Spatial structural characteristics of the Deda ancient landslide in the eastern Tibetan Plateau:Insights from Audio-frequency Magnetotellurics and the Microtremor Survey Method

It is of crucial importance to investigate the spatial structures of ancient landslides in the eastern Tibetan Plateau’s alpine canyons as they could provide valuable insights into the evolutionary history of the landslides and indicate the potential for future reactivation.This study examines the Deda ancient landslide,situated in the Chalong-ranbu fault zone,where creep deformation suggests a complex underground structure.By integrating remote sensing,field surveys,Audio-frequency Magnetotellurics(AMT),and Microtremor Survey Method(MSM)techniques,along with engineering geological drilling for validation,to uncover the landslide’s spatial feature s.The research indicates that a fault is developed in the upper part of the Deda ancient landslide,and the gully divides it into Deda landslide accumulation zoneⅠand Deda landslide accumulation zoneⅡin space.The distinctive geological characteristics detectable by MSM in the shallow subsurface and by AMT in deeper layers.The findings include the identification of two sliding zones in the Deda I landslide,the shallow sliding zone(DD-I-S1)depth is approximately 20 m,and the deep sliding zone(DD-I-S2)depth is 36.2-49.9 m.The sliding zone(DD-Ⅱ-S1)depth of the DedaⅡlandslide is 37.6-43.1 m.A novel MSM-based method for sliding zone identification is proposed,achieving less than 5%discrepancy in depth determination when compared with drilling data.These results provide a valuable reference for the spatial structural analysis of large-deepseated landslides in geologically complex regions like the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

3D joint inversion of controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotelluric and magnetotelluric data

Different geophysical exploration methods have significant differences in terms of exploration depth,especially in frequency domain electromagnetic(EM)exploration.According to the definition of skin depth,this difference will increase with the effective detection frequency of the method.As a result,when performing three-dimensional inversion on single type of EM data,it is not possible to effectively distinguish the subsurface geoelectric structure at the full scale.Therefore,it is necessary to perform joint inversion on different type of EM data.In this paper we combine the magnetotelluric method(MT)with the controlled-source audio-magnetotelluric method(CSAMT)to study the frequency-domain three-dimensional(3D)joint inversions,and we use the unstructured finite-element method to do the forward modeling for them,so that the numerical simulation accuracies of different electromagnetic methods can be satisfied.By combining the two sets of data,we can obtain the sensitivity of the electrical structure at different depths,and depict the full-scale subsurface geoelectric structures.In actual mineral exploration,the 3D joint inversion is more useful for identifying subsurface veins in the shallow part and blind mines in the deep part.It can delineate the morphological distribution of ore bodies more completely and provide reliable EM interpretations to guide the mining of minerals.

Improved Responses with Multitaper Spectral Analysis for Magnetotelluric Time Series Data Processing:Examples from Field Data

In order to attain good quality transfer function estimates from magnetotelluric field data(i.e.,smooth behavior and small uncertainties across all frequencies),we compare time series data processing with and without a multitaper approach for spectral estimation.There are several common ways to increase the reliability of the Fourier spectral estimation from experimental(noisy)data;for example to subdivide the experimental time series into segments,taper these segments(using single taper),perform the Fourier transform of the individual segments,and average the resulting spectra.

Tectonic Evolution and Lithospheric Structure of the Beishan Orogen:Insights from Magnetotelluric Studies

The Beishan orogen,located in the central segment of the Tianshan–Solonker suture within the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB),is crucial for understanding the accretionary processes and continental growth in Central Asia.This orogen developed through the episodic amalgamation and accretion of continental margin arcs,island arcs,ophiolites,and accretionary wedges,undergoing a complex process of accretion and evolution.Since the Phanerozoic,the Beishan orogen has experienced multiple phases of magmatic and collision events.The intricate distribution of magmatic arc rocks has obscured the complete basement traces,and the spatial superposition of multiple magmatic arc phases has complicated the study of its evolutionary history.

Imaging the Architecture of Mineral Systems and the Pathways of Ore-forming Fluids across Mongolia with Magnetotellurics

In the framework of a mineral system approach,a combination of components is required to develop a mineral system.This includes the whole-lithosphere architecture,which controls the transport of ore-forming fluids,and favorable tectonic and geodynamic processes,occurring at various spatial and temporal scales,that influence the genesis and evolution of ore-forming fluids(Huston et al.,2016;Groves et al.,2018;Davies et al.,2020).Knowledge of the deep structural framework can advance the understanding of the development of a mineral system and the emplacement of mineral deposits.Deep geophysical exploration carried out with this aim is increasingly important for targeting new ore deposits in unexplored and underexplored regions(Dentith et al.,2018;Dentith,2019).

