Integrated interpretation of overlapping AEM datasets achieved through standardisation

Numerous airborne electromagnetic surveys have been acquired in Australia using a variety of systems. It is not uncommon to find two or more surveys covering the same ground, but acquired using different systems and at different times. Being able to combine overlapping datasets and get a spatially c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Exploration geophysics (Melbourne) 2015-12, Vol.46 (4), p.309-319
Main Authors: Sørensen, Camilla C., Munday, Tim, Heinson, Graham
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AEM
calibration
Goulds Dam uranium deposit
REPTEM
standardisation
TEMPEST
WalkTEM
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Summary:Numerous airborne electromagnetic surveys have been acquired in Australia using a variety of systems. It is not uncommon to find two or more surveys covering the same ground, but acquired using different systems and at different times. Being able to combine overlapping datasets and get a spatially coherent resistivity-depth image of the ground can assist geological interpretation, particularly when more subtle geophysical responses are important. Combining resistivity-depth models obtained from the inversion of airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data can be challenging, given differences in system configuration, geometry, flying height and preservation or monitoring of system acquisition parameters such as waveform. In this study, we define and apply an approach to overlapping AEM surveys, acquired by fixed wing and helicopter time domain electromagnetic (EM) systems flown in the vicinity of the Goulds Dam uranium deposit in the Frome Embayment, South Australia, with the aim of mapping the basement geometry and the extent of the Billeroo palaeovalley. Ground EM soundings were used to standardise the AEM data, although results indicated that only data from the REPTEM system needed to be corrected to bring the two surveys into agreement and to achieve coherent spatial resistivity-depth intervals. Combining resistivity-depth models obtained from the inversion of airborne electromagnetic data can be challenging, but spatially coherent resistivity-depth images of the ground can assist geological interpretations. We use ground EM data to standardise AEM data so as to be able to combine overlapping AEM datasets acquired with different systems.
ISSN:0812-3985
1834-7533
DOI:10.1071/EG14066