METHOD 8

TIME-DOMAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC

9.0

INTRODUCTION

Transient electromagnetics, (also time-domain electromagnetics / TDEM), is a geophysical

exploration technique in which electric and magnetic fields are induced by transient pulses of
electric current and the subsequent decay response measured. TEM / TDEM methods are
generally able to determine subsurface electrical properties, but are also sensitive to
subsurface magnetic properties in applications like UXO detection and characterization.
TEM/TDEM surveys area very common surface EM technique for mineral exploration,
groundwater exploration, and for environmental mapping, used throughout the world in
both onshore and offshore applications.

9.1
BASIC THEORY
By using a primary field which is not continuous but consists of a series of pulses separated by
periods when it is inactive. The secondary field induced by the primary is only measured
during the interval when the primary is absent. This method solves the problem with many EM
surveying techniques which is a small secondary field must be measured in the presence of a
much larger primary field, with a consequent decrease in accuracy. This problem is overcome
in time-domain electromagnetic surveying (TDEM).
The eddy currents induced in a subsurface conductor tend to diffuse inwards towards its centre
when the inducing field is removed and gradually dissipate by resistive heat loss. Within
highly conductive bodies, however, eddy currents circulate around the boundary of the body
and decay more slowly. Measurement of the rate of decay of the waning eddy currents thus
provides a means of locating anomalously conducting bodies and estimating their
conductivity.
In ground surveys, the primary pulsed EM field is generated by a transmitter that usually
consists of a large rectangular loop of wire, several tens of metres across, which is laid on the
ground. The transmitter loop can also be utilized as the receiver, or a second coil can be used
for this purpose, either on the ground surface or down a borehole (Dyck & West 1984).The
transient secondary field produced by the decaying eddy currents can last from less than a
millisecond for poor conductors to more than 20 ms for good conductors. The decaying
secondary field is quantified by measuring the temporal variation of the amplitude of the
secondary at a number of fixed times (channels) after primary cut-off.
9.2

General principle of EM method

Electromagnetic-induction prospecting methods, both airborne and (most) ground techniques,

make use of man-made primary electromagnetic fields in, roughly, the following way: An
alternating magnetic field is established by passing a current through a coil, (or along a long

wire). The field is measured with a receiver consisting of a sensitive electronic amplifier and
meter or potentiometer bridge. The frequency of the alternating current is chosen such that an
insignificant eddy-current field is induced in the ground if it has an average electrical
conductivity,
If the source and receiver are brought near a more conductive zone, stronger eddy currents
may be caused to circulate within it and an appreciable secondary magnetic field will thereby
be created. Close to the conductor, this secondary or anomalous field may be compared in
magnitude to the primary or normal field (which prevails in the absence of conductors), in
which case it can be detected by the receiver. The secondary field strength, Hs, is usually
measured as a proportion of the primary field strength, Hp, at the receiver in percent or ppm
(parts per million).
Anomaly = Hs / Hp.
Increasing the primary field strength increases the secondary field strength proportionally but
the "anomaly" measured in ppm or percent remains the same.

The previous profile showing the quantification of a decaying TDEM response by

measurement of its amplitude in a number of channels (16) at increasing times (t16)
after primary field cut-off. The amplitudes of the responses in the different channels are
recorded along a profile.

In good conductors the secondary field is of long duration and will register in most of the
channels; in poor conductors the secondary field will only register in the channels recorded
soon after the primary field becomes inactive. Repeated measurements can be stacked in a
manner analogous to seismic waves to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
9.3

METHODOLOGY/FIELD PROCEDURE

SURVEY PROCEDURE
Two different wires, the transmitter cable which generates the primary pulsed EM field was in
form of a rectangular loop, 50m long and the receiver cable, also a 50m long rectangular loop
of cable placed on the transmitter loop 1m apart. Both cables were connected to their
respective ports in the Terra-Tem which was powered up by a battery. We covered 40m i.e. 3
different lines, 10m apart and 20m apart, injected current through the transmitter cable and
measured conductivity.
METHODOLOGY
1.
2.

Two different types of procedures can be practiced using the Time Domain method, i.e.
The In-Loop
The Coincidental Loop
50m

;
Tx (transmitter)

50m
Rx (Receiver)
1m

Terra-tem

FIGURE SHOWING THE COINCIDENTAL LOOP METHOD APPLIED AS A METHODOLOGY IN THE

TIME-DOMAIN ELECTROMAGNETIC METHOD

EQUIPMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.

