Deep Geoelectrical Structure of the Central and Western Ukraine

The results of deep induction sounding in Ukraine made in the twenty-first century with the participation of the author have been summarized, including also a number of data obtained in the previous decades. The apparent resistivity and magnetic transfer function on the territories of western Ukraine and eastern Poland have been analyzed. The articulation of these data with the regional magnetic variation soundings allowed taking into account the influence of a static shift of areal interpretation of magnetotelluric resistivity results, which increased the reliability of interpretation. The analysis of induction sounding performed with 1D, 2D, and 3D inversions of magnetic transfer functions allowed localizing the crustal anomalies. The results are discussed.     

Audiomagnetotelluric soundings on White Island volcano

Audiomagnetotelluric soundings in the frequency range 100-1 Hz have been made at three locations within the crater region of White Island volcano, New Zealand. Exceptionally low apparent resistivities are prevalent. Despite the possibility of terrain effects and static shift, and the three-dimensional nature of the island, the measured values appear to be indicative of the true electrical structure. One-dimensional modelling of the E polarisation responses has been used to obtain approximations to the electrical structure beneath each site. The results suggest a variable depth to the acid hydrothermal system which is believed to underly the crater region, with low resistivities coming closest to the surface near the active fumaroles of Donald Mound.     

On the 3-D inversion of vertical electrical soundings: Application to the South Ismailia area—Cairo desert road, Cairo, Egypt

A code for 3-D resistivity modelling and inversion of vertical electrical soundings has been developed based on the finite-element technique and regularisation method. Synthetic data were used to test the effectiveness of the code and to examine the resolving capability of the Schlumberger array in investigating 3-D resistivity distributions. The code was applied to experimental data set constituted by 35 Schlumberger soundings collected near the Cairo city in order to study the subsurface resistivity distribution. The results have shown that valuable imaging of the subsurface resistivity distribution can be constructed even when the vertical electrical soundings are acquired in a sparse field data set.     

Characteristics of the tropopause over India

Summary A statistical study of the reported height variations of the tropopause over Indian latitudes has been taken up in the present investigation. The analysis show two types of tropopause (1) the tropical tropopause, and (2) the extratropical tropopause. The latitudinal movement of the extratropical tropopause and the height variation of tropical tropopause with seasons are examined. The tropical tropopause near equatorial latitudes shows a lowering of the height during monsoon months (summer months) contrary to the normal expected structure. The characteristics of this equatorial tropopause are examined in relation to meteorological parameters of the troposphere and stratosphere.     

GEOELECTRIC INVESTIGATIONS OF A FAULT SYSTEM IN QUATERNARY DEPOSITS*

Geoelectric soundings were used to investigate the younger fault activity (Middle and Early Pleistocene) of the southwestern fault margin area of the Central Graben (and extension of the Rhine Graben) in the southern Netherlands and northern Belgium. Some effects of this fault activity can still be observed in the present geomorphology and hydrography. Investigations have been concentrated on the uppermost 20–30 m, consisting mainly of Middle and Early Pleistocene fluviatile deposits. Marshy clays and loams are most conductive. They alternate with large sand beds and gravelly gully infillings, characterized by high specific resistivities. Problems in the interpretation of the geoelectric data, caused by the variability of the deposits, are partially solved by in-situ resistivity measurements (“mini-electric” measurements). In spite of the lithologic inhomogeneity, a few marker horizons allow the geologic structure to be determined. Some new tectonic boundaries have been traced. The movements along the faults during the Quaternary are very small (less than 10 m). Therefore, the network of soundings has to be very dense and a very intensive analysis of the soundings is necessary. The results also have a hydrogeologic significance. This project illustrates the possibility of locating small tectonic structures in relatively inhomogeneous deposits by a detailed and carefully designed geoelectric survey.     

Gaussian character of the distribution of magnetotelluric results working in log-space

The distribution of individual values of the apparent resistivities given by two M-T soundings made over two different kinds of subsurface geology is described and computed. This distribution is Gaussian only if the logarithm of the resistivity values are used. Consequently, a statistical stability is obtained when the mean and standard deviation are calculated in log-space. Log-space is a mathematical space that may have one or more logarithmical dimensions; in this case two.     

Updraft properties deduced statistically from Rawin soundings

Between 1966 and 1973, National Severe Storms Laboratory mesonetwork soundings were taken near thunderstorms and squall lines. Thirty-four of these soundings sampled updrafts at various levels. Because of instrumental noise and atmospheric fine structure, many of the individual soundings were hard to interpret. However, significant results were obtained from the data as a whole and from the four fastest updraft cases. Typically, the updrafts were associated with moderate thunderstorms that formed in baroclinic regions with maritime tropical air near the surface overlaid by drier air aloft. The immediate environments were potentially, conditionally, and latently unstable but were stable with respect to parcel displacement from the lifted condensation level. The updrafts were generally located in regions of strong radar reflectivity gradient at 0° antenna tilt. The updraft soundings often showed pseudo-adiabatic lapse rates immediately above the updraft condensation level. Statistical analysis of the data confirms that updrafts are warm core at mid- and upper levels and that they are relatively cool at low levels (below 700 mb). Important effects of perturbation pressure gradient forces are emphasized. We also find that local updraft speed is positively correlated at the 95% confidence level with local potential wet-bulb temperature between 0.9 and 9.3 km MSL. The average vertical velocity is a maximum at a relatively low height (4.8 km MSL); this agrees with other experiments that involve tracking objects released below cloud base. However, flight train icing and other extraneous factors may be influencing this result. The average horizontal winds in the updraft and environment agree with recent conceptual Great Plains thunderstorm models.     

Simple relative space–time scaling of electrical and electromagnetic depth sounding arrays: implications for electrical static shift removal and joint DC-TEM data inversion with the most-squares criterion

A simple scaling relationship is shown to facilitate comparison, correlation and integration of data recorded using the common experimental configurations in electrical and electromagnetic depth sounding. Applications of the scheme to field data from typical geological and landfill environments show that it is robust and, where transient electromagnetic (TEM) data are available, enables easy identification and quantification of electrical static shift (galvanic distortion) in magnetotelluric and direct current (DC) sounding curves. TEM‐based procedures are suggested for both the direct removal of static shift in DC sounding curves and effective joint data inversion with the most‐squares criterion in the presence of static shift. A case study of aquifer characterization using sounding data from borehole sites in the Vale of York in England shows that static shift is a common problem in this glacial‐covered terrain and demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed joint DC‐TEM inversion strategy in handling distorted soundings.     

Results of Crust and Mantle Soundings in Central and Northern Europe in the 21st Century (Review)

The first decade of 21st century is characterized by the appearance of new approaches to deep induction soundings. The theory of magnetovariation and magnetotelluric soundings was generalised or corrected. Spatial derivatives of response functions (induction arrows) were obtained for the ultra-long periods. New phenomena have been detected by this method: secular variations of the Earth’s apparent resistivity and the rapid changes of induction arrows over the last 50 years. The first one can be correlated with the number of earthquakes, and the second one–with geomagnetic jerks in Central Europe. The extensive studies of geoelectrical structure of the crust and mantle were realized in the frame of a series of international projects. New information about geoelectrical structures of the crust in Northern Europe and Ukraine was obtained by deep electromagnetic soundings involving controlled powerful sources. An influence of the crust magnetic permeability on the deep sounding results was confirmed.     

The Assimilation of GPS Radio Occultation Data and its Impact on Rainfall Prediction along the West Coast of India during Monsoon 2002

In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-2.0.3.1) model with three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) was utilized to study a heavy rainfall event along the west coast of India with and without the assimilation of GPS occultation refractivity soundings in the monsoon period of 2002. The WRF model is a next-generation mesoscale numerical weather prediction system designed to serve both operational forecasting and atmospheric research communities. The Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) refractivity data, processed by UCAR, were obtained from the CHAMP and SAC-C missions. This study investigates the impact of thirteen GPS occultation refractivity soundings only, as assimilated into the WRF model with 3DVAR, on the rainfall prediction over the western coastal mountain of India. The model simulation, with the finest resolution of 10 km, was in good agreement with rainfall observations, up to 72-h forecast. There are some subtle but important differences in predicted rainfalls between the control run CN (without the assimilation of refractivity soundings) and G13 (with the assimilation of thirteen GPS RO soundings). In general, the assimilation run G13 gives a better prediction in terms of both rainfall locations and amounts at later times. The moisture increments were analyzed at the initial and forecast times to assess the impact of GPS RO data assimilation. The results indicate that remote soundings in the forcing region could have significant impacts on distant downstream regions. It is anticipated, based on this study, that considerably occultation soundings available from the six-satellite constellation of FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC would have even more significant impacts on weather prediction in this region.     

