Geophysical Investigations for Engineering Projects, 05-07 February, 2014, CWPRS, Pune

MAGNETIC METHOD
R.S.Ramteke, Joint Director

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Majority of geophysical techniques depends on the contrasts in the physical properties of earth
materials. These contrasts may be in the acoustic impedances between sedimentary layers used in seismic
reflection work, or variations in the electrical conductivity of the subsurface materials used in electrical
surveys. In the case of magnetic methods, the source of the signals derives from lateral changes in the
magnetization of the earth materials. The methods, therefore, are adapted to finding horizontal changes
produced by either vertical displacement of homogeneous layers or by inherent lateral in homogeneities in
the earth materials themselves. Horizontal layers in which these properties are constant provide no signal
and consequently are invisible to the techniques.
Magnetic surveying enjoys more limited engineering applications but is useful in mapping the
geometry of igneous bodies such as dykes, sills, and other intrusions and detecting type may also be
determined from magnetic data.
2.0 BASICS
2.1 Magnetic field intensity:
By the extension of coulombs law for electrostatic force between two point poles S1 and S2 is

(1)

(2)

The magnetic field intensity is usually measured in oersted while magnetic induction is measured in
Gauss. The geomagnetic field varies from about 0.28 Gauss near the magnetic equator to about 0.66 Gauss
at the Magnetic Pole. The practical unit is nanotesla (nT) where
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1 nT=10-5 Gauss

2.2

(3)

Magnetic Susceptibility
When a magnetizable body is subjected to an external magnetizing field it acquires a magnetization

that is lost when the applied field is removed. Such magnetization I is said to be induced by the applied field.
I = KT

(4)

K is called magnetic susceptibility and is a characteristic constant for magnetizable material. Table
1 shows the magnetic susceptibility of various rock types from sedimentary rock which have small
susceptibilities reflecting small concentration of magnetic materials to basic igneous rocks rich in magnetic
materials.
Table. 1 Magnetic Susceptibility of Rocks and Minerals.
Mineral/Rock Type

Susceptibility
(KX 10-6 SI units)
Quartz ( Diamagnetic)
-15
Gypsum ( Diamagnetic)
-13
Rock Salt ( Diamagnetic)
-10
Slate
0 - 1200
Sandstone
35 950
Gneiss
0 3000
Granite ( with magnetite )
20 - 40000
Basalts
500 80000
Hematite (ore)
420 10000
Magnetite (ore)
7.0 x 104 - 14.0 x 106
3.0 THE EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD
3.1 The Geomagnetic Element and Poles
The geomagnetic field F is a vector quantity which requires the specification of three elements for a
complete statement of its magnitude and direction at any point. A common combination comprises the
vertical component, Z, the horizontal component H and the declination D which is angle between the
direction of the horizontal component (i.e. the magnetic north) and the true or geographic north. An
alternative set of elements is the total field intensity F, its inclination, I with respect to the horizontal and
declination, D, occasionally the field components are directly referred to geographical co-ordination north
X, east Y and vertically down Z.

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The axis of the best-fitting central dipole intersect the earths surface at two points which are referred
to as geomagnetic poles These poles are located approximately at 78.8 N, 71 W (in north west Green
land) and 78.8 S, 109 E ( in Antarctica).

Fig.1 Main elements of the geomagnetic field. D and I are the declination and inclination,
respectively, of the total field vector F
The widely accepted standard to provide reliable spatial distribution of the geomagnetic field is called the
International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) and it is revised every five years. A map of the total
intensity of the magnetic field over the earth surface (IGRF 2000) is shown in Fig.2.
3.2 Secular and Diurnal Variation
Long terms changes in the geomagnetic field which are progressive over decade or centuries are
known as the secular variation. They are immediately apparent from the yearly averages of the values of
geomagnetic elements recorded by magnetic observations all over the world. The longest record of secular
variation are from London and Paris, which are sufficiently close together to show nearly the same pattern
Fig.3 shows the change in declination and inclination at London and Boston over the past four centuries.

