Joint Inversion of VES and TEM Data for Investigation of Geothermal Resources and Sea Water Intrusion at Hammam Mousa Hot Spring, Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

In this work, DC resistivity and transient electromagnetic surveys were conducted at Hammam Mousa area, Sinai, Egypt to explore the geothermal resources, groundwater aquifer and the effect of sea water invasion on this aquifer. The field survey comprises 19 DC resistivity soundings (VESes) with AB/2 up to 1000 m and 27 transient electromagnetic (TEM) stations using a square loop of 25 m side length. Both data sets were firstly inverted in 1-D scheme using a nonlinear least-squares method and gave a layered-earth resistivity model. Moreover, the joint interpretation of both VES and TEM data, using the available geological information as a constraining factor, successfully enhanced the inversion results. The geoelectrical cross sections obtained from the inversion process show the effect of the Suez Gulf water intrusion in the western part of the study area, the resistivity values go below 10 Ohm.m. Meanwhile, hot water reduces the resistivity values drastically near the hot spring leading to measurements of less than 3 Ohm.m.