Structural mapping in basin-and-range-like geology by electromagnetic methods: a powerful aid to seismic

A case history is presented where electromagnetic (EM) methods were applied as a complement to seismic, for structural mapping in basin-and-range-like geology: 366 five-component magnetotelluric (MT) soundings were carried out together with 331 transient soundings (TDEM) along seismic lines. Due to high structural complexity, seismic shows a number of limitations. For the same reasons, MT is highly perturbed and three specific interpretation techniques were comprehensively applied: 1. a classical correction of static effect using TDEM sounding, to determine the high-frequency nondistorted apparent resistivities and thus the corrected tensor; 2. a so-called regional correction based upon the same concept as the static effect, to transform distorted resistivity curves due to the horst/graben situation into plausible 1D curves, through the use of nomograms built for 2D H-polarization situations; 3. a stripping technique which made it possible to map areas where a deep conductive Mesozoic shale was present below carbonates, at a depth of 3 km. After the best MT interpretation was obtained along each line, it was integrated with seismic and with the results from two boreholes. A crude empirical law relating resistivity and acoustic velocity was established and the MT horizons were plotted on the two-way traveltime seismic sections. The final integrated cross-sections obtained are undoubtedly of greater use to the explorationist than the initial seismic sections alone and two wells were accurately predicted.     

New induction sounding tested in Central Europe

The hourly data of nine geomagnetic observatories situated in Central Europe have been analyzed using the generalized magnetovariation (GMV) method designed recently for induction soundings of inhomogeneous media. In this method, impedance is one of transfer functions in the differential relation between spectra of the magnetic components and their derivatives. The peculiarity of this impedance is its correspondence to the magnetotelluric one estimated from the linear relations. Three transfer functions have been estimated simultaneously for data of geomagnetic observatories, using three different routines working in the period range from three hours up to two days. Noises in the source field components have been compared with noise in the estimated plane field divergence. The multivariate errors-in-variables method was used to extract spatially and temporally coherent geomagnetic field structure from the partially incoherent geomagnetic variations. This method allows estimating reliably impedances and gradient tippers for each observatory, taking into consideration the Earth’s sphericity. The obtained responses have been used for induction soundings and for detecting a deep inhomogeneity in the region.     

A coupled model analyses on the interaction between oceanic eddies and tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal

Ocean Dynamics - The Bay of Bengal (BOB) region of Indian Ocean is affected by numerous tropical cyclones during pre- and post-monsoon seasons when various eddies are generated in the central and...     

Theoretical investigation of the ocean-coast effect at a passive continental margin

The idea that oceanic lithosphere is thinner than continental lithosphere is widely accepted even though one would like to see clearer evidence to support it. In fact, the very concept of lithosphere is still a matter of some debate. If there is indeed a variation in the thickness of the lithosphere at continental margins and if this change is associated with a lateral variation in electrical conductivity one may envisage detecting it with electromagnetic soundings methods. A model of a passive continental margin has therefore been investigated to test whether this would be feasible. It has been found that the well-known but strong ocean-coast effect masks the minor lithospheric effect in magnetotelluric soundings performed on the shore. Inductive soundings, on the other hand, are highly sensitive to lateral variations in electrical conductivity. An analysis in terms of the induction arrow has shown that such soundings carried out on land would be perfectly suitable to reveal a changing lithospheric thickness, if the continents merely extended to the oceanic coast. However, the presence of only a narrow continental shelf of 100 km width under 250 m of sea-water produces an overriding coast effect ahead of the margin, and thus renders electromagnetic methods unsuited to reveal a changing lithospheric thickness.     

Studies of variations in the vertical ozone profiles over India

The latitudinal and temporal variations in the vertical profiles of ozone over the Indian subcontinent are discussed. In the equatorial atmosphere represented by Trivandrum (8°N) and Poona (18°N), while tropospheric ozone shows marked seasonal variations, the basic pattern of the vertical distribution of ozone in the stratosphere remains practically unchanged throughout the year, with a maximum at about 28 to 26 km and a minimum just below the tropopause. The maximum total ozone occurs over Trivandrum in the summer monsoon season and the latitudinal anomaly observed over the Indian monsoon area at this time is explained as arising from the horizontal transport of ozone-rich stratospheric air from over the thermal equator to the southern regions.In the higher latitudes represented by New Delhi (28°N), the maximum occurs at 23 km. Delhi, which lies in the temperate regime in winter, shows marked day-to-day variations in association with western disturbances and the strong westerly jet stream that lies over north and central India at this time.Although the basic pattern of the vertical distribution of ozone in the equatorial atmosphere is generally the same in all seasons, significant though small changes occur in the lower stratosphere and in the troposphere. There are small perturbations in the ozone and temperature structures, distinct ozone maxima being always associated with temperature inversions. There are also large perturbances not related to temperature, ozone-depleted regions normally reflecting a stratification of either destructive processes or materials such as dust layers or clouds at these levels. Particularly interesting are the upper tropospheric levels just below the tropopause where the ozone concentration is consistently the smallest, in all seasons and at all places where soundings have been made in India.     

