[1] The Atlas Mountains are characterized by high elevations and Quaternary volcanism. Long period magnetotelluric data acquired along a NNW-SSE transect reveal the presence of a conductive anomalous mantle below the High Atlas. Data dimensionality analyses show a preferent N80°E strike of the deep resistivity structure in agreement with the induction vector alignment at long periods. Accordingly, a 2D inversion of the data set was carried out. Large resistive bodies at the crustal basement most likely correspond to batholiths emplaced in more conductive metapelites. They are covered by outcropping conductive sedimentary detritic and carbonate rocks. Lithospheric thinning producing anomalous mantle and basin development in the Atlas probably started during Triassic-Jurassic rifting. Inversion tectonics since the Oligocene produced low shortening on previous lithospheric weak zones, with thrusting of the Atlas above the stable African plate. Melting at the top of the anomalous mantle is connected with Quaternary basaltic volcanism in the Middle Atlas.

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[1] Eight independent magnetotelluric (MT) campaigns, carried out in the western Mediterranean area and Antarctica, have been analyzed with the aim of extracting information from Schumann resonances (SR). The advantages and drawbacks of MT data with respect to single-purpose fixed stations for SR research are evaluated. Two different methods of signal processing have been employed: spectral analysis through the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and Rescaled Range analysis (R/S), calculating the Hurst exponents. The first permitted a study of the source contributions, the effects caused by local changes in the observation area, interseasonal behavior, and the relations between electric and magnetic horizontal fields. The average central frequencies obtained for the first three resonances are 7.8, 14, and 20.5 Hz respectively, but there are fluctuations in them. These variations seem to respond to the characteristics of the principal active storms that generate the resonances. These frequency shifts are stronger for the second and third resonances. Owing to the broadband registering of MT, the second method of signal processing could be applied to the low noise signals from Antarctica with high resolution, revealing the persistent nature of SR. A numerical simulation indicates a way for inferring lightning rates from R/S analysis.