High precision structural mapping using edge filters of potential field and remote sensing data: A case study from Wadi Umm Ghalqa area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

Recently, detecting the edges and geologic structures (deep and shallow) from potential field sources provides a fundamental tool for interpreting geological structures. Therefore, the high precision computation of the edges of potential sources is becoming an essential requirement for studying subsurface structures. In this study, nine common detectors like tilte angle (TA), Theta-map (TM), Horizontal tilt angle (TDX), hyperbolic tilt angle (HTA), Improved tilt angle (ITA), Tilt angle of the total horizontal gradient (TTHG), Tilt angle of the total gradient (TTG), improved Theta-map (ITM), and improved logistic (IL) were applied. These filters have been tested on theoretical models and real data (aeromagnetic) from the Wadi Umm Ghalqa area, South Eastern Desert of Egypt. The obtained results have shown that the improved logistic (IL) filter could detect edges more successfully than the other eight filters. The results of the IL method were used to generate new accurate structural maps for local and deep components of the investigated area. Moreover, surface structures obtained from remote sensing data were considered to control the interpretation of the mapped subsurface lineaments. Hence, the IL method can be utilized as a sharp tool for the high precision structural imaging of the potential data.

Keywords

• Edge detection
• Structural mapping
• Aeromagnetic
• Potential field data
• Eastern Desert