LOOP SOURCE TRANSIENT ELECTROMAGNETICS IN AN URBAN NOISE ENVIRONMENT: A CASE STUDY IN SANTIAGO DE CHILE
We present a transient electromagnetic (TEM) study in the noisy urban environment of the megacity Santiago de Chile. Our investigation characterizes the electrical conductivity structure of the Santiago basin down to 300 m depth, providing key information about the sedimentary infill, hydrogeological aspects, and geomorphological units. Fifty-two TEM-soundings were recorded over roughly 900 km2. We identified different transient characteristics and noise patterns, both spatially correlated to the investigation area. This step allowed classification of the soundings into three groups: highly distorted data, transients severely affected by cultural electromagnetic noise sources, and good quality data with low noise levels. Conventional 1D inversion techniques were then employed to derive resistivity depth models. The models were interpreted using sedimentary units and alluvial fan information, static groundwater level observations, and verified using borehole data. Based on 1D models, different minimum sedimentary thicknesses are observed, ranging between 50 m and 300 m depth. The average derived sedimentary thickness is ∼210 m. In addition, seven soundings indicated the basement. These are mostly located towards the periphery of the Santiago basin. We found a high conductive zone towards the north and a low conductive area towards the south of the basin. The southern area is characterized by the absence of conductive layers at a depth between 100 m and 150 m depth. This is likely related to the presence of a thick gravel layer and the absence of shallow clay layers acting as aquitards. The resistivity distribution and the sedimentary thickness obtained for this noisy and urban environment are a key input for groundwater research as water supply becomes more limited, specifically in central Chile. The overall consistency of the derived subsurface models highlights the suitability of the TEM method for investigating urban noise environments.