INTERPRETATION OF AEROMAGNETIC DATA FROM THE NORWEGIAN SECTOR OF THE NORTH SEA*

Abstract

AbstractTotal magnetic intensity contour maps for the study region (between 2°E to 10°E and 56°N to 60°N) were digitized and converted to a regular grid of 285 × 285 points. The study area measures approximately 444 km × 444 km and the grid spacing is thus 1. 56 km. The International Geomagnetic Reference Field for 1975 was gridded for the above‐used net, and from the two data sets a further grid of the ▵T field was generated. A large number of profiles were constructed which were suitable for depth determinations. The regular grid ▵T data is also convenient for the computation of the second vertical derivative. Using the method of vertical prisms of Vacquier et al. (1963), a large suite of curvature‐depth indices was measured to complement the depths obtained from the intensity slopes and from boreholes which reach the crystalline basement. The depth to the magnetic basement has been contoured, and the resulting map is shown to be in good agreement with what is known about the deeper geology of the study area.The work reported here is part of a research project supported by Amoco Norway, BP Petroleum Development Ltd, Elf Aquitaine, Esso Exploration and Production, Norwegian Gulf, Norsk Hydro, Mobil Exploration Norway, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Royal Norwegian Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (NTNF), Norske Shell, and Statoil.