An iterative approach to shape determination from gravity data

Abstract EN

The present paper deals with a simple iterative approach to determine the shape (through the determination of the shape factor) of a buried structure from the residual gravity anomaly.

The problem of the shape factor determination is transformed into the problem of finding a solution of a nonlinear equation of the form q = f(q).

Procedures are also formulated to determine the depth to the buried structure and amplitude coefficient which is related to the mass of the structure.

The method is applied to synthetic data with and without random error and tested on two field examples from Sweden and USA.

The results obtained in the field examples are in good agreement with those given in the published literature.

The present technique indicates the shape of the source which otherwise has to be assumed in other techniques.