Design and Application of a Mobile Ultra-Audio Frequency Electromagnetic Measurement System

Although high-frequency electromagnetic methods, such as Radio Magnetotellurics (RMT) and Controlled-Source Radio Magnetotellurics (CSRMT), are highly effective for shallow-to-medium depth exploration, deploying traditional transmitter–receiver setups remains labor-intensive and significantly slows down large-scale surveys. To overcome these logistical bottlenecks, we developed a mobile Ultra-Audio Frequency Electromagnetic (UAEM) measurement system. While the hardware is designed with dual-mode capabilities supporting conventional controlled-source operations, this paper specifically focuses on its application in a Signals of Opportunity (SOOP) mode. By utilizing pre-existing, stable anthropogenic signals, including Amplitude Modulation (AM) broadcasts and naval very low frequency communications, the system effectively functions as a broadband RMT receiver. Technical evaluations demonstrate that the instrument operates across a 1 Hz to 1000 kHz bandwidth with a high sampling rate of 2.5 MHz. Furthermore, it achieves a dynamic range of 143 dB and maintains an apparent resistivity measurement accuracy of better than 3%. Thanks to its modular, vehicle-towed design, the UAEM system enables continuous, on-the-move data acquisition wherever ambient field sources are available. This approach eliminates the need for dedicated transmitter deployment, fundamentally reducing exploration costs and boosting overall survey efficiency.