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Fig.2 Total Intensity of Earths magnetic field for the epoch 2010

Fig.3 Records of long-term changes in declination and inclination

of Geomagnetic field at London and Boston.

Short period changes in the intensity of the field follow a daily cycle and shows local variation of
some tens of nTs during normal quite day. On the other hand the disturbed day variation are irregular and
extreme in magnitude, amounting to several hundreds of nTs within an hour or so. They are associated with
magnetic storms which are related in some way with the increased solar activity during sun spot cycle. Fig.5
shows the record of a base magnetometer reading registered during a magnetically stormy day at Alibag,
India ( Fig.4) Such storm usually last for several days.
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Fig.4 Magnetic observatories in India

Fig.5 Record of H Magnetogram at Alibag Observatory

Diurnal variations have considerable practical significance in magnetic surveying for geological
mapping and mineral prospecting. Of course during disturbed days magnetic surveying operation have to be
discontinued. Since there is no satisfactory way of allowing for their unpredictable effect on magnetic field
data.
3.3 Origin of the Main Field
A spherical harmonic analysis of the magnetic field observed over the surface of the earth shown that
the main field and its secular variation originate within the earth and is probably associated with an intense
current loop circulating in the core Fig.6. It is presumably derived from local eddy current produced in the
liquid core by friction due to the earths rotation.

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Fig. 6 The Earths Magnetic field associated with current - loop

3.4

Magnetic Field Anomaly

As the direction of the magnetic field varies over the surface of the earth from vertically down wards

at the North pole to horizontal at the magnetic equator to vertically upwards at the South Pole, the anomalies
due to essentially the same body ( same depth, same thickness, same length, same strike, etc.) vary
considerably. This is illustrated in Fig.7 where the anomaly due to same body is shown for various magnetic
latitudes. Anomaly also changes with a change in strike direction from due north to a strike of due east.
Thus in interpreting magnetic data, care must be taken to allow for these variation is anomaly shape that are
not due to variations in the shape of the body or its depth.

Fig. 7 Variation in total magnetic intensity with change in magnetic latitude.

3.5 Factors Controlling the Anomalies
The for most of the physical factors that controls the contribution of geological objects to the
measured geophysical parameter is the physical property of the object. As is well known for the success of
any geophysical method there should be sufficient physical property contrast between the objects to be
located and the surrounding and overburden rocks. It is evident that as this contrast increases, the anomalies
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in geophysical method enhance and the objects can be more reliably detected. The size and depth of the
causative body have a strong influence on the anomalies (Fig.8) The chances of detectability of object
increase with their increasing dimension and with decreasing depths.

Fig. 8 Magnetic Anomaly with physical property contrast

4.0 INSTRUMENTATION
Among the most widely used instruments for magnetic surveying are the fluxgate and proton
precession magnetometers. Ground based surveys use these instruments exclusively. In high resolution, airborne surveys including gradiometer surveys optically pumped alkali vapor magnetometers are used.
Although these are more expensive than the fluxgate and proton precession magnetometers, they are capable
of greater sensitivity.
4.1 Fluxgate magnetometer
The operation of this magnetometer depends on the saturation magnetization of a ferromagnetic core
when placed in low magnetic fields similar to that of the earth. An alternating current (freq. = 1,000 Hz)
passed through the primary coil drives the core to saturation producing a time varying magnetization shown
in fig.9. A secondary coil wrapped around the core and primary coil records an alternating electrical current

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whose magnitude is a function of the rate of change of the magnetizing of the core. In the instrument, two
identical cores are used around which the primary coil is wound in opposite senses. The resulting secondary
currents in each coil are equal in amplitude but out of phase by 180 and consequently add destructively to
produce zero total current. When the two core system is placed in the Earths magnetic field with its axis
aligned along the ambient field direction, the Earths field adds to one cores magnetization while at the
same time subtracting from the other. The result is that the secondary current from each core are no longer
exactly 180 out of phase and consequently do not add destructively as before. The displacement in time of
the two secondary currents is a measure of the strength of the Earths field.
The fluxgate is frequently used in surveys to measure the vertical component of the Earths field.
Modern instruments are capable of 0.1 n T accuracy but in field operation 1 nT is often more realistic.

