telluric-current method
Quick Summary
The telluric-current method is a geophysical technique used to map subsurface structures. It relies on natural electric currents that flow on and beneath the Earth's surface, generally parallel to it. These currents are generated by charges moving to achieve equilibrium, influenced by electromagnetic waves from space and charged masses in the ionosphere and atmosphere.1
Geophysicists use telluric currents to identify features like sedimentary basins, layered rocks, and faults. Anomalies in current density or gradients can indicate the presence of subsurface structural features. This method is part of broader electrical and electromagnetic techniques used in Earth exploration, which measure various physical properties to understand what lies beneath the surface.12
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