Long-period geomagnetic variations and mantle conductivity: an inversion using Bailey's method |
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| Authors: | J Achache J L Le Mouël V Courtillot |
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| Institution: | Institut de Physique du Globe, UniversitéParis 6 and Department des Sciences de la Terre, UniversitéParis 7, France |
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| Abstract: | Summary. We have implemented an algorithm which is based on Bailey's solution of the inverse problem of electromagnetic induction in the Earth. The study was motivated by recent determinations of very long period data and also benefited from recent redeterminations of high frequency data. The algorithm has been successfully tested to provide reliable estimates of conductivity down to a depth of 2000 km, using synthetic data in the period range from 4 days to 11 years. Smooth data sets, which are required for the inversion, were constructed from various sources. At a given depth, the range of inverted models is less than one order of magnitude. Due to the lack of high frequency data, the conductivity of the upper 600 km of the mantle, which is found to be of the order of 10−1Ω−1 m−1, may be overestimated. The algorithm performs well in the middle mantle, where conductivity rises steadily from 1 to 50 Ω−1 m−1. The lack of very low frequency data and limitations of the algorithm prevent one from obtaining meaningful estimates in the lower mantle. However, the study of the propagation of the late 1960s secular variation acceleration provides an estimate of the mean conductivity of the whole mantle. Thus, a complete mantle profile can be constructed. It is found that deep mantle conductivity probability does not exceed a few hundred Ω−1 m−1. |
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