Weerachai SiripunvarapornGary EgbertMakoto UyeshimaMahidol UniversityOregon State UniversityUniversity of Tokyo2018-06-212018-06-212005-03-01Geophysical Journal International. Vol.160, No.3 (2005), 804-8140956540X2-s2.0-15944408854https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/16492Traditional methods for interpretation of magnetotelluric (MT) profile data are based on 2-D inversion, under the assumption that 3-D complications in the data can be treated as 'geological noise'. We show with synthetic models that fitting 3-D data with a 2-D inversion can result in spurious features, especially if transverse electric (TE) data are used. Inversion of a single profile of MT data with a 3-D algorithm results in significantly more realistic images of structure beneath the data profile, and also allows some resolution of nearby off-profile structure. We also consider the importance of including the on-diagonal impedance tensor terms, Zxxand Zyy, in the inversion. In synthetic test cases, fitting these diagonals improves the accuracy of images of off-profile structure, particularly near the edge of a conductive feature. © 2005 RAS.Mahidol UniversityEarth and Planetary SciencesArticleSCOPUS10.1111/j.1365-246X.2005.02527.x