An improved terracing algorithm for potential-field data

Geophysics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. G109-G113
Author(s):  
G. R. J. Cooper

Although the boundaries between geologic units with different physical properties are usually quite distinct, the potential-field anomalies associated with them are relatively smooth, particularly for deeper bodies. The terracing filter has been introduced to sharpen anomaly edges and to produce regions of constant amplitude between them, mimicking geologic units on a geologic map. The boundaries between the pseudogeologic units are defined by the zero contour of the Laplacian function. Unfortunately, this can result in the domains of terraced anomalies extending far from the original location of the causative body, producing an image that poorly represents the geology. I have determined that the use of the mathematical shape index of the anomalies, rather than their Laplacian, produces a much more geologically realistic result. The effect can be controlled as desired using a threshold parameter. I evaluate the benefits of the method on gravity and magnetic data from southern Africa.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Ji ◽  
Wanyin Wang ◽  
Fuxiang Liu ◽  
Min Yang ◽  
Shengqing Xiong ◽  
...  

<p>Gravity and magnetic surveys are widely used in geology exploration because of its advantages, such as efficient and economy, green and environment-friendly, widely coverage and strong horizontal resolution. In order to well study in the geology exploration, it is required to comprehensively combine the different scales (different scales data) and different dimensions (satellite data, aeronautical data, ground data, ocean data, well data, etc.) of gravity and magnetic data that were observed in different periods, however, the comprehensive application of the multi-dimensional and multi-scale gravity and magnetic data still stays in the initial stage. In this paper, we do research on the key point of the fusion of potential field data (gravity and magnetic data): the way to fuse the different scales and different dimensions of potential field data into a benchmark and the same surface. Based on this research, we propose a scheme to fuse the multi-dimensional and multi-scale gravity and magnetic data. The synthetic models show that this fusion scheme is able to fuse the multi-dimensional and multi-scale gravity and magnetic data with great fusion results and small errors, in addition, the most important is that the fusion data conform to the characteristics of the potential field data and can meet the needs of data processing in the following steps. One of case studies in China has been accomplished to fuse aeronautical and ground gravity data that are different scales by using this fusion scheme. The fusion scheme we proposed in this study can be used in the fusion of the multi-dimensional (aeronautical, ground and ocean) and multi-scale gravity and magnetic data, which is good for interpretation and popularization.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Kelemework ◽  
M. Milano ◽  
M. La Manna ◽  
G. de Alteriis ◽  
M. Iorio ◽  
...  

AbstractWe present a 3D model of the main crustal boundaries beneath the Campanian region and the onshore and offshore surrounding areas, based on high-resolution potential field data. Our main objective is the definition of the main structural interfaces in the whole Campanian region from gravity and magnetic data, thanks to their ability to define them on a regional and continuous way. The complex morphology of the Mesozoic carbonate platform, which is fundamental to constrain the top of geothermal reservoir, was reconstructed by inverting the vertical gradient of gravity. We assumed local information from seismic models and boreholes to improve the model. We modeled the deep crustal structures by spectral analysis of Bouguer gravity and magnetic data. The inferred depth estimates indicate a shallow crystalline basement below the Tyrrhenian crust and the Apulian foreland and a significant depression beneath the Bradanic foredeep. The map of the Moho boundary shows a NE-SE verging trough below the Southern Apennine chain and two pronounced uplifts beneath the foreland and the Tyrrhenian crust. We also estimated the depth to the magnetic bottom, showing a thick magnetic crust below the mountain chain and shallow depths where the crustal heat flow is high. The models were compared with seismic sections along selected profiles; a good agreement was observed, despite of some inherent lower resolution for the gravity modelling from spectral methods. The regional covering and the continuity of our estimated crustal interfaces make it a new and valid reference for further geological, geophysical and geothermal studies, especially in areas such as northern and eastern Campania, where there is an incomplete geophysical and geological information.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirill Kuznetsov ◽  
Bulychev Andrey ◽  
Ivan Lygin

<p>Studies of the Earth’s interior structure are one of the most complex topics in modern science. Integration of different geophysical methods plays a key role in effectively tackling the problem. In the last decade capabilities of potential field geophysical methods have been increasing due to development of advanced digital technologies. Improved resolution and accuracy of gravity and magnetic fields measurements made by modern equipment makes it possible to build more detailed geological models. Different tectonic and structural elements being interpreted in such models produce potential field signals with different spectral characteristics. Like any geophysical signals, potential fields can be described as a spatially non-stationary signal. This means its frequency content may change depending on a given signal sample, in particular with different spatial location of a sample. In this case, approaches of gravity and magnetic fields analysis based on Fourier transform or signal decomposition into a number of harmonic functions can lead to incorrect results. One of the ways to solve this challenge involves using wavelet transform based algorithms, since these transforms do not assume stationary signals and each function of a wavelet-based basis is localized in space domain.</p><p>In gravity and magnetic data analysis it is beneficial to use wavelets based on partial derivatives of the Poisson kernel, which correspond to derivatives of a point source gravity potential. Application of Poisson wavelets in potential field data analysis has begun in the 1990's and is predominantly aimed at studying gravity and magnetic fields singularity points during data interpretation.</p><p>Similar to Fourier-based potential field techniques, it is possible to construct a number of data filtering algorithms based on Poisson wavelets. Current work demonstrates that it is possible to construct algorithms based on Poisson wavelets for transforming profile and spatially gridded gravity and magnetic data, e.g. for calculation of equivalent density and magnetization distributions, upward and downward continuations, reduction to pole and many other filters that take into account spatial distribution of the signal.</p><p>Wavelet-transforms allow to account for spatially non-stationary nature of geophysical signals. Use of wavelet based techniques allows to effectively carry out potential field data interpretation in a variety of different geologic and tectonic settings in a consistent fashion.</p>


