3D magnetotelluric characterization of the geothermal anomaly in the Llucmajor aquifer system (Majorca, Spain)

In the Llucmajor aquifer system (Majorca Island, Spain) some geothermal evidences have appeared. This phenomenon is not isolated to Majorca and it is present in other areas, where it can be associated with structural conditions, especially to the extensional event suffered by the island after the Alpine Orogeny. However, the origin of this anomaly in Llucmajor is not well known, and there is no surface geological evidence of these structural conditions. With the aim of delineating the geoelectrical structure of the zone and identifying the geological structure that allows the presence of this anomaly, an audiomagnetotelluric (AMT) survey was carried out. The AMT data was processed using a Wavelet Transform-based scheme. Dimensionality analysis indicates that the geoelectrical structure is mainly 3D. The 3D model was obtained by trial and error forward modeling, taking accounting of the responses from the determinant of the impedance tensor. The model shows a vertical resistivity distribution with three horizons associated with different units: on the top, a shallow high resistive media related to an unconfined shallow aquifer; in the middle, a conductive layer related to the aquitard, and below it, another resistive media related to the confined deeper aquifer. The intermediate horizon shows a sudden thinning beneath the thermal anomalous zone that can be identified as a weakness zone (fault or fracture) connecting both aquifers. An exploratory well was drilled after the AMT survey and reached almost 700 m in depth. This allowed correlating the resistivity distribution of the 3D model with data logging and lithology obtained from the well, showing a proper agreement between them.     

西南印度洋中脊三维地震探测中炮点与海底地震仪的位置校正

在海上实施三维地震探测过程中,人工震源枪阵中心与船上GPS的距离及地震探测作业中的船行方向造成炮点实际位置与预设位置有一定偏差;自由落体投放的OBS由于海流的影响会偏离原定设计位置(投放点),因此,炮点与海底地震仪(OBS)的位置校正是三维地震结构研究中的基本环节.本文利用艏向信息校正了炮点位置;采用蒙特卡洛和最小二乘法方法对海底地震仪的位置进行了校正,并探讨了直达水波曲线特征.结果表明 OBS位置一般偏离设计点1 km左右,其误差范围在20 m以内,校正后的OBS记录剖面展示了真实的记录情况.该研究结果为下一步西南印度洋的三维层析成像研究提供了坚实数据基础,同时为今后南海的三维深部地壳结构探测提供经验与借鉴.     

Gravity and magnetic data inversion for 3D topography of the Moho discontinuity in the northern Red Sea area, Egypt

The main goal of our study is to investigate 3D topography of the Moho boundary for the area of the northern Red Sea including Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. For potential field data inversion we apply a new method of local corrections. The method is efficient and does not require trial-and-error forward modeling. To separate sources of gravity and magnetic field in depth, a method is suggested, based on upward and downward continuation. Both new methods are applied to isolate the contribution of the Moho interface to the total field and to find its 3D topography. At the first stage, we separate near-surface and deeper sources. According to the obtained field of shallow sources a model of the horizontal layer above the depth of 7 km is suggested, which includes a density interface between light sediments and crystalline basement. Its depressions and uplifts correspond to known geological structures. At the next stage, we isolate the effect of very deep sources (below 100 km) and sources outside the area of investigation. After subtracting this field from the total effect of deeper sources, we obtain the contribution of the Moho interface. We make inversion separately for the area of rifts (Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba) and for the rest of the area. In the rift area we look for the upper boundary of low-density, heated anomalous upper mantle. In the rest of the area the field is satisfied by means of topography for the interface between lower crust and normal upper mantle. Both algorithms are applied also to the magnetic field. The magnetic model of the Moho boundary is in agreement with the gravitational one.