Using the varimax norm method to enhance and identify edges of potential field data

Abstract

Edges detection and enhancement techniques of potential field data (gravity and magnetic data) are useful tools for finding the locations of anomalies at depth. Recently, these methods, including derivative-based filters, local phase filters and statistics-based techniques, have been increasingly widely used in solving geology problems, such as identifying subsurface faults, contacts, and other tectonic features. Nevertheless, general methods may not provide meaningful results for potential field data with heavy noise. To overcome these disadvantages, we present a new method named Varimax Norm (VariNorm) with a moving window to estimate the location of potential field data. Tests performed on the synthetic and field data in Tonling ore district show that the method does not require horizontal or vertical derivative calculations of any order, resists noise in nature and outperforms other traditional methods in a strong noise environment.