On magnetotelluric sounding above an uplift

Magnetotelluric sounding (MTS) in a sedimentary basin including a local uplift of a basement or a salt dome is numerically modeled. The modeling showed that the quasi-transverse MTS curves obtained above the uplift are distorted by the 3-D effect associated with the lateral flow of the current around the uplift. The distortion degree increases appreciably if the geoelectric structure of the sedimentary basin contains a high-resistivity layer preventing the current flow above the uplift. Such conditions are typical of sedimentary basins. The modeling results are usable for interpreting characteristic features of the MTS curves obtained in the Polish basin above salt domes.