Location of secondary faults from cross-correlation of the second vertical derivative of gravity anomalies1

A method is described to locate secondary faults, which can be difficult to identify on the Bouguer gravity map. The method is based on cross-correlation between the theoretical anomaly due to a vertical step and the second vertical derivative of the Bouguer anomaly. Faults are located from the closed maxima and minima on the cross-correlation contour map calculated for two perpendicular directions. One-dimensional model computations show that the magnitude of the extremum of the cross-correlation is related to the depth to the top of the hanging wall and the throw of the fault. Application of the method to the Bouguer gravity map of the former mouth of the Yellow River in the Shengli Oilfield area near the Bo Hai Sea shows the effectiveness of the method.