Fig. 9 Flux gate magnetometer circuit

4.2 Proton precession magnetometer:
The proton precession magnetometer uses the properties of the spin magnetic moment of the proton
to determine the field strength. Fig. 10 shows the design of a typical precession magnetometer. The protons
in water (H20) whose magnetic moment is initially randomized are subjected to a polarizing current, which
aligns the moments along a direction approximately perpendicular to the Earths field. The current is passed
for several seconds to ensure complete alignment of the magnetic moments. The polarizing current is then
switched off and the protons are allowed to relax in presence of the Earths magnetic field. In relaxing the
protons, precess about the ambient field direction with a frequency, which is directly proportional

to the

strength of the field. By measuring the precessional frequency of the protons, the field strength may be
determined. Proton precession magnetometers have typical accuracies of 0.1n T although some manufactures
indicate better accuracies.

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Fig. 10 Block diagram of Proton precession magnetometer.

4.2

Alkali vapor magnetometer

The alkali vapor magnetometer (Fig.11) is based upon the splitting of electron energy levels in alkali

elements (typically Cesium and Rubidium) by the Zeeman effect. The energy gap produced (E in Fig.12) lies
in the radio-frequency range and is therefore usually detected in an oblique manner, is measured. When level
A1 is depleted, the incident light beam will no longer be absorbed but will pass through the vapor and be
detected by the photocell. If now the correct radio-frequency signal is applied, transitions from A2 to A1 will
occur. This will result in the light being absorbed once again. Because the exact radio frequency required is
unknown a varying RF signal is applied which sweeps through a range of probable frequencies. At the time
that the photocell voltage drops indicating absorption by the vapor, the RF being applied has the necessary
frequency to produce A2 to A1 transitions. This frequency then is related to the energy gap, E, between
A1 and A2, which in turn is controlled by the strength of the field producing the Zeeman splitting. Thus by
measuring the RF accurately, the total field vector can be determined. Accuracies of such instruments are
typically 00.1 nT to 01 nT but better accuracies have been quoted by several manufactures.

Fig. 11 Block diagram of Alkali vapor magnetometer

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Fig. 12 Splitting of energy levels in Alkali elements.

5.0 FIELD PROCEDURE

Magnetic surveys are usually carried out on a more or less regular grid with station spacing
appropriate for the target of interest. Thus for example for the detection of shallow bodies such as clay field
cavities at less than 20 m depth a spacing of the order of 5 to 10 m is more appropriate. For small scale
shallow bodies the station spacing may be only a few meters. An approximate rule of thumb is that the
station spacing should be at lease depth of interest. In this survey, care must be taken to avoid all
extraneous sources of magnetism. Such sources will generally have a large effect on the measurement.
Magnetic surveys are also affected by temporal changes in the Earths magnetic field. It is therefore
necessary for a continuously recording magnetometer be placed at the base station to monitor this
observation. These variations may be several tens of n Ts each day and consequently the measurement at
each station must be corrected for this variation.
At each station, usually approximately 5 values of the magnetic field are obtained using a
magnetometer. The sensing head of the instrument is frequently placed on a tall (3m) staff so as to provide a
significant height above the ground to filter out very shallow extraneous sources.
6.0 DATA PROCESSING
Processing of magnetic data is relatively straight forward and involves only two main corrections 1)
Main field correction (sometimes called the Normal correction), 2) Diurnal variation correction. Magnetic
storms are rarely corrected for, as their influence is too variable and erratic. Data gathered during such
storms are usually discarded.
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1) The main field correction removes long period (100s of years) temporal variation of the field, which
originates in the interior of the Earth. These secular variations have amplitude of 10 to 100 nTs per year and
are not usually important over the duration of a signal survey. The main role of this part of the correction,
however, it to allow survey data gathered in different years to be integrated without serious datum problems
(Fig.13)

Fig. 13 Variation in total magnetic field during 1960-1985.

