Separation of magnetic anomalies into induced and remanent magnetization contributions

Inversion of magnetic data is complicated by the presence of remanent magnetization, and it provides limited information about the magnetic source because of the insufficiency of data and constraint information. We propose a Fourier domain transformation allowing the separation of magnetic anomalies into the components caused by induced and remanent magnetizations. The approach is based on the hypothesis that each isolated source is homogeneous with a uniform and specific Koenigsberger ratio. The distributions of susceptibility and remanent magnetization are subsequently recovered from the separated anomalies. Anomaly components, susceptibility distribution and distribution of the remanent and total magnetization vectors (direction and intensity) can be achieved through the processing of the anomaly components. The proposed method therefore provides a procedure to test the hypotheses about target source and magnetic field, by verifying these models based on available information or a priori information from geology. We test our methods using synthetic and real data acquired over the Zhangfushan iron-ore deposit and the Yeshan polymetallic deposit in eastern China. All the tests yield favourable results and the obtained models are helpful for the geological interpretation.     

A method to estimate the total magnetization direction from a distortion analysis of magnetic anomalies1

Knowledge of the declination and inclination of the total and induced magnetization vectors is normally required for the interpretation and analysis of magnetic anomalies. A new method of estimating the direction of the total magnetization vector of magnetized rocks from magnetic anomalies is proposed. The unknown declination and inclination (D*_T and I*_T) can be found by applying a reduction-to-the-pole operator to the measured anomalies for different couples of total magnetization direction parameters (D_T and I_T) and by observing the variation of the anomaly minimum as a function of both D_T and I*_T.and D*_T are estimated using the maximum of this function. Comparing our method to previous methods, one advantage is that our estimates are not zero-level dependent; furthermore, the method allows inclinations to be well estimated, with the same accuracy as declinations; finally declinations are not underestimated. Our method is applied to a real case and meaningful results are obtained; it is shown that the feasibility of the method is improved by removing the low-frequency components.     

MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY ANISOTROPY OF VARIOUS ROCK TYPES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR GEOPHYSICS AND GEOLOGY*

In the interpretation of magnetic anomalies and in paleomagnetism, the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility is commonly neglected. Nevertheless, this property has basic significance, because, owing to susceptibility anisotropy, the directions of the vectors of induced and remanent magnetization are deflected from the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Almost all rock types investigated possess higher or lower degree of the susceptibility anisotropy. Effusive and sedimentary rocks have the lowest degree of anisotropy. For the latter, the “masking effect” of the paramagnetic mineral components has some influence on the anisotropy degree due to the low mean susceptibility of sedimentary rocks. Metamorphic and plutonic rocks usually exhibit a considerable degree of anisotropy. The highest degree of anisotropy has been found in the rocks containing ferromagnetic minerals with mimetic fabric. The dependence of the degree of the susceptibility anisotropy on the degree of metamorphism proved to be very complicated; of the rock sequence from slates to gneisses, the transient rocks (roofing slates and mica-schist-gneisses) showed the highest degree of anisotropy. This result can be used in geology for reliable determination of these rock types.     

Remanence correction in magnetic interpretation with the infinitely deep plate model

Summary Conditions are given under which two thick plates, differing in dip, apparent susceptibility, and remanence, will produce similar magnetic anomalies. From these conditions correction formulae are developed. Using these formulae the dip and susceptibility of a plate with remanent magnetization can be obtained from those of non-remanent plate. An interpretation procedure is suggested where the magnetic anomaly is first interpreted by means of a plate without remanence, dip and apparent susceptibility are then estimated by using the correction formulae developed. Thickness, position and depth of the plate are unaffected by the remanence correction procedure. The procedure is independent of the field component measured.     

强剩磁强退磁条件下的二维井中磁测反演

强剩磁、强退磁改变了总磁化强度的大小和方向,给磁测资料解释带来困难.为此,本文利用二维井中磁测数据反演磁化强度矢量的二维分布.首先利用井中磁测的磁异常模量反演磁化强度大小的分布.然后,在已知磁化强度大小分布的前提下,拟合磁场分量,反演磁化强度方向的分布.其中,磁化强度大小和方向均用共轭梯度法求解,并通过预优矩阵改善磁化强度大小的反演效果.理论模拟说明,该方法能准确获得磁化强度矢量分布.磁化强度矢量反演结果包括感磁、剩磁及退磁的影响,这为研究强剩磁、高磁化率矿床提供了一种有效方法.     

