Nearsurface electromagnetic responses: geological noise or fractal signals? Academic Article

abstract

• 2001 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Based on observations from two distinct settings, a faulted sandstone aquifer and a clay-rich alluvial oodplain, we present evidence that near-surface controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) responses are fractal signals. The observed responses are very rough; they do not show the statistical behavior of smoothly varying functions superimposed by random Gaussian noise. This suggests that CSEM signals re ect self-similarity in the underlying, heterogeneous electrical conductivity structure. The process of EM induction in the Earth thus may be regarded as a mapping from a fractal medium to a fractal response. This result poses exciting new challenges for numerical modeling and geological interpretation of CSEM responses in the areas of engineering and environmental geophysics and shallow resource development.

authors

• Everett, Mark

published proceedings

• SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2001

author list (cited authors)

• Everett, M. E., & Weiss, C. J.

citation count

• 0

publication date

• January 2001

publisher

• Society of Exploration Geophysicists  Publisher

published in

• SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts  Journal

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1190/1.1816371

start page

• 1427

end page

• 1430

volume

• 20

issue

• 1

URL

• http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1190%2F1.1816371