Gravity inversion by means of growing bodies

This paper presents a gravity inversion method for determining the volumes of bodies with pre-established density contrasts. The method works step-by-step on a prismatic partition of the subsurface volume, expanding the anomalous bodies to fit the observed gravity values in a systematic exploration...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Camacho, AG, A.G., González Montesinos, Fuensanta, Vieira, Ricardo
Format: article
Publication Date:2000
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repository:Docta Complutense
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/57460
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/57460
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:550.3
Canary-Islands
Gran-Canaria
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Geofísica
2507 Geofísica
Description
Summary:This paper presents a gravity inversion method for determining the volumes of bodies with pre-established density contrasts. The method works step-by-step on a prismatic partition of the subsurface volume, expanding the anomalous bodies to fit the observed gravity values in a systematic exploration of model possibilities. The process is treated in a 3-D context; at the same time, it can determine a simple regional trend. Moreover, positive and negative density contrasts are simultaneously accepted. The solution is obtained by a double condition: (1) the e(2)-fitness to the observed gravity data (model fitness) and (2) the minimization of the total (weighted) anomalous mass (model smoothness). A positive parameter is used to balance the two minimization terms. The method is applied to a simulated example and also to a real example: the volcanic island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain). In both cases, the results obtained show the possibilities of the method.