Separation of sources and 3D inversion of gravity and magnetic data for the Thuringian Basin, Germany

• Published in: Contributions to geophysics & geodesy Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 119 - 132
• Main Authors: Prutkin, Ilya, Jentzsch, Gerhard, Jahr, Thomas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bratislava Versita 01-01-2012; Earth Science Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences; Earth Science Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia
• Subjects: 3D inversion; Algorithms; Basins; Contact; Gravitation; Inversions; Mathematical analysis; potential field methods; potential field methods, 3d inversion, pseudo-gravity, sedimentary basin; pseudo-gravity; sedimentary basin; Separation; Three dimensional
• ISSN: 1335-2806; 1338-0540; 1338-0540
• DOI: 10.2478/v10126-012-0005-8

We propose a novel methodology for separation of potential field sources and its 3D inversion. New approaches are developed to separate sources: i) in depth using a succession of upward and downward continuation; ii) in the lateral direction by means of approximation with the field of 3D line segments; iii) according to density and magnetization contrast based on pseudo-gravity calculation. Our original inversion algorithms allow the recovery of unknown 3D geometry both for a restricted body of arbitrary shape and for a contact surface. For the first time, we apply our algorithms to joint inversion of gravity and magnetic data for a large area (the Thuringian Basin in central Germany). We separate in depth sources of both gravitational and magnetic anomalies for the whole territory of Thuringia and compare corresponding components. A 3D model of the main sources is presented based on approximation with 3D line segments and their further transforming into a restricted body or a contact surface with the same field.