Quantitative Magnetization Vector Inversion

Abstract

Modelling of magnetic rock properties from magnetic field observations has been an important practice in resource exploration for decades. However, the application of this practice has been limited by conventional thinking that assumes rock magnetization is dominated by induced magnetization such that magnetization direction is aligned with the geomagnetic field. Convention has also accepted that we are unable to model for magnetic remanence without a-priori knowledge of remanence direction and strength.

Recent practical successes in directly modelling magnetization vector direction and strength using Magnetization Vector Inversion (MVI) have challenged these conventions, and MVI modelling is proving useful in practical exploration scenarios. The addition of new information, namely the direction and amplitude of magnetization, demands new thinking and approaches to understanding what this information means, and how to use the modelled direction of magnetization in practical situations.

This paper presents a new statistical and quantitative approach to define and discriminate different magnetization domains within a full 3D MVI voxel model. Our studies show that modelled vector direction is meaningful even without prior knowledge of remanence (and other) magnetization characteristics. We also demonstrate that reasonable magnetization direction can be recovered from both weakly and strongly magnetized source rocks.