To make the main field correction one simply uses one of the existing module of the internal field of
earth e.g. International Geomagnetic Reference Field (I.G.R.F). These are published on a periodic basis so
as to better approximate the secular changes in the field. The information required to obtain the main field is
the location of the site (lat and long), elevation and time of year. As the field typically varies by 1 3 nT/km
the positional accuracy required is not great. The vertical variation in the earths field is very small and
consequently elevations do not need to be known accurately.

2. The diurnal variation correction is used to remove the influence of ionosphere current on the measured
magnetic field values.

Since the degree of ionization and therefore the resulting currents, is largely

controlled by the local sun angle, the magnetic field variation have a substantial regular component (Fig.14).
The field is therefore monitored within the survey area using a continuously recording magnetometer and the
measured field values arrested on the basis of these records.

If the survey is close to a permanent

geomagnetic observatory then the records from such an observatory may be used.
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Fig. 14 Daily variation of vertical magnetic field

7.0 DATA ANALYSIS
After regular data processing, we are left with a composite signal that contains contributions from
many sources. Consequently, the next task is to identify the signals of interest. This is usually achieved in
one of two ways: either the unwanted signals are removed from the complex signal or the desired signal is
amplified in some way with respect to the other unwanted signals. The approaches are termed anomaly
separation and anomaly enhancement respectively. Techniques of anomaly separation result in a pure
signal, which may be directly interpreted in a quantitative manner whereas anomaly enhancement usually
results in data that are qualitatively interpreted. The results from both techniques provide important insights
into the distribution and overall nature of subsurface sources.
7.1 Anomaly Separation
There are many techniques used to separate out anomalies of interest; usually, although not always,
much of this effort is devoted to filtering out the effects of signals with longer spatial wavelengths (e.g. the
regional field) than a in the wavelength range of interest. Generally, in geo-engineering studies the desired
signals have wavelengths of a few meters to,

at most, a few hundreds of meter. Anomaly separation

techniques include spatial convolution (e.g. grid residual methods) and frequency filtering methods.
One of the methods used in anomaly separation is that of the ring residual in which the data on a
regular grid are averaged around the periphery of a circle and then this average value subtracted from the
observed value at the circles center. The choice of circle radius is critical to the effectiveness of the
procedure and it is common to repeat the method for a selection of different radii (usually 2 or 3).A large
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radius results in longer wavelengths being removed while a smaller radius may begin to attenuate the desired
signal. The techniques therefore require care in the selection of an appropriate radius. Other techniques are
used which involve more than one circle and have the added problem of deciding on which circle to place the
greater emphasis (weighting).
Transforming the data to the frequency domain and then applying a frequency dependent filter to the
various components today invariably achieve anomaly separation. The anomaly separated data are then
transformed back to the spatial domain for visual inspection. The procedure is similar for profile data where
an assumption of two-dimensionality is made. A selection of frequency dependent filters can be tried (in a
similar way to the manner in which frequency filters are used on seismic sections) and the results inspected.
The major advantages of this approach are its speed and the fact that the wavelengths removed from the
original data are known.
In addition to these automated methods, there is a popular hands on or graphical technique in
which the interpreter uses his/her skill and extensive experience to determine which wavelengths are to be
removed. To achieve the separation, the interpreter fits a smooth, low order curve to the observed (Firg.15)
and then subtracts this to produce a residual anomaly. Although the technique is subjective and required
considerable time and effort where large data sets are involved, it has the benefit of flexibility in that it
permits individual data sets to be used independently in the determination of suitable regional for different
parts of the map. However, the amount of effort together with its arbitrary nature has resulted in a decline in
its popularity in recent years.

