Interpretation of airborne gravity gradiometry and magnetic data using cross-gradients

Abstract

SUMMARY Computing the cross-gradient product of airborne vertical gravity and magnetic intensity data provides a means to combine information about two different physical properties into the same image, thereby aiding interpretation. The method utilises the angle and cross-product values between the horizontal gradients of each dataset to produce two images in which structural similarities are enhanced. The theoretical basis for the method and results of its application to the survey data are discussed. The cross-gradient method was tested on a synthetic model and applied to FALCON™ airborne gravity gradiometer data from the Halls Creek Orogen, Western Australia. The vertical component of the gravity vector and the reduced to magnetic pole total magnetic intensity, were used as inputs.