Gravity Method
Contents
• Definition
• Branches of Geophysics
• Scope of Geophysics
• Geophysical Methods
▫ Gravity Method
Gravity Anomalies
Gravity Reductions
• Applications of Gravity Method
Geophysics (Definition)
Geophysics is the application of method of physics
to the study of the Earth.
On the other sense, it is a subject of natural science
concern with the physical processes and the physical
properties of the earth and it’s surrounding space
environment and the use of co-ordinary methods for
the analysis.
It involves the application of physical theories and
measurements to discover the properties and
processes of the earth.
Geophysics
• Geophysics has contributed significantly in the
understanding of many physical processes that lead to
scientific and economic contribution to our society.
Branches of Geophysics
Solid Earth Environmental &
Geophysics : Engineering
Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Geophysics :
Tectonics Groundwater exploration
Geodynamics Contaminant delineation
Utility or object detection
Exploration
Geophysics :
Oil and Gas exploration
Minerals exploration
Scopes of Geophysics
Natural hazard
studies:
Earthquake
Landslide
Resource
explorations:
Oil and gas exploration
Mineral prospecting
Geothermal exploration
Groundwater exploration
Scopes of Geophysics(Cont.)
Engineering: Environmental
Underground utility locating application:
Concrete inspection Underground storage tank
Rebar locating locating
Pavement evaluation Contamination delineation
Underground void locating Landfill delineation
Ground strength testing Bedrock depth mapping
Geophysical Methods
Potential Fields: Wave Propagation:
Gravity Seismic (Sound Waves)
Magnetics Radar (EM Waves)
Diffusive Fields:
Electrical
Heat Flow
Electromagnetics(EM)
Geophysical methods
Gravity method:
Gravity method is a non-destructive geophysical
technique that measures differences in the earth’s
gravitational field at specific locations.
The gravity method is a relatively cheap, non-
invasive, non-destructive remote sensing method.
Gravity method
• In gravity surveying, subsurface geology is
investigated on the basis of variations in the Earth’s
gravitational field arising from differences of density
between subsurface rocks.
• An underlying concept is the idea of a causative
body, which is a rock unit of different density from
its surroundings.
Gravity method
• The basis on which the gravity method depends is
encapsulated in two laws derived by Newton, namely his
Universal Law of gravitation and his Second Law of
Motion.
Mm
F G 2 ............(1) F mg ........(2)
R
GM
g 2
..........(3)
R
This shows that the magnitude of acceleration due to
gravity on Earth (g) is directly proportional to the mass (M)
of the Earth and inversely proportional to the square of the
Earth’s radius (R)
Gravity method
Units of gravity
• The mean value of gravity at the Earth’s surface is about
9.8ms-2.Variations in gravity caused by density variations
in the subsurface are of the order of 100 mms-2.
• This unit of the micrometer per second per second is
referred to as the gravity unit (gu). In gravity surveys on
land an accuracy of ±0.1 gu is readily attainable,
corresponding to about one hundred millionth of the
normal gravitational field.
• At sea the accuracy obtainable is considerably less, about
±10 gu.The c.g.s. unit of gravity is the milligal (1 mgal =
10-3 gal = 10-3cms-2), equivalent to 10 gu.
Gravity method ( Process )
• Gravity techniques measure minute variations in the
earth's gravity field. Based on these variations, subsurface
density and thereby composition can be inferred.
• These variations can be determined by measuring the earth's
gravity field at numerous stations along a traverse, and
correcting the gravity data for elevation, tidal effects,
topography, latitude, and instrument drift.
Gravity method ( Process )
• The gravity field on the surface of the Earth is not
uniformly the same everywhere. It varies with the
distribution of the mass materials below. A Gravity
survey is an direct means of calculating the density
property of subsurface materials.
• The higher the gravity values, the denser the rock
beneath.
Gravity method (Equipment)
• Modern instruments capable of rapid gravity measurements
are known as gravity meters or gravimeters. Gravimeters are
basically spring balances carrying a constant mass.
Variations in the weight of the mass caused by variations in
gravity cause the length of the spring to vary and give a
measure of the change in gravity.
Gravity method (Equipment)
• There are two types of gravimeters:
1. Relative and
2. Absolute.
Absolute gravimeters measure the local gravity in
absolute units, gals.
Relative gravimeters compare the value of gravity at one
point with another. They must be calibrated at a
location where the gravity is known accurately, and
then transported to the location where the gravity is to
be measured. They measure the ratio of the gravity at
the two points.
Gravity Anomalies
A causative body represents a subsurface zone of
anomalous mass and causes a localized perturbation
in the gravitational field known as a gravity anomaly.
