MODEL PARAMETERS ESTIMATION FROM RESIDUAL GRAVITY ANOMALY USING A LEAST-SQUARES INVERSION ALGORITHM

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Geophysics Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, 12613, Egypt.

Abstract

A new inversion technique using a quick least-squares method is developed to estimate, successively,
the depth, the shape factor and the amplitude coefficient of a buried structure using residual gravity anomalies. By
defining the anomaly value at different points on the profile, the problem of depth estimation is transformed into a
problem of solving a non-linear equation of the form z = f(z). Knowing the depth, the shape factor can be estimated and
finally, the amplitude coefficient can be estimated. This technique is applicable for a class of geometrically simple
anomalous bodies including the semi-infinite vertical cylinder, the infinitely long horizontal cylinder and the sphere.
The efficiency of this technique is demonstrated with gravity anomaly due to a theoretical model in each case with and
without random errors. Finally, the applicability is illustrated using the residual gravity anomaly of Humble salt dome,
Texas, USA. The interpreted depth and the other model parameters are in good agreement with the known actual
values

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