Using the HEM Technique and Its Relation to the Seismic Activity to Detect the Main Structural Setting and Rock Units at Abu-Dabbab Area, Egypt

Abstract

Abu-Dabbab area is located in the western Red Sea coast at the Eastern Desert of Egypt. This area is characterized by the presence of different geological units and high seismic activity. It is one of the seismic source zones in Egypt. The purpose of this research is the detection of the structural setting and rock units by using the Helicopter Electromagnetic (HEM) technique and its relation to the seismic activity at Abu-Dabbab area. The spatial distribution of earthquakes recorded by the Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN) was used to study the seismic activity along the detected structures at the study area. The results of this work show that there is a resistivity variation over the study area. This variation may be due to the difference in the rock composition and its conductivities. In addition, the places of high resistivity values clearly show sites of faults. The sites of approximated values confirm the presence and expansion of the different rock units which are mixed in their electrical properties. The sites of the detected faults are identifying with the seismic activity of the area.