Model studies on electro-telluric interpretation problems of some geological inhomogeneities

Summary The rotating nature of telluric field is simulated in an electrolytic model tank. Variations of this rotating field due to the presence of a few two and three dimensional geological models, simulated in the tank, are studied. The telluric ellipses, recorded on a C.R.O. Screen, are found to be useful for qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the non-linearly polarised telluric field data. Relative usefulnesses of the various parameters, e.g., (i)M=ratio of the semimajor and semiminor axis, (ii)K = square root of normalized surface areas, (iii) = linear eccentricity ((a ²/b ²-1) and (iv)e = conventional eccentricity ((1-b ²/a ²)), of a telluric ellipse are tested. Linear eccentricity appears to be the most sensitive parameter. Methods for determining depth and horizontal extent of a structure from a telluric map are suggested. Near surface inhomogeneities, as revealed from the experiment are unlikely to affect the telluric map due to a basement structure.