Magnetotelluric results along the N-S Curnamona seismic traverse to the east of Lake Frome, South Australia

Summary

Magnetotelluric data were acquired for Geoscience Australia by contract along the north-south 08GA-C1 Curnamona seismic traverse to the east of Lake Frome from November 2008 to January 2009 as part of the Australian Government’s Onshore Energy Security Program. 25 sites were spaced an average of 10 km apart, and five-component broadband data were recorded with a frequency bandwidth of 0.001 Hz to 250 Hz and dipole lengths of 100 m.

Apparent resistivity and phase plots are presented, along with dimensional analyses of the data based on rotational invariants, the representation of the data by the phase tensor, and Parkinson arrows. These analyses provide insight into the complexity of the Earth conductivity giving rise to the MT responses and are a useful precursor to modelling.

Key words::

• Magnetotelluric
• apparent resistivity
• conductivity
• Parkinson arrow
• phase ellipse
• Curnamona