Edge Detection of Potential Filed Data Using Correlation Coefficients

Abstract

Edge detection is an essential task in the interpretation of potential field data. In this paper, we present a new method to delineate the edges of the sources, which is based on the windowed correlation coefficients of the average and the standard deviation of vertical derivatives. The zero value of the correlation coefficients is used to delineate the geological edges. This method can clearly give resolution of the edges of the deeper and shallower sources. The measure is initially applied on the synthetic gravity data. The test of theoretical models indicates that this method could detect the geological edges in different depths and the result is in accordance with model edges. Finally, this method is applied to gravity data from a portion of Vientiane Basin, Laos. As a result, the method can recognize geologic fractures more clearly. Moreover, it can recognize more geologic details when the window size is small and give superior results when the data are relatively smooth.