Magnetic properties of oceanic basalts — effects of pressure and consequences for the interpretation of anomalies

The stability of natural remanent magnetization of three samples of oceanic basalts (DSDP Leg 25) is tested by alternating fields, thermal and pressure demagnetization. The possibility of low-temperature oxidation is examined by means of thermomagnetic curves.The effects of uniaxial compressions on initial susceptibility and induced magnetization are studied for the three samples. These experiments, performed in a field comparable to the geomagnetic field have shown large variations of magnetization. The results of paleomagnetism, as well as the interpretation of anomalies when the effects of the pressure of water and of possible sediments far from the ridge itself are taken into account, are discussed. The results could partly account for the decrease of magnetic anomaly amplitudes with distance from the mid-ocean ridge.     

Estimation of depth and magnetization of magnetic sources from magnetic data: The linearized continuous inverse problem for 21/2D structures

The estimation of the depth to the top and bottom of a magnetic source from magnetic data defines a nonlinear inverse problem, while the evaluation of the distribution of magnetization determines a linear inverse problem. In this paper, these interpretation problems are resolved in the continuous case of 2_1/2D magnetized bodies with lateral magnetization variations. A formulation of the magnetic problem accounting for different directions of remanent and total magnetization vectors and including a more general definition of apparent susceptibility is presented. Differences between 2D and 2_1/2D formulations are stressed, as regards the anomaly amplitude, shape and zero-level.In order to utilize well-known continuous linear inverse methods, Fréchet derivatives of the data functionals with respect to the depth of the source top and bottom, are analytically described. Thus, using the spectral expansion inverse method (Parker, 1977) and linearizing the problem at several steps of an iterative process, the source depth is obtained within a few iterations, although the starting model is distant from the final solution. The interpretation of an anomaly in the Italian region shows the usefulness of the method.     

Detection and identification of north–south trending magnetic structures near the magnetic equator

Long, structurally undeformed north–south trending structures show no magnetic anomaly at the magnetic equator, except at the north and south truncations of the structure. However, folding, faulting, differential erosion or other structural deformation can produce detectable magnetic anomalies in a generally north–south trending equatorial structure. Spatial variation in magnetic susceptibility or remanent magnetization can also produce anomalies in equatorial north–south structures. These anomaly patterns are often more complicated than patterns produced by similar structures at high latitudes, but interpretational insight can be gained through numerical modelling of common structures. Reduction-to-pole and analytic signal filters can aid in interpretation of equatorial anomalies, but these must be applied carefully because of instabilities deriving from filter design and noise amplification.     

数据空间磁异常模量三维反演

强剩磁的存在通常导致了总磁化强度方向未知,进而影响了磁异常的反演和解释.磁异常模量是一种受磁化方向影响小的转换量,可以在强剩磁条件下通过反演三维磁化强度大小分布来推测场源分布状态.我们提出了一种数据空间磁异常模量反演算法来减少剩磁的影响.与标准的模型空间L2范数正则化反演方法相比,我们的方法有两个优点:一是无需搜索正则化参数(需要反复求解非线性反演问题),因而可以减少计算时间;二是反演结果更加聚焦,深度分辨率更高,我们对此进行了原因分析.通过模型和实测数据测试证明了该算法的有效性和更好的反演效果.     

Rock magnetic properties of Nihewan sediments at Xujiayao

Rock magnetic measurements of Nihewan sediments from Xujiayao section demonstrate that magnetite, hematite and maghemite are dominant remanent magnetization carriers. Monitoring the variations of magnetic susceptibility (MS) and saturating isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) at low temperature are the attractive ways of detecting the presence of magnetite, maghemitization and superparamagnetic grain sizes. Low-temperature MS investigations suggest that susceptibility enhancement for Xujiayao samples is mainly due to the remarkable presence of SD/MD magnetite to some degree though some magnetite grains have been partially oxidized at some depths. It is tentatively concluded that both SD/MD magnetite and hematite are of detrital origin and carry a characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM), whereas maghemite can be attributed to be chemical origin, overprinting a reversed polarity component of Matuyama age.     