Parallel rapid relaxation inversion of 3D magnetotelluric data

We implement a parallel algorithm with the advantage of MPI （Message Passing Interface） to speed up the rapid relaxation inversion for 3D magnetotelluric data. We test the parallel rapid relaxation algorithm with synthetic and real data. The execution efficiency of the algorithm for several different situations is also compared. The results indicate that the parallel rapid relaxation algorithm for 3D magnetotelluric inversion is effective. This parallel algorithm implemented on a common PC promotes the practical application of 3D magnetotelluric inversion and can be suitable for the other geophysical 3D modeling and inversion.

Three-dimensional conjugate gradient inversion of magnetotelluric sounding data

Based on the analysis of the conjugate gradient algorithm, we implement a threedimensional （3D） conjugate gradient inversion algorithm with magnetotelluric impedance data. During the inversion process, the 3D conjugate gradient inversion algorithm doesn＇ t need to compute and store the Jacobian matrix but directly updates the model from the computation of the Jacobian matrix. Requiring only one forward and four pseudo-forward modeling applications per frequency to produce the model update at each iteration, this algorithm efficiently reduces the computation of the inversion. From a trial inversion with synthetic magnetotelluric data, the validity and stability of the 3D conjugate gradient inversion algorithm is verified.

Three-dimensional magnetotelluric regularized inversion based on smoothness-constrained model

How to get the rapid and stable inversion results and reconstruct the clear subsurface resistivity structures is a focus problem in current magnetotelluric inversion. A stable solution of an ill-posed inverse problem was obtained by the regularization methods in which some desired structures were imposed to stabilize the inverse problem. By the smoothness-constrained model and approximate sensitivity method, the stable subsurface resistivity structures were reconstructed. The synthetic examples show that the smoothness-constrained regularized inversion method is effective and can be reasonable to reconstruct three-dimensional subsurface resistivity structures.

Three-dimensional magnetotellurics modeling using edgebased finite-element unstructured meshes

Three-dimensional forward modeling magnetotellurics （MT） problems. We present a is a challenge for geometrically complex new edge-based finite-element algorithm using an unstructured mesh for accurately and efficiently simulating 3D MT responses. The electric field curl-curl equation in the frequency domain was used to deduce the H （curl） variation weak form of the MT forward problem, the Galerkin rule was used to derive a linear finite-element equation on the linear-edge tetrahedroid space, and, finally, a BI-CGSTAB solver was used to estimate the unknown electric fields. A local mesh refinement technique in the neighbor of the measuring MT stations was used to greatly improve the accuracies of the numerical solutions. Four synthetic models validated the powerful performance of our algorithms. We believe that our method will effectively contribute to processing more complex MT studies.

Analysis on statistic characteristics of magnetotelluric signal

For magnetotelluric sounding (MT), many processing methods based on power spectrum have put forward lots of hypotheses, such as MT signals are Gaussian, linear and minimum-phase. If practical signals do not satisfy these requirements, the results will have a few problems as follows. Firstly, when signals are non-linear and non-Gaussian, the information of the earth contained in the MT signals cannot be sufficiently extracted; Secondly, when signals are non-Gaussian and non-minimum phase, the processed results cannot reflect the minimum phase characteristics of the signals. Hence, it is necessary for us to do further research on characteristics of MT signals (YAO, SUN, 1999; LI, CHENG, 2002; Nikias, Petropulu, 1993; ZHANG, 1996). Otherwise, we cannot judge the reliability of the processed results based on power spectrum.……

3D magnetotelluric inversions with unstructured finite-element and limited-memory quasi-Newton methods

Traditional 3D Magnetotelluric(MT) forward modeling and inversions are mostly based on structured meshes that have limited accuracy when modeling undulating surfaces and arbitrary structures. By contrast, unstructured-grid-based methods can model complex underground structures with high accuracy and overcome the defects of traditional methods, such as the high computational cost for improving model accuracy and the difficulty of inverting with topography. In this paper, we used the limited-memory quasi-Newton(L-BFGS) method with an unstructured finite-element grid to perform 3D MT inversions. This method avoids explicitly calculating Hessian matrices, which greatly reduces the memory requirements. After the first iteration, the approximate inverse Hessian matrix well approximates the true one, and the Newton step(set to 1) can meet the sufficient descent condition. Only one calculation of the objective function and its gradient are needed for each iteration, which greatly improves its computational efficiency. This approach is well-suited for large-scale 3D MT inversions. We have tested our algorithm on data with and without topography, and the results matched the real models well. We can recommend performing inversions based on an unstructured finite-element method and the L-BFGS method for situations with topography and complex underground structures.

