Modelling of Terrain Effect from the Magnetotelluric (MT) Field Data

Abstract

Magnetotelluric (MT) data were recorded over highly undulating terrain in Himalayan region from Roorkee to Gangotri section in period 0.001-1000 second. In the presence of topographic distortion the interpretation may become misleading. A simple scheme based on finite difference method for the simulation of the topographic distortion in magnetotelluric response is presented. The finite difference based, forward response computation algorithm, has been extended for undulating topography. The distortion coefficients, representing the topographic effect, are designed for correcting the observed distorted impedance tensor recorded in the vicinity of topographic features. The accuracy of the scheme is checked by comparing the computed responses with the finite element, Rayleigh scattering and transmission surface results for transverse electric (TE-mode) and transverse magnetic (TM-mode) responses. The modified algorithm is used to model the terrain effect on MT data recorded from Himalayan terrain.