AbstractThe magnetotelluric phase in the medium of incidence over a good conductor varies from its value at the conductor surface, usually close to 45°, to the characteristic standing‐wave phaseshift of 90° over a distance of a few conductor skin‐depths, much shorter than the vacuum wavelength at the frequencies considered. Over the top of a graben or at the surface of a two‐layer structure the basement can be looked upon as the matrix. If the graben or the overburden is a better conductor it will carry an extra current density in phase with the electric field, thus giving rise to an additional magnetic field also in phase with the electric field. This drives the argument of the surface impedance toward smaller values. For a more resistive graben or overburden the current is depressed, corresponding to a reduction of the surface magnetic field by an amount in phase with the electric field. This effect drives the phase of the impedance to values above the characteristic 45° of a uniform c
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