A frequency domain electromagnetic geophysical mapping instrument has a transmitter, a transmitter coil connected to the transmitter, the transmitter generating current pulse waveforms formed by half-sinusoidal output waveform segments of a waveform having a frequency equal to a resonant frequency of the transmitter coil, and a receiver, in which the transmitter generates current pulses including pulses comprising a plurality of immediately successive half-sinusoidal waveform segments of common polarity. The pulses immediately succeed each other and are of alternating polarity. The pulse lengths may in this case be equal, or vary in a manner providing a desired output spectrum, for example according to a pseudo-random sequence.