Conductivity anomalies: lower crust or asthenosphere?

The indication from surface measurements of a zone of relatively high conductivity (resistivity<200 ohm-m) at depths between 20 and 50 km has become so general over the Earth that regions without this zone can be considered anomalous. However, the depths indicated often span the lower crust and the uppermost mantle, so that before any effect can be definitely attributed to one or the other, the depth resolution in the electromagnetic measurements must be carefully considered. This paper applies the eigenvector decomposition of generalized linear inverse theory to soundings by Schlumberger resistivity, by magnetotellurics, by man-made electromagnetic fields formed by controlled current flow in grounded electric transmission lines, and by natural magnetic field variation studies to improve the bounds on depth, thickness and conductivity of a conductive layer. It is shown that many of the methods are capable of giving the depth to the top of a conductor with remarkable accuracy. Joint inversion of two or more of them offers an advantage in the separation of thickness and conductivity of both conductive and resistive layers. Natural geomagnetic field transfer functions, while accurately mapping the position of the edge of a conductor, do not provide the resolution of the other techniques, largely because the frequencies that can be practically measured at present are much too low.