COMPUTATION OF THE ELECTRIC POTENTIAL IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES*

A method has been developed for computation of the electrical DC potential of an arbitrary three-dimensional resistivity structure using a finite difference method. The threedimensionality is necessary for interpretation of geoelectrical soundings with controlled point sources over a laterally inhomogeneous medium. Lateral inhomogeneities should be considered in resistivity soundings with large layouts. The results obtained with the described method permit a more realistic representation of geological features. The resolution of the method is determined by the number of elements in the resistivity network. The problem of core memory space has been resolved by using random access disc files. The results computed using a Fortran program are in good agreement with analytically obtained solutions.     

Performance of the electrochemical ozone sonde OSR

Summary The accuracy of the electrochemical ozone sonde, type OSR, has been estimated by analysing tandem ozone soundings of the balloon-borne electrochemical ozone sonde OSR at the Lindenberg Observatory from May to November 1982. A negative bias, though not significant, has been observed above about 28 km for soundings having high single correction factors. Random errors are at their minimum just above the level of the maximum of ozone partial pressure, and reach their maximum in the troposphere. Except at heights above about 28 km the random error of ozone sondes is a factor 2 to 3 times less than the error of the short Umkehr method. Provided that soundings with too high correction factors are neglected, the ozone sonde OSR has an accuracy comparable to that of other Brewer type sondes.The maximum amount of information on the vertical ozone distribution can be drawn from sonde measurements in the lower stratosphere. A study is underway to improve the sensitivity of the sonde OSR and thus to further enhance its reliability.     

An audio-magnetotelluric investigation in Terceira Island (Azores)

Ten audio-magnetotelluric soundings have been carried out along a profile crossing the Serra do Cume caldera in the eastern part of the Terceira Island (Azores). The main objectives of this investigation were to detect geoelectrical features related with tectonic structures and to characterize regional hydrological and hydrothermal aspects mainly those related to geothermal fluid dynamics.Three-dimensional numerical investigation showed that the data acquired at periods shorter than 1 s are not significantly affected by ocean effect. The data was analysed using the Smith's decomposition method in order to investigate possible distortions caused by superficial structures and to estimate a global regional strike. The results suggest that in general the soundings were not distorted. A regional N55°W strike was chosen for the two-dimensional data inversion.The low-resistivity zones (10–30 ohm-m) displayed in the central part of the 2-D geoelectrical model have been interpreted as caused by hydrothermal circulation. The low-resistivity anomalies at the ends of the profile might be attributed to alteration zones with interaction of seawater intrusion. High-resistivity (> 300 ohm-m) values have been related with less permeable zones in the SW of Cinco Picos and Guilherme Moniz caldera walls.     

Statistical characteristics of the vertical ozone distribution in mid-latitudes

Summary The correlation matrix for the vertical ozone distribution and the temperature-ozone cross-correlation matrix, which was calculated from ozone soundings made over Berlin between 1967 and 1970, the statistical structure of the vertical ozone profile (correlation coefficients, average profiles, average standard deviation, relative variability) was derived for the three ozone seasons. The partial ozone pressure does not at all heights follow a normal distribution (e. g. at tropopause level). Generally, the correlation between tropospheric and stratospheric ozone is rather poor. In some layers the highest correlation coefficients, i.e. –0.3 and +0.4, occur in autumn (October to December) and in winter and spring (January to April). The correlation between the ozone amounts of various stratospheric layers is distinct in autumn, less distinct in summer (May to September) and entirely missing from January to April. Conspicuous cross-correlations between temperature and ozone have been found for all three seasons. a) With a negative correlation between tropospheric temperature and middle tropospheric to middle stratospheric ozone (maximum up to –0.8); b) with a rather strong positive correlation between the ozone amount and the temperature in the lower stratosphere (maximum up to +0.84); c) with a positive correlation between the ozone amount of the middle stratosphere and the temperature of the middle stratosphere (maximum up to +0.8). The highest correlation coefficients occur in autumn.     

Neogene aquifer properties specified through the interpretation of electrical sounding data,Salamiyeh region,central Syria

Twenty‐nine Schlumberger electrical soundings were carried out in the Salamiyeh region in Syria using a maximum current electrode separation of 1 km. Three soundings were made at existing boreholes for comparison. Aquifer parameters of hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity were obtained by analysing pumping test data from the existing boreholes. An empirical relationship between hydraulic conductivity determined from the pumping test and both resistivity and thickness of the Neogene aquifer has been established for these boreholes in order to calculate the geophysical hydraulic conductivity. A close agreement has been obtained between the computed hydraulic conductivity and that determined from the pumping test. The relationship established has, therefore, been generalized in the study area in order to evaluate hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity at all the points where geoelectrical measurements have been carried out. This generalization allows one to derive maps of the hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity in the study area based on geoelectrical measurements. These maps are important in future modelling processes oriented towards better exploitation of the aquifers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.