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Chapter 9: Factors determining good versus bad data for
Controlled-Source Audio Magnetotellurics:
For CSAMT data acquisition all signal is provided by a controlled-source transmitter. All other
electromagnetic sources can be considered to be noise. This includes obvious noise sources
such as power line harmonics, industrial machinery, local power generators, and other
environmental noise sources. Natural-field telluric currents can also be considered noise. The
Geode EM3D CSAMT acquisition software uses a proprietary filtering technique to narrowly
band limit the acquired frequencies to match the frequencies of the transmitter. Data quality
determinates can be:
A. Transmitter synchronization: Geode EM3D schedulerfile must match the capabilities of the
CS transmitter. The scheduler file is discussed in section “M” above.
B. Transmitter orientation: Maximum coupling between the CSAMT transmitter dipole and the
receiver E-field dipole is when both are parallel. That is, if the receiver dipole is at a bearing of
200 degrees, for example, the transmitter dipole should also be at 200 degrees. . For tensor
CSAMT one transmitter dipole should be parallel to Ex and the other parallel to Ey.
C. Transmitter signal amplitude: The GEM3D receiver has detected a 20 kW transmitter at a
distance of 25 kilometers from the survey site. At that distance the transmitter signal amplitude
is in the low microvolt range. As the distance increases and the ground resistivity between the
transmitter dipole and receiver site changes there will be a point at which the transmitter signal
amplitude will be too small to measure.
D. Environmental noise: The Geode EM transmitter synchronization filter does a very good job
at filtering onto the exact transmitter frequency. However it is possible that local noise sources
could bias the results. For example, the 41
st
harmonic of the 50 Hz power line current is 2050
Hz. Many transmitters will use binary frequencies, including 2048 Hz. With a very low
transmitter signal and very high 50 Hz power line noise it is possible that the filter band width
will allow some component of the 2050 Hz harmonic to leak through and bias the 2048 Hz data
point.
E. Proper orientation, leveling and burying of the magnetic coils.
F. Proper preparation, orientation, and burial of the porous pot electrodes to maximize signal
coupling and minimize contact resistance.