Experience of Application and Prospects of The Controlled Source Radiomagnetotelluric Sounding Method in The Study of Arctic Permafrost Zone

Summary The capabilities of application of the controlled source radiomagnetotelluric (CSRMT) sounding method with a horizontal electrical dipole as a source in the solving of various tasks in the permafrost areas are considered. The possibility to study permafrost geoelectric sections at industrial construction sites is demonstrated. In the Yakutia kimberlite province the tasks of studying the morphology of dolerite sills within the overlying sediments and mapping the roof of kimberlite hosting carbonate rocks were solved. Based on the simulation results, the possibility of mapping the under-channel and sub-lake taliks is shown. In this case, using the tensor modification of the CSRMT method with two multidirectional sources and bimodal inversion of the data are preferable. The CSRMT method has some advantages over conventional DC methods used in the permafrost areas (VES, ERT). This is a higher productivity of work and the ability to perform soundings in the winter on snow and ice. Compared to the TEM soundings and GPR, the CSRMT method provides more reliable results in the depth interval from 5 to 15 m, when the GPR lacks depth, and TEM has problems in detailing the upper part of sections at early recording times.