HARMONIC INVERSION OF AN AEROMAGNETIC ANOMALY FROM A REMANENTLY MAGNETIZED PRECAMBRIAN SCHIST BELT (KARNATAKA,INDIA) *

The conventional methods of magnetic interpretation consider in general the induced magnetization only. However, in a computer oriented inverse method, the direction of magnetization can be taken as arbitrary. Following this procedure, this study aims to present a realistic interpretation of an aeromagnetic anomaly from Chitaldrug Schist belt (Mysore, India) assuming a three-dimensional configuration of the causative source possessing remanent magnetization. It further provides the direction of remanent magnetization of the source rock as obtained from the analysis of the magnetic anomaly. The total intensity map obtained delineates the surface and sub-surface structures in the region and provides informations regarding the characteristics of primordial crust.     

3D Inversion of magnetic data of grouped anomalies — Study applied to São José intrusions in Mato Grosso,Brazil

The southwest border of the Parecis Basin (central Brazil) presents several occurrences of gold, copper and zinc. Parallel to this border, there is an alignment of magnetic anomalies with varied size and polarities. In particular, five magnetic anomalies are referred to, in this study, as SJ1 to SJ5. The proximity of these anomalies to each other makes it hard to isolate the magnetic component associated with each source. Furthermore, these anomalies have different magnetization directions, which require the use of a technique which is slightly or not affected by the presence of a remanent magnetization, as the amplitude of the anomalous magnetic field. Considering that, in these intrusions no outcrops are observed, the enhanced horizontal derivative technique was used to estimate the edges location and the depth of these sources. The geological context, allied to the results from the magnetic techniques, allowed to establish binds to restrain the interpretation of the results of the 3D inversion. This procedure permitted to compose three hypothesis to explain the magnetic behavior of the region, from which can be conclusively determined with a borehole analysis.     

Interpretation of the Gravity and Magnetic Anomalies of the Cappadocia Region,Central Turkey

The Cappadocia region, located in Central Turkey, is characterized by widespread lava flows and volcanoclastic deposits dating from Miocene to Quaternary. Gravity and aeromagnetic anomalies of the region appear to present similar high and low amplitude regions, although the aeromagnetic anomalies exhibit a rather complex pattern which is thought to be caused by remanent magnetization. The low-pass filtered aeromagnetic map shows a deep-seated magnetic anomaly which may be linked to the widespread volcanic activity at the surface. The pseudogravity transformation of the upward continued anomaly has been constructed. The pseudogravity anomaly demonstrates some form of clockwise rotation. This anomaly was modelled by means of a three-dimensional method. The top and bottom of the body are at 6.3km and 11km (including the flight height) from the ground surface, respectively. This deep body is ellipsoidal and extends along an E-W direction, which is in line with the regional stress direction deduced from GPS measurements. A new mobilistic dynamo-tectonic system appears to explain the body’s E-W elongation. The modelled body may be the source for the inferred geothermal energy of the region. Magnetic measurements were carried out on oriented rock samples collected from outcrops of ignimbrites and basalts, providing directions and intensities of remanent magnetization, susceptibilities and Koeningsberger (Q) ratios. Standard deviations of remanent directions of the Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM) display a wide scatter implying unreliability of the surface data. Reduction to pole (RTP) transformation of magnetic anomalies was successful with the induced magnetization angle despite the complex pattern of magnetic anomalies.     

Magnetic monitoring of top soils of Merida (Southern Mexico)

This paper focuses on the study of the correlation between magnetic parameters with the level of contamination by heavy metals in urban soils. We report a magnetic investigation of urban soil samples from Merida, state of Yucatan, Southern Mexico. It appears that most of our samples contain ferrimagnetic minerals as the magnetic carriers, probably coming from the titanomagnetites/titanomaghemites series. This is inferred by the acquisition of isothermal remanent magnetization, which shows that most of samples are almost completely saturated at about 200 mT. The S₋₂₀₀ value (factor characterizing stability of remanent magnetization) is between 0.8 and 1.0, characteristic of ferrimagnetic minerals. The susceptibility vs. temperature measurements also point to some titanomaghemites and titanomagnetites as probable responsible for magnetization. On the other hand, measurements of magnetic susceptibility at high and low frequencies helped us to determine the high content of superparamagnetic grains in the majority of the samples, although not all of these showed high values of magnetic susceptibility. We found that the most contaminated samples by Pb and Zn showed the higher saturation isothermal remanent magnetization values, whereas the higher values in magnetic susceptibility correspond to samples contaminated by Cr. Finally, we noted that a high level in Sr decreases the magnetic susceptibility.     