Fig. 15 Graphical technique of anomaly separation

7.2 Anomaly Enhancement
In the case of anomaly enhancement the signal of interest is to be amplified relative to other
unwanted signals, i.e. the signal to noise (i.e. unwanted signals) ratio is to be improved. Because the
signals of interest usually lie at short spatial wavelengths while the majority of the coherent noise is at
longer wavelengths, the techniques usually seek to emphasize the localized nature of such anomalies.
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Several parameters can be used but one of the more popular and effective parameters is the curvature or
second derivative of the anomaly field. Localized anomalies have high curvature while broad scale regional
features have low curvature. A contour map of the second derivative will tend to highlight localized features
while suppressing the regional anomalies. The maximum (or minimum) curvature will therefore tend toile
over the center of the causative body with the contours of the high curvature approximating the outline of the
body. The method is extremely useful in delineating interesting areas, which may not be apparent on the
original map. This is especially true wherever the broad scale features contribute a steep regional gradient to
the data thus masking the influence of small scale features.
Other techniques of anomaly enhancement include field continuation (i.e. upward and more often,
downward continuation of the anomaly field) and various kinds of strike filtering, which will being out
subtle trends in the data. Downward continuation is especially popular, as this method will greatly amplify
localized small amplitude anomalies.
8.0 INTERPRETATION
8.1

Qualitative Interpretation
The qualitative interpretation of a magnetic anomaly map begins with a visual inspection of the

shape and trend of the major anomalies. After delineation of the structural trends, a closer examination of
the characteristic features of each individual anomaly is made. These feature are a) the relative location and
amplitude of the positive and negative part of the anomaly, b) the elongation and areal extent of the contour,
c) the sharpness of the anomaly as sent by the spacing of contours. In many cases, meaningful geological
information can be deciphered directly by looking at the map, without any calculation.
8.2

Quantitative Interpretation
After completing the qualitative study, it is important to extract some quantitative information from

the magnetic data. From the relative spreads of the maximal and minima of the anomaly, the approximate
location and horizontal extent of the causative body may be determined. The geometrical parameters must
then be translated into structural terms in the light of known geology.

Finally, from the amplitude of the

anomaly, the magnetization contrast may be determined.

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For making rapid quantitative estimate, it is necessary to examine in detail the shape pattern of
magnetic anomalies of the most commonly used models in magnetic interpretation. In magnetic mapping of
two models have been widely used to approximate the shape of probable anomaly sources.

One is bottom

less vertical Sided prism model. The other model commonly used is the two dimensional rectangular strip
which serves to approximate many geological features of extensive strike length i.e. thick dyke and broad
magnetic zones cutting the host rock.

Fig. 16 Magnetic profile showing measurements for slope and half slope parameters.

