Multi-order vector finite element modeling of 3D magnetotelluric data including complex geometry and anisotropy

Abstract

We introduce MoVFEM, a computational algorithm for the modeling of three-dimensional magnetotelluric (MT) data using a vector finite element method of specific order from multiple elements' orders. Our algorithm allows complex geometries, topography, and anisotropic resistivity structures. The software calculates secondary electric and magnetic fields for a plane-wave primary magnetic field. Accurate calculation of fields in the boundary regions of the computational domain are ensured by the implementation of the Generalized Perfect Matched Layers method. We validate the MoVFEM algorithm by applications to various scenarios, which allow a comparison with analytical or accepted numerical solutions where available. The respective results of our algorithm are in good agreement with existing solutions. which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.

A rapid 3D magnetotelluric forward approach for arbitrary anisotropic conductivities in the Fourier domain

“…With the improvement in the performance of computing equipment and the improvement in computing methods, researchers have successively carried out the simulation of 3D anisotropic magnetotelluric field (Liu et al, 2018;Yu et al, 2018;Rivera-Rios et al, 2019;Xiao et al, 2019;Guo et al, 2020;Ye et al, 2021;Zhou et al, 2021;Luo et al, 2022;Li et al, 2023). At present, the 3D electromagnetic numerical simulation methods mainly include the integral equation method (IEM), the finite difference method (FDM), the finite volume method (FVM), and the finite element method (FEM).…”

Three‐Dimensional Magnetotelluric Inversion for Arbitrarily Anisotropic Earth Using Unstructured Tetrahedral Discretization

“…Rivera‐Rios et al. (2019) proposed a multiorder vector FE method to modeling MT data considering complex geometry and anisotropy. Guo et al.…”

“…Cao et al (2017Cao et al ( , 2018a applied unstructured FE method to 3D forward modeling for MT in arbitrarily anisotropic media, Cao et al (2018b) developed a finite-difference algorithm for anisotropic MT modeling based on the ModEM from Egbert and Kelbert (2012), Han et al (2018) applied the finite-volume method to the numerical simulation of MT for an anisotropic earth. Rivera-Rios et al (2019) proposed a multiorder vector FE method to modeling MT data considering complex geometry and anisotropy. Guo et al (2020) design a modular finite-volume approach for MT modeling of the earth medium with general anisotropy.…”