Magnetotelluric investigation of lithospheric electrical structure beneath the Dharwar Craton in south India:Evidence for mantle suture and plume-continental interaction

Broad-band and long period magnetotelluric measurements made at 63 locations along -500 km long Chikmagalur-Kavali profile,that cut across the Dharwar craton (DC) and Eastern Ghat Mobile Belt (EGMB) in south India,is modelled to examine the lithosphere architecture of the cratonic domain and define tectonic boundaries.The 2-D resistivity model shows moderately conductive features that intersperse a highly resistive background of crystalline rocks and spatially connect to the exposed schist belts or granitic intrusions in the DC.These features are therefore interpreted as images of fossil pathways of the volcanic emplacements associated with the greenstone belt and granite suite formation exposed in the region.A near vertical conductive feature in the upper mantle under the Chitradurga Shear Zone represents the Archean suture between the western and eastern blocks of DC.Although thick (-200 km) cratonic (highly resistive) lithosphere is preserved,significant part of the cratonic lithosphere below the western DC is modified due to plume-continental lithosphere interactions during the CretaceouseTertiary period.A west-verging moderately conductive feature imaged beneath EGMB lithosphere is interpreted as the remnant of the Proterozoic collision process between the Indian land mass and East Antarctica.Thin (-120 km) lithosphere is seen below the EGMB,which form the exterior margin of the India shield subsequent to its separation from East Antarctica through rifting and opening of the Indian Ocean in the Cretaceous.

ELECTRICAL STRUCTURES OF THE CRUST AND UPPER MANTLE OF TIBETAN PLATEAU FROM MAGNETOTELLURIC PROFILING OF INDEPTH-MT

To extend our successful Magnetotelluric(MT) experiments in the area from Yadong to Bamocuo in 1995 (Chen et al., 1996), two new Magnetotelluric(MT)experiments have been carried out along two main profiles in the central and Northern Tibetan Plateau in the summer of 1998 and 1999. While the 1995 MT work mainly focused on the study of the electrical structure of the Yarlung\|Zangbo River Suture , the 1998 and 1999 experiments have been designed with following purpose:(1) Study whether partially molten layer widely exists in the crust of the central and northern Tibet.(2) Study the electrical structures of crust and upper mantle in central and northern Tibet which may relate to the attenuated Shear Seismic waves.(3) Study the detail electrical structures of Bangong\|Nujiang Suture and Jinsha Suture.In 1998, the MT team (China University of Geosciences, University of Washington and Geological Survey of Canada) recorded MT data along the Tibet 500 Line which extends about three hundred and eighty kilometers from Deqing to Longweicuo. We used LIMS system to record the long period(20～20000s) MT data at twenty\|six sites and used MT24 to record broadband(320Hz,2000s) MT data at fifty\|eight sites.

Nonlinear inversion for magnetotelluric sounding based on deep belief network

To improve magnetotelluric(MT)nonlinear inversion accuracy and stability,this work introduces the deep belief network(DBN)algorithm.Firstly,a network frame is set up for training in different 2D MT models.The network inputs are the apparent resistivities of known models,and the outputs are the model parameters.The optimal network structure is achieved by determining the numbers of hidden layers and network nodes.Secondly,the learning process of the DBN is implemented to obtain the optimal solution of network connection weights for known geoelectric models.Finally,the trained DBN is verified through inversion tests,in which the network inputs are the apparent resistivities of unknown models,and the outputs are the corresponding model parameters.The experiment results show that the DBN can make full use of the global searching capability of the restricted Boltzmann machine(RBM)unsupervised learning and the local optimization of the back propagation(BP)neural network supervised learning.Comparing to the traditional neural network inversion,the calculation accuracy and stability of the DBN for MT data inversion are improved significantly.And the tests on synthetic data reveal that this method can be applied to MT data inversion and achieve good results compared with the least-square regularization inversion.

Three-dimensional conjugate gradient inversion of magnetotelluric full information data

Based on the analysis of impedance tensor data, tipper data, and the conjugate gradient algorithm, we develop a three-dimensional （3D） conjugate gradient algorithm for inverting magnetotelluric full information data determined from five electric and magnetic field components and discuss the method to use the full information data for quantitative interpretation of 3D inversion results. Results from the 3D inversion of synthetic data indicate that the results from inverting full information data which combine the impedance tensor and tipper data are better than results from inverting only the impedance tensor data （or tipper data） in improving resolution and reliability. The synthetic examples also demonstrate the validity and stability of this 3D inversion algorithm.

