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Inversion of magnetotelluric data in the presence of strong bathymetry/topography
Author(s) -
Li Shenghui,
Booker John R.,
Aprea Claudia
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical prospecting
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.735
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1365-2478
pISSN - 0016-8025
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2478.2007.00677.x
Subject(s) - bathymetry , magnetotellurics , inversion (geology) , geology , seafloor spreading , geophysics , geodesy , remote sensing , seismology , tectonics , electrical resistivity and conductivity , oceanography , electrical engineering , engineering
We describe an algorithm for inverting magnetotelluric (MT) data in the presence of strong bathymetry or topography. Instead of correcting distortions due to bathymetry or topography we incorporate them directly into the inversion. To achieve a high accuracy in computing MT responses we use finite‐difference approximations that permit sloping discrete boundaries inside model elements. The same approach is applicable to any seafloor electromagnetic calculation and can also be used to incorporate steep topography on land. We test our approach on various topographic features and compare our results to that of a finite element approach. Finally, we present inversion examples that illustrate the effectiveness of our inversion algorithm in recovering true subsurface structures in the presence of strong bathymetry and topography.