Expanding the horizons and capacity of gravity and magnetic modelling tools  

Authors / CoAuthors

Lane, R. | Brodie, R. | de Hoog, M. | Navin, J. | Roach, I.C.

Abstract

The subsurface of the Earth is a complex system, one that we are yet to fully understand and model. It is hence impossible to automate the process of mapping and modelling, and the input of user experience and knowledge ('prior knowledge') is required to produce meaningful and useful outputs. This form of solution does not lend itself to a simple programmatic approach. However, by taking advantage of advances in computer technology and the application of numerical methods for modeling complex environments, we can do much to improve upon past results. Introduction As Australia's national geoscience organisation, Geoscience Australia (GA) plays an important role in the creation and delivery of fundamental geoscientific information. Studies are carried out at a wide range of scales, from a continental perspective to highly detailed local site investigations. In most situations, direct geological observations are supplemented by the inferences that can be made from geophysical measurements. Observations of the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields contain signals from subsurface materials, and extensive holdings of these measurements are commonly used to help create 3D subsurface models. With sparse hard constraints and incomplete, insufficient, noisy observations, knowledge workers or experts continue to play an important role in providing implicit prior constraints on any system to model this volume. The interface to these people becomes an important part of any set of tools for performing geological modeling of gravity and magnetic data. Users constantly demand a better experience and better outcomes when modeling the subsurface. Some of their recurring requests are for: * A simpler, more intuitive user-experience * Higher resolution * Models with larger extents * Faster processing * Inclusion of a greater number of geological and rock property constraints * Estimates of the uncertainty in the outcomes * Improved 3D visualisation * Tracking of input provenance and subsequent processing that is carried out * Organised management of 3D models Integration of the elements is a key consideration when developing solutions, as users are loathe to adopt procedures that become more involved and more difficult to understand and to piece together. Today, developments to produce world-class solutions typically take place across multiple agencies, involving many people, and at locations spread around the globe. This in itself is a challenge! We have focused our efforts on the following: * The management and delivery of rock properties * Spherical and Cartesian coordinate gravity and magnetic modelling software * Use of High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities * Use of a virtual globe application for 3D visualisation

Product Type

nonGeographicDataset

eCat Id

76694

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Keywords

• External PublicationAbstract

( Theme )

• gravity

( Theme )

• magnetics

( Theme )

• model

( Theme )

• geophysics

( Theme )

• 3D model

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

• Earth Sciences

• Published_Internal

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2013-01-01T00:00:00

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Australian Government Security ClassificationSystem    

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence    

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geoscientificInformation

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