Patent · US Expired

Deep underground imaging utilizing resistivity regularization for magnetotelluric processing

US6466021B1 · kind B1 · utility

15Cited by
3References
2Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 8, 2000
Grant dateOct 15, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 8, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01V3/082
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for imaging deep underground objects utilizes the application of a spectral regularization routine that is applied to measured data prior to the application of an inversion routine to measured surface impedances to map subsurface conductivity. Specifically, measurement of magnetic and electric fields is conducted utilizing sensors at a measurement site, a processor is used to generate either resistivity or conductivity data based on the measurements of the sensors, the processor then performs the spectral regularization routine and an inversion routine to generate data that can be utilized to identify underground targets. The spectral regularization routine and inversion routine can either be processed separately (decoupled) or together. The measurements of the magnetic and electric fields are preferably made under the assumption of the presence of a plane wave at the measurement site.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.