Enhancing circular features in potential field data
Gordon R. J. CooperSchool of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Email: gordon.cooper@geosciences.wits.ac.za
Exploration Geophysics 41(2) 174-177 https://doi.org/10.1071/EG09039
Submitted: 24 August 2009 Accepted: 14 December 2009 Published: 7 June 2010
Abstract
Circular features in potential field or topographic data are of interest because they can be caused by impact structures or kimberlite pipes. A new method for enhancing circular anomalies has been developed, based on the generalised derivative filter. The method is compared to other existing techniques and is applied to gravity datasets from South Africa. The source code in Matlab format is available from the author on request.
Key words: kimberlite pipes, meteorite impacts, sunshading.
Acknowledgements
The Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, are thanked for permission to use the gravity datasets shown in Figures 5 and 6. The NRF (Pretoria) is thanked for funding this project.
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