Separation of sources and 3D inversion of gravity and magnetic data for the Thuringian Basin, Germany

Abstract

We propose a novel methodology for separation of potential field sources
and its 3D inversion. New approaches are developed to separate sources: i) in depth
using a succession of upward and downward continuation; ii) in the lateral direction by
means of approximation with the field of 3D line segments; iii) according to density
and magnetization contrast based on pseudo-gravity calculation. Our original inversion
algorithms allow the recovery of unknown 3D geometry both for a restricted body of
arbitrary shape and for a contact surface. For the first time, we apply our algorithms
to joint inversion of gravity and magnetic data for a large area (the Thuringian Basin
in central Germany). We separate in depth sources of both gravitational and magnetic
anomalies for the whole territory of Thuringia and compare corresponding components.
A 3D model of the main sources is presented based on approximation with 3D line segments
and their further transforming into a restricted body or a contact surface with the
same field.