Elevation corrections (part III):

Terrain corrections
• Topography that’s not underfoot can also have an
effect that must be corrected for:

gobs Mountain
(excess mass)

Terrain corrections amount to a sort of lateral “bouguer”

correction. Vertical boxes at different radial distance from the
measurement are defined and density in them is estimated.
 Terrain corrections

A cylindrical grid (a “Hammer Chart,” named for Sig Hammer, once a

professor here at UW) is laid out with the measurement station at the
center, then topography is used to define compartments with excess
mass.
Terrain Corrections
 Terrain corrections

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A cylindrical grid is laid out with the measurement station at the

center, then topographic data is imported and densities defined.
Example from Interpex software.
 Other corrections
• Eötvös correction: measuring gravity from moving platform such
as an aircraft

• Drift: Gravimeters are not perfect. In particular, the springs

respond to changes in temperature. A general trend in the data
may result from instrument drift

• Tidal variations: Earth tides and even ocean tides change the
value of g on diurnal periods. Like drift, this imparts a trend to
data measured over the course of a day.

• Strategy: As a gravity survey is done, repeat measurements are

made at a “base station”. Differences in the value of g measured
in the same place can define the drift and tide trends.
 Eötvös Correction
•Applied to gravity measurements taken on a moving vehicle, e.g., a ship or a
helicopter.
•Depending on the direction of travel of the vehicle, the motion will generate a
centripetal acceleration which either reinforces or opposes gravity
•The correction is:

EC = 4.040v sin α cosθ + 0.001211v 2 mGal

Where v is the speed in km hr-1, α is the heading, and θ is the latitude.
•The correction is positive for motion from east to west.
•Approximately 2.5 mGal for each kph in an east-west direction at 55oN
 Tidal Effects
Earth Tides: even a gravimeter in one place will record
variations of ~ 0.1 to 0.4 mGal due to effect of Moon
and Sun
In some surveys, 2 gravimeters are employed -- one to
collect the data and one left at a base station to record
these secular variations
 Instrumental Drift and
Drift Correction
Corrections
•Over time the spring in any gravimeter will gradually extend, respond to small
temperature effects, etc.
•Periodically “looping” back to a base station (ideally one where absolute gravity is
known) allows removal of a trend (usually approximated as linear)
•The more accurate the survey, the more frequently you should visit the base station
(hourly, daily).

From Goodliffe, 1993

Regional and Residual Anomalies
The gravity anomaly of interest may be superimposed on a regional anomaly -- a
larger-scale trend than the local survey.

From Kearey et al., 2002

•Estimation and removal of the regional field may be done graphically, or by
analytically calculating and removing a trend surface. A high-pass filter could also
be used to isolate the trend surface.
•It is necessary that the regional anomaly be removed prior to modeling the
anomaly so that we are sure that the gravity anomaly is not due to any other
factors.
 Gravity Anomalies
• Relative contrasts in density are the
main cause of gravity anomalies

• The shape of the anomalies (2D

profiles, or 3D maps) is characteristic
for certain geometries in the subsurface,
e.g.:
– Geometric bodies
– Planes of contrast (vertical, dipping,
horizontal)
 Gravity Anomalies
The gravitational attraction in the direction of the mass is given by:
Gm
Δg r =
r2
Since a gravity meter only measures the vertical component of the
attraction Δgz, the gravity anomaly Δg caused by the mass is:
Gm Gmz
Δg = cos θ or Δg =
r2 r3

From Kearey et al., 2002

 Gravity Anomalies
Gmz
Δg =
r3
This equation can be used to build up the gravity anomaly of many simple
geometric shapes by constructing them from a suite of small elements which
correspond to point masses and then summing (integrating) the attractions of
these elements to derive the anomaly of the whole body.

Integration of the above equation in the horizontal direction provides the equation
for a line mass extending to infinity in that direction:

2Gmz
Δg =
r2
Gravity effect of a buried sphere vs.
an infinitely extended cylinder
(higher density than surroundings)

Sphere anomaly
falls off as r3

Cylinder anomaly
falls off as r2
Gravity anomaly due to a buried simple
shape

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 Direct Interpretation
Excess Mass
•The excess mass (the difference in mass between the body and the mass of
the country rock that would otherwise occupy the space) can be uniquely
determined.
•The survey is divided into n grid squares of area Δa and the mean residual
anomaly Δg is found for each. The excess mass is then given by:
1 n
Me = ∑
2πG i =1
Δg i Δai

From Mussett and Khan, 2000

•To compute the actual mass M of the
body the densities of both the
anomalous body (ρ1) and the country
rock (ρ2) must be known:

ρ1M c
M=
( ρ1 − ρ 2 )
•This method can be used to estimate, for example, the tonnage of an ore body.
 Direct Interpretation
The shape and size of the anomaly provides some information on the depth and
width of the body producing the anomaly.
Half-width method
•The half-width of the anomaly (x1/2) is the horizontal distance from the
anomaly maximum to the point at which the anomaly has reduced to half its
maximum value.
•If the anomaly results from a point mass the depth is:
x1
z= 2
3
4 −1

• “Limiting depth”
to the center of
mass -- an
overestimate of
the depth to the
top of the body.
 Direct Interpretation
Inflection Point
•The location of an inflection point on gravity
anomaly, i.e. the position where the horizontal
gravity gradient changes most rapidly, can
provide information on the nature of the edge

From Kearey et al., 2002

of an anomalous body.
•Over structures with outward dipping
contacts the inflection points lie near the base
of the anomaly
•Over structures with inward dipping contacts
(sedimentary basins) the inflection points lie
near the uppermost edge of a body.
•Over a tabular body, the inflection points
delineate the edges of the body.
 Indirect Interpretation
Forward modeling
1. A model that is thought to represent the likely geology is constructed.
2. The predicted anomaly due to this model is calculated.
3. The computed and observed anomaly are compared.
4. The model is adjusted, minimizing the difference between the observed and
computed anomalies.
5. The solution is non-unique!

Fig. 6.20

From Kearey et al., 2002

 Forward Modeling
Types of forward gravity modeling:
•2-D: The body being modeled extends to infinity in and
out (at a right angle) of the plane of the model.
•2.5-D: As 2-D, but the extent of the body in and out of
the plane can be limited.
•2.75-D: As 2.5-D but the angle of the body with
respect to the plain of the model can be varied.
•3-D: Modeling the full three-dimensional extent of the
body.

(Examples using GravMag modeling software)

Sophisticated geological modeling, using all
available information from outcrop geology,
geophysical methods

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Gravity Modeling
Bouguer Gravity
Anomaly Map of
New Mexico

Generated from
42,786 gravity
measurements
on the ground
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reduction density
of 2.67 g/cc

Courtesy Chuck
Heywood, USGS
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Using gravity data to define

groundwater aquifer depth, extent