Obtaining long-period magnetotelluric marine survey data using a towed streamer system

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for generating a time series representation of passive electromagnetic (EM) fields via towed streamer measurements without dependence on water-bottom measurement equipment. Such techniques may include storing records of respective time series measurements of passive EM fields measured by individual receivers as the individual receivers pass over a first measurement point, where the respective time series measurements correspond to respective measurement intervals, and where the respective time series measurements are synchronized with respect to a reference clock. The records of the respective time series measurements may be combined to generate a time series representation of passive EM fields observed at the first measurement point over a combination of the respective measurement intervals. The time series representation of passive EM fields observed at the first measurement point may, in turn, be used to identify one or more characteristics of subsurface structure.