1887
Volume 23, Issue 1-2
  • ISSN: 0812-3985
  • E-ISSN: 1834-7533

Abstract

Airborne electromagnetic (EM) methods are often used as a reconnaissance tool in mineral exploration. With the improvement of airborne transient EM (TEM) systems and interpretational techniques, more and more quantitative information can be obtained from airborne EM data. Thus we pose the question “is it possible to develop airborne TEM technology to be as effective in orebody detection as ground TEM techniques in the future?” Recently, we developed a fast approximate solution of transient EM response to a thin target buried under a thin conductive overburden. Using this solution, the signal-to-geological-noise ratios are computed for an airborne and a ground moving-loop configuration over a range of values of overburden conductance, target conductance and target depths. The results indicate that airborne TEM systems have potentially the same resolving capability as low or moderate power ground TEM systems for discrete targets. The key design features required to achieve this potential capability in airborne TEM systems are large system bandwidth (i.e. range of time windows) and large transmitter moment.

© 1992 ASEG
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1992-03-01
2026-01-15

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References

  1. Annan, A. P. (1990). ‘Benefits derived from the use of a fully digital transient airborne EM system.’ Extended Abstracts of the 60th SEG Annual Intern. Meeting, San Francisco. 693-695.
  2. Bartel, D. C., and Becker, A. (1988). ‘Time-domain electro-magnetic detection of a hidden target.’ Geophysics 53, 537-545.
  3. Eaton, P. A., and Hohmann, G. W. (1987). ‘An evaluation of electromagnetic methods in the presence of geologic noise.’ Geophysics 52, 1106-1126.
  4. Grant, F., and West, G. (1965). ‘Interpretation theory in applied geophysics.’ McGraw-Hill Book Co.
  5. Lazenby, P. G., de Carle, R., Lechow, W., and Becker, A. (1983). ‘Comparative INPUT surveys.’ Extended Abstracts of the SEG 53rd Annual Internat. Mtg., Tulsa.
  6. Liu, G., and Asten, M. (in prep.). ‘Fast approximate computation of transient electromagnetic response to a target buried beneath a conductive overburden.’ Submitted to Geophysics.
  7. McCracken, K. G., Oristaglio, M. L., and Hohmann, G. W. (1986). ‘Minimization of noise in electromagnetic exploration systems.’ Geophysics 51, 819-832.
  8. McNeill, J. D. (1982). ‘Interpretation of large-loop transmitter transient electromagnetic surveys.’ Extended Abstracts of the 52nd SEG Annual Intern. Meeting, Dallas, 373-374.
  9. Palacky, G. J., and West, G. F. (1991). ‘Airborne electromagnetic methods.’ In Nabighian, M. N., Ed., Electromagnetic Methods in Applied Geophysics - Application, Vol. 2, Part B. Society of Exploration Geophysicists.
/content/journals/10.1071/EG992197
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): airborne system; geological noise; orebody detection; Transient electromagnetic

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