Electrical resistivity structure beneath the North-west Atlantic Ocean

• Published in: Geophysical Journal International
• Main Authors: Poehls, K. A., Von Herzen, R. P.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1976
• Subjects: Articles; Pacific; North West Atlantic
• Online Access: http://gji.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/47/2/331; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1976.tb01276.x

Geomagnetic variations recorded on the deep sea floor of the North-west Atlantic basin have been combined with simultaneous data recorded at nearby land stations to deduce the electrical resistivity structure to depths of several hundred kilometres. Over a period interval between about 30 min and one day, vertical gradients of the geomagnetic field variations are simply interpreted as induction from a plane two-layer structure with resistivity of about 7−20 Ω m in the upper 100 km, increasing to > 20 Ω m below. The lack of suitable high-frequency data precluded resolution of structures within the upper 30−50 km. The resistivity value implied for depths below 100 km is comparable to that deduced from similar studies in the Pacific Ocean basin.