Geophysics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 452-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurizio Fedi ◽  
Antonio Rapolla

Magnetization and density models with depth resolution are obtained by solving an inverse problem based on a 3-D set of potential field data. Such a data set is built from information on vertical and horizontal variations of the magnetic or gravity field. The a priori information consists of delimiting a source region and subdividing it in a set of blocks. In this case, the information related to a set of field data along the vertical direction is not generally redundant and is decisive in giving a depth resolution to the gravity and magnetic methods. Because of this depth resolution, which derives solely from the potential field data, an unconstrained and joint inversion of a multiobservation‐level data set is shown to provide surprising results for error‐free synthetic data. On the contrary, a single‐observation level data inversion produces an incorrect and too shallow model. Hence, a good depth resolution is likely to occur for the gravity and magnetic methods when based on the information along the vertical direction. This is also evidenced by an analysis of the kernel function versus the field altitude level and by a singular value analysis of the inversion operators for both the single and multilevel cases. Errors connected to numerical upward continuation do not affect the quality of the solution, provided that the data set extent is larger than that of the anomaly field. Application of the method to a 3-D magnetic data set relative to Vesuvius indicates that the method may significantly improve interpretation of potential fields.


1983 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 1260-1281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver G. Jensen ◽  
Pandelis P. Papazis

A signal in a non-dispersive reverberent environment can generally be represented as the sum of overlapping delayed replicas of a basic wave form. This convolutional data model has long been employed in seismic analysis and can be usefully extended for the analysis of gravity and magnetic potential field data along with a host of other geophysical measurements. The deconvolution of gravity or magnetic data requires the separation of two basic components of the potential fields: one component represents a basic irreducible wave form or signature of the potential field, and the other represents the position and scale or distribution of this wave form throughout the area of measurement. The basic wave form often derives from the process of geophysical measurement (e.g., the upward-continuation operator) but may also be due to an inherent, common character of the geological structure of an area.Oppenheim obtained the formalism for a generalized theory of superposition that allows for a description of the deconvolution process in terms of non-linear homomorphic transformations. These methods have already found application in the geophysical analysis of seismic data; it now provides a useful tool for the deconvolution of geophysical potential field data.


Geophysics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. IM1-IM9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Leon Foks ◽  
Richard Krahenbuhl ◽  
Yaoguo Li

Compressive inversion uses computational algorithms that decrease the time and storage needs of a traditional inverse problem. Most compression approaches focus on the model domain, and very few, other than traditional downsampling focus on the data domain for potential-field applications. To further the compression in the data domain, a direct and practical approach to the adaptive downsampling of potential-field data for large inversion problems has been developed. The approach is formulated to significantly reduce the quantity of data in relatively smooth or quiet regions of the data set, while preserving the signal anomalies that contain the relevant target information. Two major benefits arise from this form of compressive inversion. First, because the approach compresses the problem in the data domain, it can be applied immediately without the addition of, or modification to, existing inversion software. Second, as most industry software use some form of model or sensitivity compression, the addition of this adaptive data sampling creates a complete compressive inversion methodology whereby the reduction of computational cost is achieved simultaneously in the model and data domains. We applied the method to a synthetic magnetic data set and two large field magnetic data sets; however, the method is also applicable to other data types. Our results showed that the relevant model information is maintained after inversion despite using 1%–5% of the data.


Geophysics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Debeglia ◽  
Jacques Corpel

A new method has been developed for the automatic and general interpretation of gravity and magnetic data. This technique, based on the analysis of 3-D analytic signal derivatives, involves as few assumptions as possible on the magnetization or density properties and on the geometry of the structures. It is therefore particularly well suited to preliminary interpretation and model initialization. Processing the derivatives of the analytic signal amplitude, instead of the original analytic signal amplitude, gives a more efficient separation of anomalies caused by close structures. Moreover, gravity and magnetic data can be taken into account by the same procedure merely through using the gravity vertical gradient. The main advantage of derivatives, however, is that any source geometry can be considered as the sum of only two types of model: contact and thin‐dike models. In a first step, depths are estimated using a double interpretation of the analytic signal amplitude function for these two basic models. Second, the most suitable solution is defined at each estimation location through analysis of the vertical and horizontal gradients. Practical implementation of the method involves accurate frequency‐domain algorithms for computing derivatives with an automatic control of noise effects by appropriate filtering and upward continuation operations. Tests on theoretical magnetic fields give good depth evaluations for derivative orders ranging from 0 to 3. For actual magnetic data with borehole controls, the first and second derivatives seem to provide the most satisfactory depth estimations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 644-650 ◽  
pp. 2670-2673
Author(s):  
Jun Wang ◽  
Xiao Hong Meng ◽  
Fang Li ◽  
Jun Jie Zhou

