Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave

We investigate the airwave using streamline visualization of the Poynting vector. The airwave is a principal feature of marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys. The airwave is in no doubt a complex interaction with the all the geo-electrical elements; the highly resistive air, conductive se...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pethick, Andrew, Harris, Brett
Other Authors: EAGE
Format: Conference Paper
Published: EAGE 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30399
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author Pethick, Andrew
Harris, Brett
author2 EAGE
author_facet EAGE
Pethick, Andrew
Harris, Brett
author_sort Pethick, Andrew
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description We investigate the airwave using streamline visualization of the Poynting vector. The airwave is a principal feature of marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys. The airwave is in no doubt a complex interaction with the all the geo-electrical elements; the highly resistive air, conductive seawater column and sub-ocean sediments and hydrocarbons all influence its signature. The number of published descriptions and seemingly contradictory explanations may have led to confusion over its physical reality. The airwave has been described mathematically, as an analogy to refraction seismic and as a downwardly diffusing wave. We use Poynting vector streamlines to determine the best airwave representation. The airwave is seen as a downwardly diffusing vortex when visualised by field vector streamlines. The airwave presents differently in the Poynting vector streamlines. The energy flows vertically upwards from the transmitter, "refracts” along the air-ocean interface and down towards the ocean floor. The energy flowing upwards from the earth interacts with this downwardly flowing energy to form an airwave front
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-303992017-09-13T15:32:01Z Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave Pethick, Andrew Harris, Brett EAGE We investigate the airwave using streamline visualization of the Poynting vector. The airwave is a principal feature of marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys. The airwave is in no doubt a complex interaction with the all the geo-electrical elements; the highly resistive air, conductive seawater column and sub-ocean sediments and hydrocarbons all influence its signature. The number of published descriptions and seemingly contradictory explanations may have led to confusion over its physical reality. The airwave has been described mathematically, as an analogy to refraction seismic and as a downwardly diffusing wave. We use Poynting vector streamlines to determine the best airwave representation. The airwave is seen as a downwardly diffusing vortex when visualised by field vector streamlines. The airwave presents differently in the Poynting vector streamlines. The energy flows vertically upwards from the transmitter, "refracts” along the air-ocean interface and down towards the ocean floor. The energy flowing upwards from the earth interacts with this downwardly flowing energy to form an airwave front 2013 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30399 10.3997/2214-4609.20130271 EAGE restricted
spellingShingle Pethick, Andrew
Harris, Brett
Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title_full Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title_fullStr Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title_full_unstemmed Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title_short Poynting Vector Streamlines and the Marine Controlled Source Electromagnetic Airwave
title_sort poynting vector streamlines and the marine controlled source electromagnetic airwave
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30399