Register      Login
Exploration Geophysics Exploration Geophysics Society
Journal of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Edge detection of potential field data using improved local phase filter

Guoqing Ma
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

College of Geoexploration Science and Technology, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China. Email: magq08@mails.jlu.edu.cn

Exploration Geophysics 44(1) 36-41 https://doi.org/10.1071/EG12022
Submitted: 23 April 2012  Accepted: 12 September 2012   Published: 18 October 2012

Abstract

Edge detection is a requisite task in the interpretation of potential field data. There are many high-pass filters based on horizontal and vertical derivatives in use, such as total horizontal derivative, tilt angle, theta map, et al. In this paper, we present a new edge detection filter, which uses the combination of the different order horizontal derivatives to delineate the edges of the sources, called improved local phase (ILP) filter. The new filter is computationally stable, as it does not need the computation of the vertical derivatives of potential field data. The new filter is tested on synthetic and real potential field data. The resolving power of the ILP filter is tested by comparing the results with those obtained by the other filters. The advantage of the ILP filter in the edge detection of potential field data is due to the fact that it can display the edges of the causative sources more precisely and clearly, and can bring out more subtle details.

Key words: edge detection, improved local phase, potential field.


References

Blakely, R. J., 1995, Potential theory in gravity and magnetic applications: Cambridge University Press.

Cooper, G. R. J., and Cowan, D. R., 2006, Enhancing potential field data using filters based on the local phase Computers & Geosciences, 32, 1585–1591
Enhancing potential field data using filters based on the local phaseCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cooper, G. R. J., and Cowan, D. R., 2008, Edge enhancement of potential-field data using normalized statistics Geophysics, 73, H1–H4
Edge enhancement of potential-field data using normalized statisticsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cordell, L., 1979, Gravimetric expression of graben faulting in Santa Fe Country and the Espanola Basin. New Mexico Geol. Soc. Guidebook, 30th Field Conf., New Mexico, 59–64.

Cordell, L., and Grauch, V. J. S., 1985, Mapping basement magnetization zones from aeromagnetic data in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, in W. J. Hinzc, ed., The utility of regional gravity and magnetic anomaly: Society of Exploration Geophysicists, 181–197.

Ma, G., and Li, L., 2012, Edge detection in potential fields with the normalized total horizontal derivative Computers & Geosciences, 41, 83–87
Edge detection in potential fields with the normalized total horizontal derivativeCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Miller, H. G., and Singh, V., 1994, Potential field tilt—a new concept for location of potential field sources Journal of Applied Geophysics, 32, 213–217
Potential field tilt—a new concept for location of potential field sourcesCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nabighian, M. N., 1984, Toward a three-dimensional automatic interpretation of potential field data via generalized Hilbert transforms: fundamental relations Geophysics, 49, 780–786
Toward a three-dimensional automatic interpretation of potential field data via generalized Hilbert transforms: fundamental relationsCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Roest, W. R., Verhoef, J., and Pilkington, M., 1992, Magnetic interpretation using the 3-D analytic signal Geophysics, 57, 116–125
Magnetic interpretation using the 3-D analytic signalCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Verduzco, B., Fairhead, J. D., and Green, C. M., 2004, New insights into magnetic derivatives for structural mapping The Leading Edge, 23, 116–119
New insights into magnetic derivatives for structural mappingCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wijns, C., Perez, C., and Kowalczyk, P., 2005, Theta map: edge detection in magnetic data Geophysics, 70, L39–L43
Theta map: edge detection in magnetic dataCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |