Inversion of Gravity and Magnetic Data for the Lower Surface of a 2.5 Dimensional Sedimentary Basin

Abstract

Gravity and magnetic data have been inverted to obtain the continuous lower surface of a 2.5 dimensional sedimentary basin. The non‐linear problem is linearized and a solution is calculated through a recursive process until the predicted data matches the observed data. An average model is then calculated and a resolution analysis shows which features are uniquely determined. The results of individual inversion indicate that a final solution is initial model dependent but the average models are independent of the initial model except at the margins. The average model for the magnetic solutions have uniformly smaller spreads than the gravity solutions. The algorithms were applied to data from the Sanford Basin in North Carolina. The results indicate that the basin is asymmetrical in shape with a maximum depth of 3.2 km. Comparing these results with those obtained from a generalized linear inverse (GLI) algorithm indicate that the higher‐frequency features determined from the GLI algorithm are not resolved.

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2478.1992.tb00370.x

Publication Date

1-1-1992

Journal Title

Geophysical Prospecting

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