High-power-ultrahigh-power electromagnetic exploration technology: Progress and outlook
WANG Jun-Lu1(), CHEN Hui1(), LUO Xian-Zhong1, ZHANG Xiao-Fei1, LIN Pin-Rong2, YU Bing1, PANG Zhen-Shan1,3
1. Development and Research Center, China Geological Survey, Beijing 100037, China 2. Institute of Geophysics and Geochemistry Exploration, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Langfang 065000, China 3. Mineral Resource Exploration Technology Guidance Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100037, China
Over the past century, electromagnetic exploration technology has evolved from direct current resistivity and induced polarization methods to a comprehensive geophysical system. Yet, in China's new mineral exploration phase, challenges like deep-mining needs, cultural noise, and weak 3D interpretation limit traditional methods. High-power-ultrahigh-power electromagnetic technology, by boosting transmission current, combats these issues. It enhances detection depth, enables 3D exploration, and drives technological and application innovation. This paper reviews the development of high-power-ultrahigh-power electromagnetic instruments and current research. It emphasizes that technologies like true 3D full-waveform IP collection and inversion, tensor CSAMT collection and inversion, and multi-parameter joint inversion of time-and frequency-domain EM methods can strengthen deep-target detection. Future research should tackle anisotropic 3D inversion, full-domain inversion with a field source, and extracting polarization and magnetization rates under complex constraints. These advances will propel electromagnetic methods toward greater depth, precision, and intelligence, supporting China's renewed mineral exploration efforts.
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