Patent Document ID: 4811220
Application ID: 06912077
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method or process for visual display and analysis of subsurface geologic structure and rock properties utilizing for a common sequence of magnetotelluric wave periods, sequences of the standard impedance polar diagram input parameters Zxy, Zyy, Zxx, Zyx, where Zxy is a complex number that describes the amplitude and phase relations that exist between the electric field in the x direction and the magnetic field in the orthogonal y direction, and where Zxy is a complex number that describes the amplitude and phase relations that exist between the electric field in the y direction and the magnetic field in the y direction, and where Zxx is a complex number that describes the amplitude and phase relations that exist between the electric field in the x direction and the magnetic field in the x direction, and where Zyx is a complex number that describes the amplitude and phase relations that exist between the electric field in the y direction and the magnetic field in the orthogonal x direction, said sequences of the standard impdeance polar diagram input parameters being measured at known survey locations with known data measurement coordinates and said sequences of the standard impedance polar diagram input parameters also being calculated from numerical analysis of a model of the survey area comprising the steps of: (a) displaying in three dimensional perspective properly oriented field survey impedance polar diagrams and model-derived impedance polar diagrams as a function of probing depth, (b) determining for each wave period for which field survey and model derived values are available a vector difference polar diagram equal to a vector difference between a field survey impedance polar diagram and the corresponding model-derived impedance polar diagram, and displaying said vector difference polar diagram at a probing depth derived from the corresponding field survey measurements, (c) displaying the model of the survey area used to obtain the model-derived polar diagrams in the same perspective as the model-derived polar diagrams, (d) rotating an apparent viewing volume along with the field-survey, the model-derived and the vector difference polar diagrams displayed therein, so as to allow a viewing of said field-survey, model-derived and vector difference polar diagrams in a different perspective, (e) segmenting the trace of every polar diagram at equal increments of rotation angle, (f) for each known survey location, assigning to each segment of each displayed field survey polar diagram a unique rock property related color that is derived from the measured polar diagram input parameters obtained at said known survey location, and period of a magnetotelluric wave being analyzed, (g) for each model location, assigning to each segment of each displayed model derived polar diagram a unique model property related color that is derived from said being calculated standard impedance polar diagram input parameters, for a model location, and from the period of said magnetotelluric wave used to calculate said calculated polar diagram input parameters, (h) for each model location, assigning to each segment of each displayed vector difference polar diagram a color that is determined by the magnitude and sign of the vector difference between a field survey polar diagram and the corresponding model-derived polar diagram, (i) creating a dynamic display containing said field survey polar diagrams, said model derived polar diagrams and vector difference polar diagrams, in which each polar diagram trace contains a spot of enhanced trace intensity that moves along said each polar diagram's trace in such a way as to complete its circuit around said each trace in a time period that is proportional to the period of the magnetotelluric wave whose transfer function gives rise to said each trace, and in which the position of said spot of enhanced intensity can be adjusted, (j) adjusting the position of said spot of enhanced trace intensity on each polar diagram for a given wave period, such that all spots for a given wave period reach the maximum amplitude location on their respective polar diagram at the same instant of time, (k) illuminated sequentially said field survey polar diagrams, said model derived polar diagrams and said vector difference polar diagrams, this illumination proceeding from polar diagrams of transfer functions of short period magnetotelluric waves, to those of long period magnetotelluric waves.