A note on airborne gravity terrain corrections

Geophysics ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigmund Hammer

Terrain corrections for airborne gravity surveying have been a cause of some concern in the exploration industry (Hammer, 1974). Some skepticism still persists that the problem may be troublesome. As a matter of fact, an essential feature of the present field procedure in airborne gravity surveying is to make observations in a more or less square array of intersecting lines, along which narrow beam radar recordings of the terrain clearance provide topographic information to calculate the terrain corrections (Navazio and Gumert, 1981). In addition, this yields a topographic contour map of the area which is very useful for many other purposes. What has not been generally appreciated is that taking observations in the air, at some distance above the topography, actually is a major advantage with respect to the terrain corrections. The magnitude and general behavior of the terrain correction problem in airborne gravity is demonstrated herein by very simple simulated calculations.

Geophysics ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 839-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigmund Hammer

The terrain correction problem for gravity stations continues to attract perennial interest. Since the publication of Hayford and Bowie’s method (1912) and Hammer’s detailed tables (1939), no fewer than 35 papers have reported changes and improvements (in various languages, including Russian) the latest by Olivier and Simard (1981) in a recent issue of Geophysics. However, in none of these papers is there explicit discussion of the weighting for topography within the radial distance across a topographic compartment. This is not a negligible factor, especially for inner topographic zones.


Geophysics ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. I37-I42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Dransfield ◽  
Yi Zeng

Terrain corrections for airborne gravity gradiometry data are calculated from a digital elevation model (DEM) grid. The relative proximity of the terrain to the gravity gradiometer and the relative magnitude of the density contrast often result in a terrain correction that is larger than the geologic signal of interest in resource exploration. Residual errors in the terrain correction can lead to errors in data interpretation. Such errors may emerge from a DEM that is too coarsely sampled, errors in the density assumed in the calculations, elevation errors in the DEM, or navigation errors in the aircraft position. Simple mathematical terrains lead to the heuristic proposition that terrain-correction errors from elevation errors in the DEM are linear in the elevation error but follow an inverse power law in the ground clearance of the aircraft. Simulations of the effect of elevation error on terrain-correction error over four measured DEMs support this proposition. This power-law relation may be used in selecting an optimum survey flying height over a known terrain, given a desired terrain-correction error.


Geosciences ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 482
Author(s):  
Dharmendra Kumar ◽  
Arun Singh ◽  
Mohammad Israil

The magnetotelluric (MT) method is one of the useful geophysical techniques to investigate deep crustal structures. However, in hilly terrains, e.g., the Garhwal Himalayan region, due to the highly undulating topography, MT responses are distorted. Such responses, if not corrected, may lead to the incorrect interpretation of geoelectric structures. In the present paper, we implemented terrain corrections in MT data recorded from the Garhwal Himalayan Corridor (GHC). We used AP3DMT, a 3D MT data modeling and inversion code written in the MATLAB environment. Terrain corrections in the MT impedance responses for 39 sites along the Roorkee–Gangotri profile in the period range of 0.01 s to 1000 s were first estimated using a synthetic model by recording the topography and locations of MT sites. Based on this study, we established the general character of the terrain and established where terrain corrections were necessary. The distortion introduced by topography was computed for each site using homogenous and heterogeneous models with actual topographic variations. Period-dependent, galvanic and inductive distortions were observed at different sites. We further applied terrain corrections to the real data recorded from the GHC. The corrected data were inverted, and the inverted model was compared with the corresponding inverted model obtained with uncorrected data. The modification in electrical resistivity features in the model obtained from the terrain-corrected response suggests the necessity of terrain correction in MT data recorded from the Himalayan region.


Geophysics ◽  
1968 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 361-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Hearst

The measurement of in‐situ density by borehole gravimetry has now become a commonly accepted, if not commonly used, practice (McCulloh, 1965, 1967; Howell et al., 1966; Hammer 1950). The expression for density as a function of gravity difference at two depths is given in a general form by McCulloh (1967) as [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] where ρ is the density, F the free air gradient, [Formula: see text] the measured gravity difference between two depths, [Formula: see text] a correction for the effect of sub surface density differences (according to McCulloh, generally negligible), [Formula: see text] the terrain correction, [Formula: see text] a borehole correction, and k the gravitational constant. This equation can be obtained from first principles using Gauss’ law.


Geophysics ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1054-1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond J. Olivier ◽  
Réjean G. Simard

Terrain corrections for Bouguer gravity anomalies are generally obtained from topographic models represented by flat‐topped compartments of circular zones, utilizing the so‐called Hayford‐Bowie (1912), or Hammer’s (1939) method. Some authors have introduced improved relief models for taking uniform slope into consideration (Sandberg, 1958; Kane, 1962; Takin and Talwani, 1966; Campbell, 1980). We present a new model that increases the accuracy of the calculation of terrain correction close to the gravity station in rugged terrain, especially when conventional templates with few zones are used in field calculation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
T. Aravanis ◽  
M. Grujic ◽  
J. Paine ◽  
R. J. Smith

Geophysics ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-379
Author(s):  
Jesse K. Douglas ◽  
Sidney R. Prahl

This note extends the gravity terrain corrections for elevation differences beyond the tables originally published by Hammer (1939). Experience in the Rocky Mountain area has demonstrated to us the need for such an extension. The frustration encountered by the authors led to a computer program to calculate the terrain correction tables presented in this article. The mountain topography in western Montana is typical of an area not sufficiently regular to allow use of the less tedious inclined‐plane model presented by Sandberg (1958). The inclined‐plane and the cylinder models are designed for calculating the effects of local terrain and do not include a correctional factor for earth curvature. Large regional surveys require the Hayford‐ Bowie terrain correction zones. However, local surveys can be easily incorporated into these larger studies by Hammer to Hayford‐Bowie transition tables (Sandberg, 1959),


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