Magnetic studies on Kilauea Iki lava lake,Hawaii

Ground surveys made during August, 1961, show large vertical magnetic intensity anomalies associated with the partly lava filled crater of Kilauea Iki. A vertical magnetic variation of 11,600 gammas occurs along a north-south profile across the crater, the maximum being on the north rim of the crater and the minimum on the south edge of the encrusted lava lake below the south rim. An east-west profile shows less vertical magnetic variation, with lake-surface measurements 1500 to 2500 gammas lower than measurements on the east rim of the crater. Computed anomalies using two-dimensional potential field graticules are in good agreement with the observed anomalies and support the following conclusions: 1) Average measured values of remanent magnetization of 10^?2 cgs units and susceptibilities of 10^?3 cgs units give reasonable magnitudes to the computed anomalies. 2) The remanent magnetization is parallel to the earth’s present magnetic field. 3) The maximum vertical magnetic field value in the north-south profile is the result of reinforcement of the positive terrain effect of the north rim of the crater and the positive edge effect of the north side of the lava lake. 4) The minimum value in the same profile is the result of reinforcement of the negative terrain effect at the base of the south rim of the crater and the negative edge effect of the south side of the lava lake. 5) Variation in the east-west magnetic profile is less because the terrain and edge effects of the horizontal components of the earth’s magnetic field and remanent magnetization approach zero. Changes in vertical magnetic field values as the lake solidifies will be maximum at the north edge of the lava lake, but more consistent changes of the opposite sign will occur on the south side of the lava lake. Total change will be approximately + 2300 gammas between the August 1961 measurement at station S6 and the value at that point when the entire lava lake has cooled below 400° C. The maximum rate of change at station S6 will occur when the 500° C isotherm is 35 to 65 meters below the surface and will be about 28 gammas per meter of lowering of the 500°C surface. Because of the steep magnetic anomalies associated with the lava lake and crater rims, the permanent magnetization presently forming in the cooling lake crust will have inclinations as much as 12° less than the average 37.5° inclination in the Kilauea area.     

Self-reversal of isothermal remanent magnetization in a pyrrhotite (Fe7S8) crystal

The remanent magnetization induced at room temperature (IRM) was measured for powder and massive specimens separated from a Fe₇S₈ crystal. To characterize the crystal, several methods were used including Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermomagnetic analysis, low-field susceptibility anisotropy and magnetic colloid method. Self-reversals of IRM were revealed in the massive crystal fragment after its magnetization in magnetic fields of the order of 10–10² mT. Both normal and reverse IRM vectors lay in the maximum susceptibility plane perpendicular to the crystallographic c′-axis of the crystal. A twinning also perpendicular to the crystal's c′-axis and a very low coercivity in each twin (monocrystallic layer) probably support the origin of the reverse IRM in the crystal.     

A regularized Wiener–Hopf filter for inverting models with magnetic susceptibility

For a magnetic target, the spatial magnetic signal can be expressed as a convolutional integral over Green's function of an assumed model with susceptibility as its parameter. A filter can be used to obtain the susceptibility by minimizing the mismatch between observed and the computed magnetic anomalies. In this perspective, we report the development of an advanced digital filter, which is efficient and can be used to map rock susceptibility from the acquired magnetic data. To design the new filter, we modified the space‐domain standard Wiener–Hopf filter by imposing two different constraints: (i) the filter energy constraint; and (ii) normalization of the filter coefficients. These constraints make it capable to characterize source bodies from their produced magnetic anomalies. We assume that the magnetic data are produced by induced magnetization only and interpretation can be as good as the subsurface model. Our technique is less sensitive to the data noise, which makes it efficient in enhancing the interpretation model. The modified filter demonstrates its applicability over the synthetic data with additive white Gaussian noise. In order to check the efficacy and adaptivity of this tool in a more realistic perspective, it is also tested on the real magnetic data acquired over a kimberlitic district adjoining to the western margin of the Cuddapah Basin in India to identify the source bodies from the anomalies. Our result shows that the modified Wiener–Hopf filter with the constraint for the magnetic data is more stable and efficient than the standard Wiener–Hopf filter.     

