“Airborne geophysical imaging of freshwater reservoir beneath the eastern margin of Great Salt Lake”

A recent publication in Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio) highlights the power of modern airborne geophysics for large-scale subsurface imaging.
The article was prepared by the Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah and TechnoImaging (authors Michael S. Zhdanov, Michael Jorgensen, Leif Cox, William Johnson, Kip Solomon): Airborne geophysical imaging of freshwater reservoir beneath the eastern margin of Great Salt Lake | Scientific Reports

The study demonstrates how airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey (TargetEM system by Expert Geophysics Surveys Inc.), combined with 3D inversion, can successfully image subsurface resistivity structures and delineate a freshwater reservoir beneath the hypersaline waters of the Great Salt Lake.
The airborne survey revealed a laterally extensive resistive layer interpreted as freshwater-saturated sediments or bedrock beneath the conductive brine, providing geophysical evidence for significant freshwater resources below the Lake.
At PDAC-2026 during the workshop “Modern Airborne EM for Mineral Exploration” (March 4), Professor Michael S. Zhdanov presented the results of this study.