Search

Electrical anisotropy is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of the resistivity models required to explain magnetotelluric (MT) observations. However, a limited number of practical MT inversion algorithms that can consider anisotropy have been published to date. To address this problem, we have developed a three‐dimensional (3‐D) MT inversion algorithm that recovers a 3‐D resistivity model that considers arbitrary electrical anisotropy. The inversion uses the same inversion algorithm as the widely used ModEM inversion algorithm, and a novel forward modeling algorithm to consider the anisotropic Earth. The algorithm was tested on both synthetic and field MT data. Inversions considered both a completely general anisotropy tensor with six components and approximations with less parameters. Synthetic inversions show that the two horizontal components of resistivity and the anisotropy strike can be well recovered, while the vertical component of resistivity is poorly resolved, primarily because current flow in MTs is dominantly horizontal. The synthetic examples confirm the limitation of the axial anisotropic inversion technique when applied to MT data produced by a resistivity model with arbitrary anisotropy. The synthetic inversions also showed that inversion of data from an isotropic model will not result in an artificially anisotropic model. Compared to the isotropic inversion model of the real MT data, the anisotropic model clearly shows some features that are consistent with the mapped geology. As expected, the results showed that a given data set can be fit by a range of models, with an inherent trade‐off from 3‐D heterogeneity to 3‐D anisotropy. This uncertainty can be reduced with the use of prior information in the inversion. Plain Language Summary: The resistivity model of real Earth generally contains anisotropic features. Field magnetotelluric (MT) data may be significantly influenced by these features. To interpret such data, inversion algorithms which can consider electrical anisotropy are highly demanded. However, a limited number of practical MT inversion algorithms that can consider anisotropy have been published to date. To address this problem, we have developed a three‐dimensional (3‐D) MT inversion algorithm that recovers a 3‐D resistivity model that considers arbitrary electrical anisotropy. The algorithm was tested to be effective on both synthetic and field MT data. Compared to the isotropic inversion models of the tested MT data, the resolved anisotropic models are more reliable. Key Points: A three‐dimensional non‐linear conjugate gradient inversion algorithm is implemented for the inversion of magnetotelluric (MT) data to produce an electrical resistivity model with arbitrary anisotropyInversion examples of synthetic and real MT data validate the usefulness of the algorithmReal MT data inversion obtains an anisotropic model which is more consistent with the mapped geology than the corresponding isotropic model [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]