Deep crustal structures interpreted from potential field data along the deep seismic sounding transect across Olympic Dam, South Australia

Abstract

Energy spectral analysis techniques have been applied to magnetic and gravity data acquired over the Olympic Dam area of South Australia. Analysis has been conducted along two deep seismic lines previously acquired. There is a strong correlation between interfaces found in this analysis and structures interpreted from the seismic data. Lateral interpretation of the magnetic and gravity data allows for a valuable extension of the seismic interpretation. A bland zone apparent in the seismic data has been associated with the Olympic Dam ore-body by various authors. The top of this bland zone is strongly associated with a density interface found from the gravity data, and this may be a significant correlation. Further deep crustal structures are evident, including the Moho, and indications of the Curie isotherm. The results obtained from energy spectral analysis over this area suggest that a much wider application of this approach across the Australian continent could be highly valuable.