Three-dimensional gravity analysis of the Kiglapait layered intrusion, Labrador

1979 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randell Stephenson ◽  
Michael D. Thomas

The Kiglapait basic layered intrusion in northern Labrador previously has been interpreted, on geological grounds, to be a lopolith with a maximum thickness of 8.7 km. It is associated with a large (~45 mGal) positive gravity anomaly that for the most part is very similar to a theoretical anomaly computed for the proposed lopolith model, except over the southeastern part of the exposure where the theoretical anomaly is significantly more positive. Model studies of the gravity data suggest that the form and dimensions of the lopolithic model predicted on geological criteria are essentially valid and that a granitic intrusion is present in the southeastern region of the lopolith causing the discrepancy between observed and theoretical anomalies. The latter intrusion is believed to be genetically related to the Manvers granite, which occurs throughout the southeastern region as dykes and small stocks. The presence of another buried granitic mass south of the Kiglapait intrusion is also suggested by the gravity data.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alistair Stronach

<p><b>New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington lies in an area of high seismic risk, which is further increased by the sedimentary basin beneath the Central Business District (CBD). Ground motion data and damage patterns from the 2013 Cook Strait and 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes indicate that two- and three-dimensional amplification effects due to the Wellington sedimentary basin may be significant. These effects are not currently accounted for in the New Zealand Building Code. In order for this to be done, three-dimensional simulations of earthquake shaking need to be undertaken, which requires detailed knowledge of basin geometry. This is currently lacking, primarily because of a dearth of deep boreholes in the CBD area, particularly in Thorndon and Pipitea where sediment depths are estimated to be greatest.</b></p> <p>A new basin depth map for the Wellington CBD has been created by conducting a gravity survey using a modern Scintrex CG-6 gravity meter. Across the study area, 519 new high precision gravity measurements were made and a residual anomaly map created, showing a maximum amplitude anomaly of -6.2 mGal with uncertainties better than ±0.1 mGal. Thirteen two-dimensional geological profiles were modelled to fit the anomalies, then combined with existing borehole constraints to construct the basin depth map. </p> <p>Results indicate on average greater depths than in existing models, particularly in Pipitea where depths are interpreted to be as great as 450 m, a difference of 250 m. Within 1 km of shore depths are interpreted to increase further, to 600 m. The recently discovered basin bounding Aotea Fault is resolved in the gravity data, where the basement is offset by up to 13 m, gravity anomaly gradients up to 8 mGal/km are observed, and possible multiple fault strands identified. A secondary strand of the Wellington Fault is also identified in the north of Pipitea, where gravity anomaly gradients up to 18 mGal/km are observed.</p>


Geophysics ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1265-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark E. Ander ◽  
Stephen P. Huestis

The interpretation of gravity anomaly data suffers from a fundamental nonuniqueness, even when the solution set is bounded by physical or geologic constraints. Therefore, constructing a single solution that fits or approximately fits the data is of limited value. Consequently, much effort has been applied in recent years to developing inverse techniques for rigorous deduction of properties common to all possible solutions. To this end, Parker developed the theory of an ideal body, which characterizes the extremal solution with the smallest possible maximum density. Gravity ideal‐body analysis is an excellent reconaissance exploration tool because it is especially well suited for handling sparse data contaminated with noise, for finding useful, rigorous bounds on the infinite solution set, and for predicting accurately what data need to be collected in order to tighten those bounds. We present a practical three‐ dimensional gravity ideal‐body computer code, IDB, that can optimize a mesh with over [Formula: see text] cells when used on a CRAY computer. Using actual gravity data, we use IDB to produce ideal‐body tradeoff curves that bound the solution set and show how to restrict the bound on the solution further by applying geologic and geophysical data to the tradeoff curves. As an example, we compare two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional ideal‐body results from a study of a positive anomaly associated with the Lucero uplift located on the western flank of the Rio Grande rift in New Mexico.


2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 869-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Régis Roy ◽  
Antonio Benedicto ◽  
Alexis Grare ◽  
Mickaël Béhaegel ◽  
Yoann Richard ◽  
...  

In unconformity-related uranium deposits, mineralization is associated with hydrothermal clay-rich alteration haloes that decrease the density of the host rock. In the Kiggavik uranium project, located in the eastern Thelon Basin, Nunavut (Canada), basement-hosted shallow deposits were discovered by drilling geophysical anomalies in the 1970s. In 2014, gravity data were inverted for the first time using the Geosoft VOXI Earth ModellingTM system to generate three-dimensional (3D) models to assist exploration in the Contact prospect, the most recent discovery at Kiggavik. A 3D unconstrained inversion model was calculated before drilling, and a model constrained by petrophysical data was computed after drilling. The unconstrained inversion provided a first approximation of the geometry and depth of a low-density body and helped to collar the discovery holes of the Contact mineralization. The constrained inversion was computed using density values measured on 315 core samples collected from 21 drill holes completed between 2014 and 2015. The constrained modelling highlights three shallower and smaller low-density bodies that match the geological interpretation and refines the footprint of the gravity anomalies in relation to the current understanding of the deposit. The 3D inversion of gravity data is a valuable tool to guide geologists in exploration of shallow basement-hosted uranium deposits associated with alteration haloes and to assess the deposit gravity geometry.


