Experience with the EM-60 electromagnetic system for geothermal exploration in Nevada

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) conducted controlled-source electromagnetic (EM) surveys at three geothermal prospects in northern Nevada. Over 40 soundings were made in Panther Canyon (Grass Valley), near Winnemucca; Soda Lakes, near Fallon; and McCoy, west of Austin, to test and demonstrate the applicability of LBL's EM-60 system to geothermal exploration. The EM-60 is a frequency-domain system using three-component magnetic detection. Typically, +-65 A is applied to an 100-m-diameter four-turn horizontal loop, generating a dipole moment >10/sup 6/ MKS over the frequency range 10/sup -3/ to 10/sup -3/ Hz. With such a source loop, soundings were made, at transmitter-receiver separations of up to 4 km, providing a maximum depth of penetration of 4 km.