Gravity anomaly map yield the difference between
the observed gravity values and the theoretical
gravity values for a region of interest.
Gravity Anomalies(Cont.)
• A very wide range of geological situations give rise
to zones of anomalous mass that produce significant
gravity anomalies.
• On a small scale, buried relief on a bedrock surface,
such as a buried valley, can give rise to measurable
anomalies.
Gravity Anomalies(Cont.)
Depending on what we want to emphasize there are 3
anomaly map:
Free-air or Faye anomaly
Bouguer anomaly and
Isostatic gravity anomaly maps
Faye anomaly:
Is defined by applying only normal, free-air, terrain
and tidal corrections to the measured gravity value.
Gravity anomalies(Cont.)
Bouguer anomaly:
Is defined by applying normal, free-air, terrain and
tidal correction to the measured gravity value.
The difference between the Bouguer and the Faye
anomaly arises from the Bouguer plate correction.
Bouguer anomalies are usually negative in region of
large elevation and are mainly in positive in oceanic
regions.
Gravity anomalies(Cont.)
Isostatic gravity anomaly:
Is defined by applying isostatic correction to the
Bouguer anomaly.
Gravity reduction
Before the results of a gravity survey can be interpreted it
is necessary to correct for all variations in the Earth’s
gravitational field which do not result from the differences of
density in the underlying rocks. This process is known as gravity
reduction.
Gravity reduction
• Drift correction
Correction for instrumental drift is based on repeated
readings at a base station at recorded times throughout
the day. The meter reading is plotted against time and
drift is assumed to be linear between consecutive base
readings.
Drift Correction
From the figure drift is assumed to be linear between consecutive base
readings. The drift correction at time t is d, which is subtracted from the
observed value.
Eötvös correction
The Eötvös correction (EC) is applied to gravity
measurements taken on a moving vehicle such as a ship
or an aircraft. Depending on the direction of travel,
vehicular motion will generate a centripetal acceleration
which either reinforces or opposes gravity.
Gravity reduction
Elevation corrections
Correction for the differing elevations of gravity
stations is made in three parts :
▫ Free air Correction
▫ Bouger Correction
▫ Terrain Correction
The free-air correction
Elevation Correction
•The free-air correction (FAC) corrects for the
decrease in gravity with height in free air resulting
from increased distance from the centre of the Earth.
The FAC is positive for an observation point above
datum to correct for the decrease in gravity with
elevation. The free-air correction accounts solely for
variation in the distance of the observation point from
the centre of the Earth; no account is taken of the
gravitational effect of the rock present between the
observation point and datum.
Elevation Correction
Bouguer correction
On land the Bouguer correction must be
subtracted, as the gravitational attraction of the rock
between observation point and datum must be
removed from the observed gravity value. The
Bouguer correction of sea surface observations is
positive to account for the lack of rock between
surface and sea bed. The correction is equivalent to
the replacement of the water layer by material of a
specified rock density r.
Elevation Correction
Terrain corrections
A correction applied to observed values obtained
in geophysical surveys in order to remove the effect of
variations in the observations due to the topography
near observation sites.
Latitude Correction
Gravity varies with latitude because of the non-spherical
shape of the Earth and because the angular velocity of a point on
the Earth’s surface decreases from a maximum at the equator to
zero at the poles. The centripetal acceleration generated by this
rotation has a negative radial component that consequently causes
gravity to decrease from pole to equator. Consequently, points
near the equator are farther from the centre of mass of the Earth
than those near the poles, causing gravity to increase from the
equator to the poles.
Latitude Correction
Tidal Correction
Gravity measured at a fixed location varies with
time because of periodic variation in the gravitational
effects of the Sun and Moon associated with their
orbital motions, and correction must be made for this
variation in a high precision survey. In spite of its much
smaller mass, the gravitational attraction of the Moon is
larger than that of the Sun because of its proximity.
Tidal Correction
• These solid Earth tides are considerably smaller than
oceanic tides and lag farther behind the lunar motion.
They cause the elevation of an observation point to
be altered by a few centimeters and thus vary its
distance from the centre of mass of the Earth. The
periodic gravity variations caused by the combined
effects of Sun and Moon are known as tidal
variations.
• They have a maximum amplitude of some 3 gu and a
minimumperiod of about 12 h.
Application of Gravity method
• Determine shape of the Earth
• Hydrocarbon exploration
• Regional geological studies
• Iso-static compensation determination
• Detection of sub-surface cavities (microgravity)
• Location of buried rock-valleys
• Determination of glacier thickness
• Tidal oscillations
• Basin Geometry
