Improved data acquisition accuracy and development of PC, interactive processing and interpretation software have contributed to the renewed interest in aeromagnetic survey data. The primary goal of automation is to speed up the depth estimation. The modern methods are critical for reducing the working time.
The present work deals with the application and evaluation of manual and automatic methods to indicate depth solutions to basement. The recently acquired aeromagnetic survey data permit greater resolution of magnetic sources within the sedimentary section and at the earth's surface. The data used are acquired over a sample area from the Egyptian Eastern Desert. The manual and automatic methods including Peters' half-slope, analytical signal and Werner deconvolution (using the moving window concept) methods were applied to the NW-SE total field magnetic profile. The suggestion is that a proper or optimal method should be selected according to the data quality and the nature of the particular geologic problem.
The final depth solution produced by the manual Peter's slope method produces three depth estimates corresponding to three anomalies. The final depth solution of analytical signal method produces two groups of poor solutions derived from the total field profile and three groups of solutions derived from the horizontal gradient. The final depth solutions produced by the Werner deconvolution method indicate several groups of good solutions derived from the total field profile, that are very useful to locate subsurface magnetic sources, which reflect the geologic structures.
Because the deep basement is of interest, the solutions resulted from Werner deconvolution method has been selected to be exported to GM-SYS model. A direct comparison can be made between the magnetic depth solutions and geometric surface of the basement using simultaneous 2D modeling of magnetic data along the profile. The concept of moving window is the key to realize the automation.