Calculation of the magnetic gradient tensor from total magnetic anomaly field based on regularized method in frequency domain

To obtain accurate magnetic gradient tensor data, a fast and robust calculation method based on regularized method in frequency domain was proposed. Using the potential field theory, the transform formula in frequency domain was deduced in order to calculate the magnetic gradient tensor from the pre-existing total magnetic anomaly data. By analyzing the filter characteristics of the Vertical vector transform operator (VVTO) and Gradient tensor transform operator (GTTO), we proved that the conventional transform process was unstable which would zoom in the high-frequency part of the data in which measuring noise locate. Due to the existing unstable problem that led to a low signal-to-noise (SNR) for the calculated result, we introduced regularized method in this paper. By selecting the optimum regularization parameters of different transform phases using the C-norm approach, the high frequency noise was restrained and the SNR was improved effectively. Numerical analysis demonstrates that most value and characteristics of the calculated data by the proposed method compare favorably with reference magnetic gradient tensor data. In addition, calculated magnetic gradient tensor components form real aeromagnetic survey provided better resolution of the magnetic sources and original profile.