Terra-tem (Inbuilt transmitter & receiver by Monex Geoscope)

Transmitter & Receiver wire cables
Battery
Meter Rule

9.4

DATA PROCESSING

TABLE OF READING
Rx= Receiver resistance ()
Tx= Transmitter resistance ()
Ramp Time (sec)
Current (A)
LINE 1 (0-10m)
STATION
1
3
6
9

Rx ()
2.8
2.7
2.7
2.7

Tx ()
5.02
4.91
4.96
4.94

Ramp (sec)
20.4
25.2
25.0
25.4

CURRENT (A)
4.64
5.05
5.00
5.00

Rx ()
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.7
2.7

Tx ()
5.06
5.08
5.11
5.09
5.09

Ramp (sec)
24.0
24.2
23.5
24.5
24.2

CURRENT (A)
4.88
4.86
4.79
4.83

Rx ()
2.7
2.7
2.8
2.7
2.7

Tx ()
5.05
5.10
5.11
5.07
5.09

Ramp (sec)
25.9
25.7
25.7
26.6
25.7

CURRENT (A)
4.89
4.81
4.80
4.83
4.81

LINE 2 (10-20m)
STATION
1
3
6
9
10
LINE 3 (20-40m)
STATION
1
3
6
9
10

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
1.
2.

Cables tangled against each other so took a while before it could be released
The root of trees caused vibrations on the subsurface hereby creating noise on the data
interpreted.
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEM
Reversing the polarity by changing the exchanging the receiver cable and transmitter cable
reduces noise from data acquired.
Repeated measurements can be stacked in a manner analogous to seismic waves to improve
the signal-to-noise ratio.

GENERAL CONCLUSION
From gravity residual Bouguer anomaly of the traverse six, traverse six
reflect a simple dual symmetrical anomaly between 80m - 93m which
suggest a spherical highly denser mass sandwich by the higher amplitude.
The radius of each of the spherical body was estimated to be
47.2m, with the rock locate at about 6.0m deep; the mass was
estimated to be 285,600 tonnes for an assumed density of
2.64g/cm3
The magnetic anomaly of traverse six (5m spacing) produce signature
within station range 105-115m and also at 10m spacing at which the
signature was pronounce range 4-18m;they are symmetrical which
suggest a uniform shape, say sphere, since the survey line was along the
East-West direction. This concurs with the similar signature range in
residual gravity anomaly. The depths of the anomaly was estimated to be
about 2.5m-3.5m respectively, which is a little shallower than that of
gravity. The remaining magnetic anomaly are much more noise.
For seismic refraction method, seismic velocity layers were delineated
with velocity range from 300m/s 340m/s for layer 1, 10001200m/s for layer two and 1600-2000m/s for layer 3. The
thicknesses of layers are 3.8 and 6.7m for layers 1 and 2
respectively. Data also show that velocity increases with depth.
Vertical electrical sounding interpretation show a total number four to
five layers within the subsurface having different resistivity, thickness,
depth value and lithology. VES 2, 3, 4 shows a five layer case with
apparent resistivity ranging from 124-504 ohms/m for layer 1, 27560 ohms/m for layer 2, 114-370 ohm/m for layer 3, layer 4 having
apparent resistivity from 62-112 ohms/m and 580-1600 ohms/m
for layer 5. Layer 5 has the highest resistivity value which
signifies a low conductive base. The CST pseudo section shows
various ranges of conductivity (highest to lowest) along the traverse with
varying depth. The region of highest conductivity value (819ohm/m
-1084ohms/m) lies between 120m -130m along the traverse,
which is 1m below the surface. Also the pseudo section shows a
region of lowest conductivity (48.1ohms/m 80ohms/m) along the
traverse, 80m to 110m along the traverse which is from 0.5m
2.5m depth. Generally, the surface is of moderate conductivity.
For the electromagnetic method (using EM-4) it shows some consistent
anomalous conductivity value for vertical dipole mode for all the spacing.

These signatures have a depth range of 0-13m, which infer the thickness
of the overburden layer. The calculate conductivity range of the second
layer was estimated to be 20mS/m-56mS/m.

References
Wikipedia
An Introduction to Geophysical Exploration by Philip Kearey,
Michael Brooks, Ian Hill
Dobrin, M.D., and Savit, C.H., 1988, Introduction to geophysical
prospecting (4th ed.): New York, McGraw-Hill,
Introduction to Applied Geophysics: Exploring the Shallow
Subsurface by Henry Robert Burger
Fundamentals of Geophysics By William Lowrie
An introduction to applied And environment geophysics by John
M. Reynolds