The parallel 3D magnetotelluric forward modeling algorithm

The workload of the 3D magnetotelluric forward modeling algorithm is so large that the traditional serial algorithm costs an extremely large compute time. However, the 3D forward modeling algorithm can process the data in the frequency domain, which is very suitable for parallel computation. With the advantage of MPI and based on an analysis of the flow of the 3D magnetotelluric serial forward algorithm, we suggest the idea of parallel computation and apply it. Three theoretical models are tested and the execution efficiency is compared in different situations. The results indicate that the parallel 3D forward modeling computation is correct and the efficiency is greatly improved. This method is suitable for large size geophysical computations.

Proterozoic tectonothermal processes imaged with magnetotellurics and seismic reflection in southern Australia

Over the last two decades,co-located seismic and magnetotelluric(MT) profiles provided fundamental geophysical data sets to image the Australian crust.Despite their complimentary nature,the data are processed and often interpreted separately without common processes in mind.We here qualitatively compare 2 D resistivity inversion models derived from MT and seismic reflection profiles across a region of Archean-Proterozoic Australia to address the causes of variations in seismic response and anomalous conductivity in the crust.We find that there exists a spatial association between regions of low reflectivity in seismic sections and low resistivity in co-located2 D MT modelled sections.These relationships elucidate possible signatures of past magmatic and fluid-related events.Depending on their diffuse or discrete character,we hypothesize these signatures signify fossil melting of the crust due to mafic underplating,magma movement or hydrothermal fluid flow through the crust.The approach discussed herein is a process-oriented approach to interpretation of geophysical images and a significant extension to traditional geophysical methods which are primarily sensitive to a singular bulk rock property or state.

Magnetotelluric signal-noise separation method based on SVM–CEEMDWT

To better retain useful weak low-frequency magnetotelluric(MT)signals with strong interference during MT data processing,we propose a SVM-CEEMDWT based MT data signal-noise separation method,which extracts the weak MT signal affected by strong interference.First,the approximate entropy,fuzzy entropy,sample entropy,and Lempel-Ziv(LZ)complexity are extracted from the magnetotelluric data.Then,four robust parameters are used as the inputs to the support vector machine(SVM)to train the sample library and build a model based on the different complexity of signals.Based on this model,we can only consider time series with strong interference when using the complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition(CEEMD)and wavelet threshold(WT)for noise suppression.Simulation results suggest that the SVM based on the robust parameters can distinguish the time periods with strong interference well before noise suppression.Compared with the CEEMD WT,the proposed SVM-CEEMDWT method retains more low-frequency low-variability information,and the apparent resistivity curve is smoother and more continuous.Moreover,the results better reflect the deep electrical structure in the field.

Magnetotelluric study of the Xuefeng mountain area,Hu'nan Province,China

A magnetotelluric study was carried out in the Xuefeng mountain uplift belt and its western margins. A detailed investigation was made of the resistivity of the formations, and reliable data were obtained. The sedimentary cover and basement structure of the Xuefeng mountain area and the deep geological structure were analyzed in detail using magnetotelluric data from the twodimensional inversion of the resistivity profile data in combination with regional gravity and magnetic data. It was concluded that the tectonic movements were characterized by basement detachment, and north-south ramp.The study area can be divided into a southern uplift zone, a southern thrust-faulted zone, a central uplift zone, and a northern depression zone. This work has provided geophysical evidence that can be used in future studies of the tectonics and petroleum geology of this region.

3D Step-by-step inversion strategy for audio magnetotellurics data based on unstructured mesh

A three-dimensional(3D)step-by-step inversion strategy for audio magnetotellurics(AMT)is investigated in this study.The objective function is minimized by iteratively solving the Gauss-Newton normal equation,and the inversion region is discretized with unstructured tetrahedral elements.The inversion proceeds step-by-step from a coarse mesh to a fine mesh.In the inversion iteration process,a mesh is adaptively optimized according to the spatial gradient information about the model resistivity to fine delineate the boundaries of abnormal bodies.In the early stage of inversion execution,a coarse mesh is used for inversion,and the inversion stability is improved by reducing the number of inversion elements.In addition,mesh refinement is performed in the iterative inversion process.The inversion results obtained from the previous mesh are used as the reference and initial models for the next mesh iterative inversion.The step-by-step inversion strategy can ensure that the inversion is performed in the correct direction,improving the inversion stability and results gradually.Synthetic results show that the step-by-step inversion strategy with a Gauss-Newton method for 3D AMT inversion is stable and reliable,which lays a foundation for further practical 3D AMT data inversion.