With the continuing growth in influence of near surface geophysics, the research of the subsurface structure is of great significance. Geophysical imaging is one of the efficient computer tools that can be applied. This paper utilize the inversion of potential field data to do the subsurface imaging. Here, gravity data and magnetic data are inverted together with structural coupled inversion algorithm. The subspace (model space) is divided into a set of rectangular cells by an orthogonal 2D mesh and assume a constant property (density and magnetic susceptibility) value within each cell. The inversion matrix equation is solved as an unconstrained optimization problem with conjugate gradient method (CG). This imaging method is applied to synthetic data for typical models of gravity and magnetic anomalies and is tested on field data.


2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 746
Author(s):  
Irina Borissova ◽  
Gabriel Nelson

In 2008–9, under the Offshore Energy Security Program, Geoscience Australia (GA) acquired 650 km of seismic data, more than 3,000 km of gravity and magnetic data, and, dredge samples in the southern Carnarvon Basin. This area comprises the Paleozoic Bernier Platform and southern part of the Mesozoic Exmouth Sub-basin. The new seismic and potential field data provide a new insight into the structure and sediment thickness of the deepwater southernmost part of the Exmouth Sub-basin. Mesozoic depocentres correspond to a linear gravity low, in water depths between 1,000–2,000 m and contain between 2–3 sec (TWT) of sediments. They form a string of en-echelon northeast-southwest oriented depressions bounded by shallow-dipping faults. Seismic data indicates that these depocentres extend south to at least 24°S, where they become more shallow and overprinted by volcanics. Potential plays in this part of the Exmouth Sub-basin may include fluvio-deltaic Triassic sandstone and Lower–Middle Jurassic claystone source rocks sealed by the regional Early Cretaceous Muderong shale. On the adjoining Bernier Platform, minor oil shows in the Silurian and Devonian intervals at Pendock–1a indicate the presence of a Paleozoic petroleum system. Ordovician fluvio-deltaic sandstones sealed by the Silurian age marine shales, Devonian reef complexes and Miocene inversion anticlines are identified as potential plays. Long-distance migration may contribute to the formation of additional plays close to the boundary between the two provinces. With a range of both Mesozoic and Paleozoic plays, this under-explored region may have a significant hydrocarbon potential.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateusz Mikołajczak ◽  
Jan Barmuta ◽  
Małgorzata Ponikowska ◽  
Stanislaw Mazur ◽  
Krzysztof Starzec

<p>The Silesian Nappe in the westernmost part of the Polish Outer Carpathians Fold and Thrust Belt exhibits simple, almost homoclinal character. Based on the field observations, a total stratigraphic thickness of this sequence equals to at least 5400 m. On the other hand, the published maps of the sub-Carpathian basement show its top at depths no greater than 3000 m b.s.l. or even 2000 m b.s.l. in the southern part of the Silesian Nappe. Assuming no drastic thickness variations within the sedimentary sequence of the Silesian Nappe, such estimates of the basement depth are inconsistent with the known thickness of the Silesian sedimentary succession. The rationale behind our work was to resolve this inconsistency and verify the actual depth and structure of the sub-Carpathian crystalline basement along two regional cross-sections. In order to achieve this goal, a joint 2D quantitative interpretation of gravity and magnetic data was performed along these regional cross-sections. The interpretation was supported by the qualitative analysis of magnetic and gravity maps and their derivatives to recognize structural features in the sub-Carpathian basement. The study was concluded with the 3D residual gravity inversion for the top of basement. The cross-sections along with the borehole data available from the area were applied to calibrate the inversion.</p><p>In the westernmost part of the Polish Outer Carpathians, the sub-Carpathian basement comprises part of the Brunovistulian Terrane. Because of great depths, the basement structure was investigated mainly by geophysical, usually non-seismic, methods. However, some deep boreholes managed to penetrate the basement that is composed of Neoproterozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks. The study area is located within the Upper Silesian block along the border between Poland and Czechia. There is a basement uplift as known mainly from boreholes, but the boundaries and architecture of this uplift are poorly recognized. Farther to the south, the top of the Neoproterozoic is buried under a thick cover of lower Palaeozoic sediments and Carpathian nappes.</p><p>Our integrative study allowed to construct a three-dimensional map for the top of basement the depth of which increases from about 1000 m to over 7000 m b.s.l. in the north and south of the study area, respectively. Qualitative analysis of magnetic and gravity data revealed the presence of some  basement-rooted faults delimiting the extent of the uplifted basement. The interpreted faults are oriented mainly towards NW-SE and NE-SW. Potential field data also document the correlation between the main basement steps and important thrust faults.</p><p> </p><p>This work has been funded by the Polish National Science Centre grant no UMO-2017/25/B/ST10/01348</p>


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