On the distribution of the electrical conductivity below the Eastern Alps

Along a profile Chiemsee—Hohe Tauern/Zillertaler Alpen-Drautal magnetotelluric measurements have been made at 65 sites and geomagnetic depth sounding has been made at 21 sites. From these registrations the distribution of the electrical conductivity at greater depths can be deduced by determining the distribution of the induced electric currents. We were mainly interested in the transition zone molasse basin/Calcareous Alps and in the conductivity distribution below the Hohe Tauern and the Zillertaler Alpen.The different rock units of the Calcareous Alps have on the average a low electrical conductivity. They are underlain by well conducting sediments (probably molasse) until 10 km south of the morphological border of the Alps. The well conducting sediments below the Calcareous Alps are rather thick. We assume a thickness of 3–4 km. The sediments decrease at the assumed southern border of the molasse basin within a short distance.The distribution of the electrical conductivity below the central eastern Alps has been investigated, to find perhaps an indication for an increased temperature in this area. A clear increase of the conductivity and as a consequence also of the temperature could not be found below the central eastern Alps. A small increase of the electrical conductivity, however, could be found in some areas as for example below the Hohe Tauern and below the upper valleys of the rivers Drau and Rienz. As the number of stations was too small in this area, no detailed information can be given about the extension and the depth range of these local conductivity anomalies.

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Zusammenfassung Entlang eines Profils vom Chjemsee über die Hohen Tauern und Zillertaler Alpen bis zum Drautal wurden an 65 Orten die zeitlichen Variationen des erdelektrischen Feldes und an 21 Orten die zeitlichen Variationen des erdmagnetischen Feldes registriert. Aus diesen Registrierungen kann die Verteilung der im Untergrund induzierten Ströme und daraus die Verteilung von Gesteinseinheiten unterschiedlicher elektrischer Leitfähigkeit abgeleitet werden. Besonders interessierte der Übergangsbereich Molassetrog—Nördliche Kalkalpen sowie der tiefere Untergrund unter den Hohen Tauern und den Zillertaler Alpen.Die — im Mittel gering leitfähigen — Gesteine der Kalkalpen sind im Bereich des Profils bis 10 km südlich des morphologischen Alpenrandes von gut leitfähigen Sedimenten (wohl überwiegend Molasse) unterlagert. Diese Sedimente sind unter den Kalkalpen noch mehrere km mächtig.Die Verteilung der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit unter den zentralen Ostalpen wurde untersucht, um vielleicht einen Hinweis auf eine erhöhte Temperatur in dem Gebiet zu erhalten. Eine deutliche Erhöhung der Leitfähigkeit und damit auch der Temperatur wurde unter den zentralen Ostalpen nicht gefunden. Eine geringe Erhöhung der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit ist jedoch in einigen Gebieten vorhanden, so z. B. unter den Hohen Tauern sowie unter dem Oberlauf der Flüsse Drau und Rienz. Genauere Angaben über die Ausdehnung und Tiefenlage dieser Anomalien können aber wegen der zu geringen Anzahl von Stationen noch nicht gemacht werden.

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Résumé Afin de déterminer les courants électriques induits et la distribution de la conductivité électrique, on a, le long d'un profil s'étendant du Chiemsee jusqu'à la vallée de la Drau, enregistré les variations temporelles du champ tellurique en 65 localités et les variations du champ magnétique en 21 localités.Pour la région de transition entre la Molasse et les Alpes Calcaires du Nord les résultats indiquent la présence de couches sédimentaires à bonne conductivité sous les Alpes Calcaires, dont les roches ont une conductivité généralement faible. Ces couches qui s'étendent jusqu'à 10 km au sud du bord morphologique des Alpes, ont une épaisseur de plusieurs km et sont probablement constituées surtout de Molasse.Pour la région centrale des Alpes Orientales les résultats ne donnent pas d'indication pour un accroissement général de la conductivité et par conséquent de la température. Sous les Hohe Tauern et sous les cours supérieurs de la Drau et de la Rienz des accroissements locaux relativement faibles ont été trouvés. Des résultats quantitatifs concernant ces anomalies ne peuvent pas encore être fournis à cause de la trop faible densité des stations d'enrégistrement.

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On the reduction of time variations for geomagnetic repeat station measurements

For most previous geomagnetic surveys, the time variations of the observatory closest to the site of observation have been used for reduction. The accuracy of repeat station measurements depends upon the distance between the station and the observatory. Nowadays, the requirements for the accuracy of repeat station measurements are much higher, especially with respect to local secular variation anomalies. On the other hand, transportable variograph stations are available, by means of which time variations can be recorded closer to the station site. The reduction steps for this method are:

1. Reduction of measured values to the base-line of the nearby variograph station;
2. Computation of the nearest quiet night value using the baseline of the variograph;
3. Computation of the difference between this value and the corresponding one at the observatory.

The problems are:

- the stability of the base-line values of the variographs;

- the question as to what degree a quiet night value represents the normal value at that time (e.g. influence of aD _st field and/or other fields).

A repeat station survey of the Federal Republic of Germany was carried out in 1982. During the same time, eleven stations recorded the time variations in that area. We discuss the aforementioned aspects by way of an example taken from this survey.     

Magnetotelluric measurements in Antarctica

During austral summer 1984–1985 magnetotelluric measurements were carried out in North Victoria Land, Antarctica. The magnetic field was measured by a three-component fluxgate magnetometer. Copper screens (50 cm × 50 cm) were used as electrodes for recording the electric field, connected to a two channel electrograph with an input impedance of 10¹² ω. Analogue data are digitized with 12 bit resolution by a data acquisition system. 1 Mb of solid state CMOS-RAM memory was used to store the data in the field until it could be played back onto 3.5 inch floppy discs during station control. All equipment is designed for low power consumption. In the field it is supplied by a battery, which is charged by solar panels. Time series of measured data are presented. The influence of the polar electrojet (PEJ) on the source fields is clearly seen by comparing 24-h time series with the position of the auroral oval at different times of the day. Despite the clear effect of the PEJ in the data, the calculated apparent resistivity and phase curves seem to be rather uninfluenced. Initial interpretations have led to a typical continental resistivity distribution, showing decreasing resistivity with increasing depth.