Magnetic study of a metabasic dyke in Dhaiya,Dhanbad (Bihar)

Summary A metabasic dyke of pre-Cambrian age passing through Dhaiya village in Dhanbad, consists of metanorite, metadolerite and epidiorite. A magnetic study of this dyke has been undertaken. 14 magnetic traverses were taken with Schmidt vertical force variometer. Direction and intensity of N.R.M. have been determined for 15 oriented samples, with an astatic magnetometer. Magnetic susceptibility of 36 samples has been determined. Microscopic study (thin and polished sections) of samples has been done. The intensity of N.R.M. is upto 11.830×10^–3 c.g.s. units susceptibility varies from 53×10^–6 to 750×10^–6 c.g.s. units and the Koenigsberger ratio from 3.3 to 236.6. The magnetic profiles are interpreted taking into account both remanence and susceptibility. In case of metanorite and metadolerite, more than 80% of the anomaly is caused by remanence. Negative anomalies in some cases is due to negative inclination of remanent magnetization. Very low anomalies (less than 50 gammas) over epidiorite are due to loss of magnetism (both remanent and induced) of these rocks due to felspathization. A new mechanism has been proposed to account for the scatter in magnetic directions for metamorphosed igneous rocks. The rotation, during metamorphism, of magnetic grains (magnetite, ilmenite etc.) enclosed in the lenticular rock-forming minerals causes deviation of the magnetic vector from its original position. Two more causes have been suggested here to explain the variation of intensity of N.R.M. of metabasic rocks: (i) Ilmenite exsolved from titaniferous augite partly contributes to the N.R.M. (ii) magnetite dust injected into felspars by solutions during metamorphism, causing cloudiness in felspars, partly contributes to the N.R.M. The wide scatter in remanent magnetic direction in these rocks is due to the effects of metamorphism. The magnetic directions fall under two groups: one with positive inclination and the other with negative inclination; both the groups being, in general, magnetized normally in the horizontal direction. This indicates normal magnetization in northern and southern hemispheres respectively. This probably means that the place was in the northern and southern hemispheres at the time of original emplacement of the dolerite magma and of metamorphism respectively, the metamorphism, not affecting all the rocks uniformly.     

Magnetic studies of basalt fragments recovered by deep drilling in Iceland,and the “magnetic layer” concept

The magnetic susceptibility of 1300 samples of igneous rock drill cuttings obtained from eight deep drill holes in Iceland has been measured, in order to directly provide limits on the thickness of the layer which is the source of the magnetic anomalies over Iceland. The remanent magnetism of some of the material has also been studied, and the variation of magnetic susceptibility in 740 lava flows from eastern Iceland has been analysed as a function of depth of burial.All the results indicate no systematic change of susceptibility with depth up to 2.0 km. The Curie point of all deeply buried basalts in Iceland appears to be close to that of magnetite, so that the magnetic layer may be 5 km or more in thickness when susceptibility contrasts are considered; lateral contrasts in primary remanence may reach to 3 km depth. Derivation of a magnetic layer thickness in Iceland from analyses of magnetic anomalies, using methods which have been conventionally applied to marine magnetic anomalies could, on the other hand, yield much lower apparent thickness values (less than 1 km).We therefore argue that estimates of the magnetic layer thickness in oceanic regions should be based on considerations of magnetite Curie point isotherm behaviour, rather than on anomaly analysis.     

Magnetic effects associated with chemical changes in igneous rocks

Experimental evidence and theory indicate that chemical changes occur in many igneous rocks at sufficiently low temperatures to significantly affect the remanent magnetization. Some chemical changes lead to self-reversals of magnetization that are not reproducible in laboratory experiments. Such self-reversals appear to be very rare in subaerially-erupted basalts, but they probably are much more common in some other rock types, such as granites and diorites. The stability of the natural remanent magnetization in igneous rocks can be decreased, left unaltered, or increased by chemical changes. In addition, chemical changes will usually affect the intensity of magnetization in a rock; the intensity can increase, decrease, or (rarely) be left unaltered by a chemical change. Such changes are important to consider in the development of improved techniques for obtaining reliable estimates of the intensity of the Earth's magnetic field in the past and in correctly interpreting marine magnetic anomalies. Finally, experiments and theory are presented which suggest that many of the chemical changes in igneous rocks will only occasionally produce significant changes in the direction of the magnetization.