Some empirical depth rules have also been desired which when applied with care may furnish useful
results. Of these only two which have been most widely used. These based on the maximum slope and
half slope parameter of the anomaly profiles. On magnetic profiles a line of maximum slope is drawn
through a point of inflation 0. Maximum slope coincides very closely with the magnetic profile for a certain
distance and then breaks away from the straight line at consistently measurable position S1 and S2. The
distance S between these points is the slope parameter. The half slope parameter is the distance between the
point at which a straight line with half the maximum slope is tangent to the anomaly curve below and above
the straight line slope ( Fig.16) from these measurement, as a general rule, the depth to the sources is
approximately equal to S and also approximately equals to P/2.
9.0 APPLICATIONS
Because the magnetization of soils is quite small, the magnetic method has fewer applications in
geo-engineering problems. The magnetization contrast between various basement rocks and between dyke
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material and sedimentary formations, however, is sufficiently large that basement faults and dykes are
generally detectable. Where the basement is deep, more subtle shallow sources may be discerned. These
include areas of fill material, clay pockets and certain kinds of shales and sandstone. Intra sedimentary
volcanic material such as sills and dykes are associated with large magnetization contrasts, produce large
anomalies with locally steep gradients, and as such are readily detectable. Where the magnetic data are
carefully interpreted, information regarding the depth, attitude and thickness of such bodies may be obtained
although it is perhaps more common to simply use the magnetic method to indicate the presence/absence of
such material within survey areas. Among the more prevalent engineering uses of the magnetic method is
the detection of disused mine working where the mineshafts have been inadequately sealed and therefore
pose a significant risk to future structures. In such applications, the magnetization contrast between the fill
plus lining of the shaft and the surrounding soil will be sufficient to produce anomalies of several tens to
sometimes hundreds of nTs. Thus where contrasts in magnetization are associated with changes in other
physical properties, the magnetic anomalies may be used to draw attention to such areas where more detailed
studies using other geophysical and geological techniques are required.
10.0 CASE STUDIES
10. 1 Magnetic survey for delineation of Dolerite Dyke Cutting Across Omkareshwar Dam Axis.
Magnetic survey was carried out in the vicinity of Omkareshwar Dam Khandwa District, Madhya
Pradesh to delineate the dolerite dyke and to establish its continuation across Narmada and Kaveri rivers
from the nose of Manedhata Island. The dam is located77 km away from Indore (Latitude 20 14 25 N
longitude 70 915E). The area around proposed dam site consist of hard compact quartzite and fissile
quartzite rocks. The quartzite at some places is interblended with siltstone and shale. The rocks towards the
right bank are cut across by a dolerite dyke and exhibit sheared contacts.
The field investigation was made with hand held proton precession magnetometer manufactured by Scintrex
Ltd., Canada which measures total field with an accuracy of 1 gamma. For recording or monitoring the daily
variation in the earths magnetic field, similar equipment with recorder was used at the base station (Fig.17).
Fig. 18 indicates isoanomaly map contoured at 100 gamma interval for Omkareshwar dam site. This
map depict irregularly shape magnetic contours, however, one prominent anomaly trend along X1 X 2
corresponding to dolerite dyke could be picked up, extending roughly ENE-WSW direction. The nature of
magnetic anomaly contours indicate that the dolerite dykes which extends from upstream, takes a turn in the
vicinity of dam axis between Ch.500 and 530m. Total magnetic anomaly for the dyke is of the order of 5000
gamma. This high anomaly can be due to thick and wide dyke. The results indicate that the length of the

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dyke is more than 200m extending from the nose of Mandhata Island towards West, cutting across the
junction of Narmada, Kaveri rivers and terminating at Panthia village.

Fig. 17 Location map of Omkareshwar dam axis.

Fig. 18 Total Magnetic field anomaly

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10.2 Magnetic survey to delineate lineaments/fractured zones for Groundwater Explorationat Usha
Ispat, Sindhudurg Dist.Maharashtra
The integrated steel plant being set up by M/s Usha Ispat Ltd at Satarda, Sawantwadi Taluka,
Sindhudurg Dist. Maharashtra requires about 1500m/hr of water for its operation. Since the demand of
water is substantial and cannot be met from surface sources alone, exploration of groundwater resources was
attended in the area.
Generally, the occurrence of Ground water in hard rock terrain is associated with the geological
structural features like lineaments, fractures/ fissures, fault zones etc. Using magnetic contrast between these
zones and basement massive can identify these features/ impervious rock is sufficiently high enough to
produce significant anomaly.
Magnetic survey was carried out in the entire area (Fig.19) to demarcate the weathered/ fractured
zone and lineaments that are favorable for groundwater. A total eight profiles were taken in a near NW-SW
direction. The length of these profiles varied from 450 m to 1200 m with a station interval of 25 m.
The measured magnetic values were first corrected for diurnal variation through frequent repetition
of base value. Regional residual separation was carried out using graphical approach. The criteria adopted
for separating this anomaly was to fit a smooth low order curve with the observed one and then subtract this
to produce residual anomaly. The magnetic anomaly values (measured in nT) were plotted against the
distance traversed, as shown in Fig.20.

