Preferential filtering for gravity anomaly separation

We present the preferential filtering method for gravity anomaly separation based on Green equivalent-layer concept and Wiener filter. Compared to the conventional upward continuation and the preferential continuation, the preferential filtering method has the advantage of no requirement of continuation height. The method was tested both on the synthetic gravity data of a model of multiple rectangular prisms and on the real gravity data from a magnetite area in Jilin Province, China. The results show that the preferential filtering method produced better separation of gravity anomaly than both the conventional low-pass filtering and the upward continuation.

► The preferential filtering method for gravity anomaly separation was presented. ► The filtering operator was built based on equivalent layer concept and Wiener filter. ► The principle and procedure of the method were both provided. ► The method does not require the parameter of continuation height. ► Data tests show that the method produced better results than the routine methods.