Electromagnetic transient soundings on the east rift geothermal area of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii : a study of interpretational techniques

Abstract

Seventeen electromagnetic transient soundings were done on the lower east flank of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. Each sounding is based on the response or the earth as a function of time to a step function of current in a horizontal linear source. Interpretation of these response measurements is usually done by matching the data to standard model curves or asymptotic expressions; however, these methods presuppose that each datum has been measured with a relative precision (e.g. a precision of 5%) whereas, sounding, each datum is commonly measured with an absolute precision (e.g. a precision of 10µv). Therefore, a general inversion technique based on linear comparisons between the data and model values was used for the interpretations of the data in this study. The resulting geoelectric model shows that the structure is uniform vertically to a depth of 1000 m below sea level. There are broad, but distinct, lateral variations in the interpreted conductivity values ranging from 0.10 to 0.16 -mho/m in most of east Puna to anomalous values of 0.30 to 0.50 mho/m in a particular area south of the rift at Puu Honuaula (see Figure 7). Based on these conductivity estimates, groundwater temperatures in the anomalous area are not expected to exceed 1500 C to depths of 1000 m below sea level.