Research on the ground-airborne transient electromagnetic Born approximation imaging method considering topographic effects

YaNan FAN, Xiu LI, KaiLiang LU, JuanJuan LI, TianChi FU

Prog Geophy ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4) : 1610-1621.

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Prog Geophy ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4) : 1610-1621. DOI: 10.6038/pg2025JJ0064

Research on the ground-airborne transient electromagnetic Born approximation imaging method considering topographic effects

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Abstract

The Ground-Airborne Transient Electromagnetic Method (GATEM), as an efficient geophysical exploration technique, exhibits significant potential in areas with complex topography. However, the influence of topographic effects on electromagnetic field distribution is pronounced, leading to the superposition of topographic anomalies and target-related anomalies in the observed data, which poses challenges for data interpretation. This paper proposes a GATEM Born approximation imaging method considering the topographic effects, aiming to eliminate topographic effects and accurately characterize the morphological features of underground electrical interfaces. Firstly, based on the theory of transient electromagnetic wavefield inverse transformation, the diffusion field can be converted into the pseudo wavefield. Then, by applying the Born approximation algorithm, rapid imaging of underground electrical interfaces is achieved. Finally, the correction algorithm is introduced to eliminate topographic effects, thereby mitigating the influence of terrain variations on the imaging results. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through theoretical calculations using a two-layer D-type model incorporating typical terrains such as peaks and valleys. Furthermore, both theoretical model results and field data applications confirm that the method can accurately delineate the position and morphology of subsurface electrical interfaces. This approach offers a novel and practical solution for the interpretation of GATEM data in complex topographic environments.

Key words

Ground-Airborne Transient Electromagnetic Method(GATEM) / Consideration of topographic effects / Wavefield inverse transformation / Born approximation imaging

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YaNan FAN , Xiu LI , KaiLiang LU , et al . Research on the ground-airborne transient electromagnetic Born approximation imaging method considering topographic effects[J]. Progress in Geophysics. 2025, 40(4): 1610-1621 https://doi.org/10.6038/pg2025JJ0064

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