigation depth

Wide range of applications

regional scale geological studies/tectonics

mineral, geothermal and oil exploration

EM induction ~
wave diffusion
incident waves

surface

transmitted waves

reflected waves

spectral content, not

propagation parameters

MT field set-up

MT field set-up

MT time series

MT time series

MT time series

Electric (E) and magnetic (H) fields relationship

For a homogeneous or layered (1(1-D) medium

Ex = Z Hy

Z = scalar impedance

For a medium with 22-D symmetry

Ex = Zxy Hy
Ey = Zyx Hx

Zxy Zyx

For a general 33-D medium

Ex = Zxx Hx + Zxy Hy

Ey = Zyx Hx + Zyy Hy

Z = tensor impedance

E = ZH

Data processing

To extract impedance
tensor Z from
observed EM fields
(time series of E
and H)

Spectral analysis and

transfer function
estimation

Analysis of subsubsurface properties

contained in Z

MT framework

EM induction theory

relationship between electric (E) and magnetic (H)

phenomena

dependence of EM fields on electrical property

(resistivity or conductivity) of the medium

Observation of EM fields

correlation between horizontal components of EM

fields expressed as tensor impedance (Z)

Extraction of subsurface parameters from Z

EM theory (Maxwell
(Maxwells equations)

electric - magnetic phenomena

represented by the Maxwell
Maxwells equations

B(t)

_______

t
E(t)

E(t) =

B(t)

_______

electric - magnetic phenomena

represented by the Maxwell
Maxwells equations

J ( t) +

D(t)
_______
t

H(t)

H(t) = J(t) +

D(t)
_______
t

Resolving the Maxwell

Maxwells equations

Constitutive equations: B = H, J = E, D = E

Time dependency: exp (+ i t ), = 2 f = 2 / T

Neglecting electric displacement term (D) and variation

of = 0 = 4 10-7 H/m , = 0
Consider 11-D medium
resistivity varies only with depth: (z)
no vertical components of EM fields
horizontal components (Ex, Ey) and (Hx, Hy) vary with
z (but do not vary with x and y)

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 B(t)

The x component of ( E(t) = _______ )

2Ex
_______
z2

= i 0 Ex

The y component of

Ex
______
z

(1)

( E(t)

= i 0 Hy

B(t)

_______

(2)

Elementary solution to diffusion equation (1)

Ex = A exp( k z) + B exp(+ k z)

k = (i 0 /)1/2

Elementary solution to Maxwell

Maxwells equations in 11-D

Ex = A exp ( k z) + B exp (+ k z)
Hy =

k
________
i 0

(A exp ( k z) B exp (+ k z))

EM fields as function of depth (z > 0 downwards)

terms with A represent attenuation of EM fields with
increasing depth

terms with B represent attenuation of EM fields with

decreasing depth ("reflected" waves)

A and B are constants to be determined from

boundary conditions

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Amplitude attenuation of EM fields

attenuation with
increasing
depth (z > 0)

attenuation with
decreasing
depth (z < 0)

Homogeneous halfhalf-space medium (with external

sources, i.e. MT)

no resistivity interface at depth, i.e. no "reflection

"reflection
EM fields tend to zero at great depth
no terms with B
Ex = A exp ( k z)
Hy =

k
________
i 0

A exp ( k z)
attenuation with
increasing
depth (z > 0)

12

Homogeneous halfhalf-space medium

k = (i 0 /)1/2 = + i

= ( 0.5 0 / )1/2

Ex = A exp ( z) exp ( i z)
amplitude decay

sinusoidal term

A(z)
amplitude of EM fields decays
exponentially with depth and
becomes negligible at certain
depth

Skin effect and penetration depth

Skin effect = exponential EM wave attenuation with

depth

Skin depth () = depth in a homogeneous medium

at which the amplitude becomes 1/e of that at the
surface

A() = A exp ( ) = A exp (1)

= ( 2 / 0)1/2 500 ( T )1/2
in meter, in Ohm.m,
Ohm.m, in seconds
Skin depth is associated to penetration depth of EM

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Skin effect and penetration depth

500 ( T )1/2
Lower frequency
(or higher period) and
higher resistivity
~ slower attenuation
~ deeper penetration

Principles of MT sounding,
i.e. wide frequency band
measurement probes
different parts (depths)
of the subsurface
z

Homogeneous halfhalf-space medium

impedance, proportionality between E and H

Ex = A exp ( k z)
Hy =
Zxy =

k
________
i 0
Ex
_____
Hy

A exp ( k z)
=

i 0
_______
k

= ( i 0 )1/2

Z0 = intrinsic impedance

14

Homogeneous halfhalf-space medium

intrinsic impedance
Z0 = ( i 0 )1/2
Z0 = ( 0.5 0 )1/2 + i ( 0.5 0 )1/2
resistivity and impedance phase
=

1
______

| Z 0 |2
0

Im (Z0)
= tan1 [ __________
Re (Z0)

Homogeneous halfhalf-space medium

intrinsic impedance
Z0 = ( i 0 )1/2
impedance
(theoretical)

homogeneous
halfhalf-space

resistivity and phase

=
resistivity
(inferred)

1
______
0

| Z0 |

= tan

Im (Z0)
__________

[ Re (Z ) ]
0

impedance
(measured)

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Measurement and data processing

Measurement of orthogonal EM fields (time series)

Ex , Ey , Hx , Hy

Data processing to extract impedance tensor

Ex = Zxx Hx + Zxy Hy
E = ZH

Ey = Zyx Hx + Zyy Hy

Apparent resistivity and phase

a(ij)
ij) =

1
______

| Zij |2
0

Im (Zij)
1 __________
(ij)
ij) = tan [
Re (Zij)

Apparent resistivity and phase sounding curves

plot of log10 a vs. T and vs. T

qualitatively represent resistivity as function of depth

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Apparent resistivity and phase sounding curves

RESISTIVITY (Ohm.m)
1

100

1000

100

10

obs. data
calc. data
1
90

PHASE (deg.)

10

100

DEPTH (m)

APP. RESISTIVITY (Ohm.m)

1000

1000

45

0
0.001

0.01

0.1

10

100

1000

10000

PERIOD (sec.)

Summary

Electromagnetic induction concepts

MT framework:
Measured parameters model parameters relationship

Maxwell
Maxwells equations:
solution for simplest medium
skin effect and penetration depth
MT sounding principles

MT raw data MT sounding curve

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