Forward computation of the magnetic field of a 3D body with arbitrary boundary and continually varying magnetization

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe forward computation of the gravitational and magnetic fields due to a 3D body with an arbitrary boundary and continually varying density or magnetization is an important problem in gravitational and magnetic prospecting. In order to solve the inverse problem for the arbitrary components of the gravitational and magnetic anomalies due to an arbitrary 3D body under complex conditions, including an uneven observation surface, the existence of background anomalies and very little or no a priori information, we used a spherical coordinate system to systematically investigate forward methods for such anomalies and developed a series of universal spherical harmonic expansions of gravitational and magnetic fields. For the case of a 3D body with an arbitrary boundary and continually varying magnetization, we have also given the surface integral expressions for the common spherical harmonic coefficients in the expansion of the magnetic field due to the body, and a very precise numerical integral algorithm to calculate them. Thus a simple and effective method of solving the forward problem for magnetic fields due to 3D bodies of this kind has been found, and in this way a foundation is laid for solving the inverse problem of these magnetic fields. In addition, by replacing the parameters and unit vectors in the spherical harmonic expansion of a magnetic field by gravitational parameters and a downward unit vector, we have also derived a forward method for the gravitational field (similar to that for the magnetic case) of a 3D body with an arbitrary boundary and continually varying density.