3.

01 Applied Geophysics
What is it?
Map
changes in the physical properties of rocks
Jo Morgan
to determine geological structure and lithology, locate
Room 2.38b
minerals and hydrocarbons, investigate environmental
hazards, archaeological investigations

Books
1. Principles of Geophysics, N.H. Sleep and K. Fujita, Blackwell
(Numerate)
2. The Solid Earth, by C.M.R. Fowler, Cambridge University Press,
1990 (most useful)
3. Principles of applied geophysics D.S. Parasnis Chapman and Hall
4. Introduction to Geophysical prospecting, Dobrin and Savitt MCGraw
Hill (Numerate)
5. Applied Geophysics Telford, Geldhart, Sheriff and Keys Cambridge
University Press
6. An introduction to geophysical processing, Kearey and Brooks,
Blackwell (Non-numerate)

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

Overview and Gravity 1

Gravity 2
Seismology
Refraction
Electrical methods
Magnetics
Other methods and exam review
Set exercises

Coursework = NONE
Weekly problems, solutions provided before the end of the week
ALL handouts, problem solutions, ppts, typical exam questions will
be placed on the ESE website

Examination
Answer any 2 of 4 questions
At least 1 question will contain a numerical calculation
At least 1 part of a question will be based on the set
problems

Lecture format
40-45 minute lecture
15-20 minute break
40-45 minute lecture
15-20 minute break
1 hour practical

Lecture today
Overview
Gravity introduction
Field method
Data reduction
Gravity anomaly for a mass m
Gravity anomaly for simple shaped bodies
Problems 1-3

Overview
What physical properties do we measure?
Density
Magnetic properties
Resistivity, capacitance
Velocity

Overview

To work the target body must have sufficiently

different physical properties to the surrounding rock

Gravity data from the Indian ocean

The sea floor topography is relatively flat, but gravity imaging highlights the
fracture zones as the sediments infilling these fractures are lower in density
than the oceanic crust.

Seismic data is used to visualise subsurface structure in

this case a channel in the North Sea

Veritas)
8

Ground penetrating radar image

The large oval shaped structure is thought to be a garden pond that was
probably used for domesticating eels. The rectangular anomalies are believed
to be military buildings on the villa premises.

Resistivity data

Dry sand

Sand partially filled with oil

Water filled sand

Gravity 1
In gravity surveys we
measure g
g varies with elevation, latitude,
topography, tides, instrument
drift and near-surface density

Overview

We make a number of corrections

to produce a gravity anomaly that
only reflects near-surface density
Salt domes, sedimentary basins, mine shafts = gravity low
Metalifferous ore bodies, anticlines = gravity high

Igneous and metamorphic rocks

are usually denser than
sedimentary

Overview

Most rocks will have a range of

densities, and density is often
related to porosity

Newton's law:

g = GM/R2

average g ~ 9.81 ms-2,

g at poles ~9.83 ms-2

Overview

g at equator ~ 9.78 ms-2

g decreases as you climb a hill

Gravity anomaly = observed g - expected g

Removes all effects except the near-surface density

Gravity anomalies are very

small compared to the main field
Usually measured in mgal or gu
1mgal = 1 x 10-5 ms-2
1 gu = 1 x 10-6 ms-2

Overview

Accurate gravity surveying is very slow

Level gravimeter carefully

Measure height accurately
20 mins per reading
Return to base every 1-2 hours
Station spacing depends on size of

Drift correction
Corrects g relative to a base station and removes instrument drift
and tidal effects

g = gs-gb
gs is the measured gravity at the survey point, gb is the measured
gravity at the base station at the same time. g is the drift
corrected gravity anomaly at the survey point, measured relative to
the base station.

Overview

Other corrections

LC ~ 0.81sin2 gu per 100 m

FAC ~ 3.086h (gu)
BC ~ 0.0004191h (gu)
Eotvos and terrain

Free air gravity anomaly = gs gb LC FAC

(+ Eotvos and

terrain corrections if necessary)

Bouguer gravity anomaly = gs gb LC FAC BC

and terrain corrections if necessary)

(+ Eotvos

Isostasy

Get isostatic anomalies at

foreland basins, oceanic ridges
and post-glacial basins
and for all small scale features
(these are not isostatically
compensated)

Isostatic anomaly = observed Bouguer anomaly - expected Bouguer anomaly

Free air anomaly

Bouguer anomaly

Overview

Blue = gravity low

Red = gravity high

Strong regional dip, deflected by oil-filled anticline, Oklahoma

Overview

Buried lead-zinc ore-body detected with gravity data

Overview

Gravity anomaly at a point at surface produced by a point mass:

gr = Gm/r2

Overview

Gravity anomaly measured by gravimeter

g = gz = Gmz/(x2 + z2)3/2

Gravity anomaly due to a spherical body

4Gb3 z

3x z
2

2 3/ 2

where b is the radius of the sphere

The maximum depth of the body (zmax) is = 1.3 x1/2

Problem 1
Stat.

Time

Dist.
(m)

Elev.
(m)

Reading

BS

0805

2934.2

0835

20

10.37

2931.3

0844

40

12.62

2930.6

0855

60

15.32

2930.4

0903

80

19.40

2927.2

BS

0918

2934.9

Base
reading

Drift
corrd
anom.
(gu)

LC
(gu)

FAC
(gu)

BC
(gu)

0
2934.49

-12.10

-0.16

32.00

-11.73

Free
air
anom
(gu)

Boug.
anom.
(gu)

19.74

8.01