1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.‐J. Goetze ◽  
F. Keller ◽  
B. Lahmeyer ◽  
O. Rosenbach

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-25
Author(s):  
Komang Ngurah Suarbawa ◽  
I Gusti Agung Putra Adnyana ◽  
Elvin Riyono

Research has been carried out related to subsurface structures in the Tejakula Buleleng Bali area and its surroundings using the gravity method. This study aims to identify the local Tejakula fault. The data used in this study is gravity anomaly data obtained from observations of Geodetic Satellite (GEOSAT). The method used in interpreting the type of disturbance uses the Second Vertical Derivative method, which then produces two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) fault model interpretations. Based on the results obtained in the study, the condition of the bouguer gravity anomaly value in the Tejakula area and its surroundings at the research location is in the range of 65 mGal to 185 mGal. Meanwhile, based on the Second Vertical Derivative method in determining the type of fault, the Tejakula Fault can be categorized as a mandatory fault with an upward trend.


Geophysics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 777-777
Author(s):  
Ramesh Chander

An important possible constraint on a density model obtained from inversion of gravity data has been overlooked in the seminal paper by Green. The computed density model should be such that the corresponding total mass excess or deficit per unit length in a two‐dimensional case, or total mass excess or deficit in a three‐dimensional case, should be comparable to the value obtained by applying Gauss’s theorem to the observed gravity anomaly data (Grant and West, 1965, p. 227–28 and p. 232).


Geophysics ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Chenot ◽  
N. Debeglia

Depth‐mapping inversion of gravity or magnetic fields generally assumes that anomalies originate from a main density or magnetization contrast interface. This particular inversion takes into account inhomogeneous density or magnetization distributions reflecting sediment compaction and basement heterogeneities: above the interface, the density can be approximated by an exponential function, and below it, an intrabasement contrast map can be used. The inversion also integrates local depth constraints from wells or seismic data, as well as general constraints set on the geometry and the contrast of the interface. After field transformations, spectral analysis and constraints help to define a starting model characterized mainly by the interface mean depth and the mean parameter contrast between the two media. The depth adjustment is completed iteratively under constraints using a space‐domain formulation derived from the Bouguer‐slab approximation. The interface model effect is computed in the wavenumber domain. A model data example shows the accuracy of the inversion and illustrates the role of the constraints. In a field example of a basin area where constraints can be derived from numerous well data, successive inversions of gravity data result in an isodepth map of the basement. The compatibility of the map with local depth constraints from wells is obtained by taking into account density heterogeneities related to known lithologic variations in the basement.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alistair Stronach

<p><b>New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington lies in an area of high seismic risk, which is further increased by the sedimentary basin beneath the Central Business District (CBD). Ground motion data and damage patterns from the 2013 Cook Strait and 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes indicate that two- and three-dimensional amplification effects due to the Wellington sedimentary basin may be significant. These effects are not currently accounted for in the New Zealand Building Code. In order for this to be done, three-dimensional simulations of earthquake shaking need to be undertaken, which requires detailed knowledge of basin geometry. This is currently lacking, primarily because of a dearth of deep boreholes in the CBD area, particularly in Thorndon and Pipitea where sediment depths are estimated to be greatest.</b></p> <p>A new basin depth map for the Wellington CBD has been created by conducting a gravity survey using a modern Scintrex CG-6 gravity meter. Across the study area, 519 new high precision gravity measurements were made and a residual anomaly map created, showing a maximum amplitude anomaly of -6.2 mGal with uncertainties better than ±0.1 mGal. Thirteen two-dimensional geological profiles were modelled to fit the anomalies, then combined with existing borehole constraints to construct the basin depth map. </p> <p>Results indicate on average greater depths than in existing models, particularly in Pipitea where depths are interpreted to be as great as 450 m, a difference of 250 m. Within 1 km of shore depths are interpreted to increase further, to 600 m. The recently discovered basin bounding Aotea Fault is resolved in the gravity data, where the basement is offset by up to 13 m, gravity anomaly gradients up to 8 mGal/km are observed, and possible multiple fault strands identified. A secondary strand of the Wellington Fault is also identified in the north of Pipitea, where gravity anomaly gradients up to 18 mGal/km are observed.</p>


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document