A study of magnetotelluric static distortion in the context of intrusive volcanism

MT data from the 28 x 12 km) in the Parana Basin (Brazil) reveal a high degree of frequency-independent and parallel amplitude distortion. The Palaeozoic sediments across the survey area are covered by 1.2 km of flood basalts. A deep well-log provides some control regarding the emplacement of thin diabase sills but information regarding vertical feeder dikes is non-existent. The degree of parallel behaviour is identified using anisotropy ratios which quantify the extent and bandwidth of the distortion characteristics. A 2D modelling study is carried out using the concept of a horizontally layered (1D) basin with superimposed, small-scale inhomogeneities. Two likely geological distortion structures are considered. The first represents at- or near-surface (0 to 100 m) inhomogeneities. The second represents thin but vertically elongate dikes. The two distortion effects are found to produce different and characteristic behaviour in the H-polarization (TM) mode model data. The modelled E-polarization (TE) mode data are undistorted and provide control. The model developed to represent vertical dikes gives rise to a characteristic frequency dependence which is distinct from that of the undistorted response. This model also generates subparallel distortion effects which give rise to a form of variance in the response estimates as a function of location. The behaviour occurs, importantly, in both the amplitude and phase of the distorted data. A comparison of the normalized amplitude data, observed and modelled, indicates a high degree of correspondence down to a low frequency limit (<0.1 Hz) where additional and deep contributions to the observed response become apparent. The modelling results and data characteristics indicate that the survey area is underlain by a series of closely parallel, thin intrusive dikes (a dike swarm).