Deep Regional Electrical Resistivity Dataset of Taiwan Derived from Magnetotelluric Surveys
Description
This repository contains a regional electrical resistivity dataset of Taiwan compiled from magnetotelluric (MT) surveys conducted over more than three decades. The dataset includes observations from 406 MT stations acquired between 1995 and 2026, providing broad spatial coverage across the island and its tectonically active orogenic belt. To produce a consistent dataset, the original MT measurements from different survey periods were reprocessed using a unified workflow. The MT responses at each station were interpreted through one-dimensional (1D) inversion, generating resistivity–depth models that describe the vertical electrical structure beneath each measurement site. These station-based models constitute the primary processed data provided in this repository. The individual 1D resistivity profiles were subsequently combined to develop a regional three-dimensional (3D) resistivity framework for Taiwan. The workflow for data processing and model construction was implemented using open-source Python tools. Grid generation and visualization were performed using the PyVista library, while the resulting 3D model can be interactively explored with ParaView. The compiled dataset spans the full extent of Taiwan, covering approximately 38,019 km² with a perimeter of about 919 km. The resistivity structure is resolved to a depth of roughly 60 km. The final 3D grid has a horizontal spacing of 5 km and a vertical spacing of 0.5 km, producing approximately 181,440 model cells.
Files
Steps to reproduce
1. EDI Files The magnetotelluric (MT) observations are provided in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) format. Each EDI file corresponds to an individual MT station and contains the impedance tensor, apparent resistivity, and phase data. These files can be opened and analyzed using MT processing tools that support the EDI format or scientific computing environments such as Python. 2. One-Dimensional (1D) Inversion Models The repository includes text files containing inverted 1D resistivity–depth profiles for each MT station. These files represent the processed MT results derived from the inversion of the EDI data. Each file lists depth and corresponding resistivity values and can be visualized or reanalyzed using common numerical or geophysical software. 3. Three-Dimensional (3D) Resistivity Model The regional 3D resistivity model was constructed by integrating the individual 1D resistivity profiles. The model grid covers Taiwan with a horizontal resolution of 5 km and a vertical resolution of 500 m, extending to a depth of approximately 60 km. The 3D model is provided in Visualization Toolkit (VTK) format and can be visualized using ParaView or Python libraries such as PyVista for interactive exploration and analysis.
Institutions
- National Central UniversityTaiwan, Taoyuan
Categories
Funders
- Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), TaiwanGrant ID: 103-2116-M-008-025 and 104-2116-M-008-017
- Geological Survey and Mining Management Agency (GSMMA), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), TaiwanGrant ID: 108-5226904000-01-02-01, 110-5726901000-05-01, 111-5726901000-05-01, 112-5726901000-05-01, B113015, and B114048
- International collaboration was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA through the Continental Dynamics Program (award EAR-0410227), and the Alberta Ingenuity Fund.