FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF GROUND WATER FLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE SARATOGA WARM SPRINGS AND THE TECOPA, SHOSHONE HOTSPRINGS NEAR DEPTH VALLEY CALIFORNIA

Antony Walmawa (2008) conducted electrical and ground magnetic surveys at Saratoga warm springs and Tecopa hot springs in the vicinity of Death Valley, California. Magnetic and conductivity data processing and interpretation revealed interesting east and north striking faults at Saratoga Springs. Similarly, he identified northwest and northeast trending intersecting faults in the Precambrian basement at Isolated Springs (Tecopa hot springs). Variation in conductivity and resistivity characterized the presence of intersecting faults and some possible dynamic activities influencing the generation of these warm and hotsprings. Further research into understanding hotsprings is in progress as my masters’ research. This research looks at using ground magnetic data collected at Shoshone and comparing with aeromagnetic, airborne gravity and magnetotelluric data sets covering this region to well image the subsurface properties of these areas for better understanding of the driving processes that are associated with these springs. The magnetic data collected will reveal the faulting and with additional aid of magnetotelurics giving conductivity and resistivity as a function of depth. These will enable us identify the possible subsurface formations that gives rise to the hot and warm springs. Gravity data will similarly make an addition to the characteristic investigation of subsurface in terms of density variations and their relations to their geologic signatures. A geodynamic approach in understanding the characteristics variation in magnetic field and gravity will be used to further ascertain the geophysical interpretation of the driving mechanism of hotsprings.