Fig. 19 Location of Magnetic Profiles

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In each profile, the low order magnetic anomalies were identified and correlated visually with those
on the adjacent profile. Low order magnetic anomalies were observed mostly across the lineament along
which a stream also runs and due to the effect of running water along this stream, the disintegration as well
as decomposition of the laterite rock might have taken place. This might have caused reduction in the
magnetic field and hence produced the low order magnetic anomalies. Thus, the fractured, weathered zones
and lineaments were delineated. These weak zones are shown in Fig.20.

However, another minor

discontinuous lineament was also observed by the magnetic method, parallel to the above lineament in the
southern portion of the area, which is concealed by a thick soil cover.

Fig. 20 Map showing magnetic results

10.3 Magnetic Survey for detecting disused or abandoned mine

The study area in an industrial estate where light engineering factories and warehouses are located.
The soil is predominantly black fill, colliery waste overlying a silty clay with gravel sized rock fragments.
There are therefore, opportunities for magnetic anomalies produced by contrast in soil magnetization as well
as those due to presence of mine shaft.
The total field anomalies contoured at 50 nT are shown in Fig.21 and 22 although there are several
anomalies present in the study area; only one is a major anomaly. This anomaly its composed of 25 nT
positive to the south and 150 nT negative to the north. Such a composite anomaly is typical of the
anomalies found over abandoned shafts. Boring in the vicinity of the anomaly revealed the presence of
disused mine shaft. Upon excavation the top of the shaft was found to contain large amount of coiled were
rope.

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Fig. 21 Location map of study area

Fig. 22 Magnetic anomaly map

10.4 Bedrock topography from Magnetic anomalies

In the hard rock terrains, the thickness of weathered layer is an important parameter that determines
the quantity of groundwater accumulated in the unconfined aquifer above the basement .The basement rock,
in the process of weathering, loses it s magnetic properties and becomes much less magnetic. Therefore, the
magnetic response is mostly due to the unweathered hard basement rock and the depths of magnetic sources
obtained from the analysis gives us the top of the basement. Information about the thickness of the
weathered layer would help in assessing the groundwater potential of the region.

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The ground magnetic map (Fig.23) of a part of Hydrabed city has been analyzed to derive the
basement

top

configuration.

The basement depth obtained from magnetic anomalies is in general

agreement with those obtained from drilling (Fig.24)

Fig. 23 Magnetic anomaly map of part of Hyderabad city

Fig. 24 Depth contour map

10.5 Vertical Magnetic Survey for detecting ore body.
A high magnetic anomaly in old working near Garividi of the Kodur manganese belt Srikakulam
District, Andhra Pradesh was found to be associated with a manganese ore body possibly partly worked out
some decade ago, but now concealed by dumps. The dumps near the ore body also contributed to the
magnetic anomaly, making it broader in shape as shown in the Figure 25.

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In this area manganese ore deposits did not always give rise to magnetic anomalies.

It was

established by laboratory studies that the area show high magnetic properties and give rise to sizeable
magnetic anomalies only when associated with certain manganese minerals like vredenbergite and magnetite.

Fig. 25 Magnetic anomaly map of ore body

11.0 REFERENCES
Bhimasankaram V.L.S., 1977, Exploration Geophysics, AEG Hyderabad.
Dobrin, M.B., 1976, Introduction to Geophysical Prospecting, McGraw Hill.
Ghosh N and Hall S.A., 1992, Cross over analysis of magnetic data over the Colombian Basin, Western
Caribbean Sea, Geological Society of India Memoir No. 24, 93-101.
Hooper W and McDowell P 1977, Magnetic survey for buried mine shaft, Ground Engineering.
Nettleton L.L., 1976 Gravity and Magnetics in oil Prospecting, McGraw Hill.
Rambabu H.V., Kameswara Rao N and Vijay Kumar V 1991, Bedrock topography from magnetic
anomalies.- An aid for groundwater exploration in hard rock terrains. Geophysics, Vol 56, 1051 1054.
Ramteke R.S. and Rangarajan G.K. 1982, Correlated long-term changes in Solar wind and Geomagnetic field
at low latitude, Proceeding of Space Science Symposium, Vol.II 323.
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