Window constrained inversion of gravity gradient tensor data using dike and contact models

A new constrained inversion technique for interpreting gravity gradient tensor data reveals that the central dome area of the Vredefort impact structure is dominated by vertical structures, likely linked to transient crater formation and crustal uplift. The method, tested with synthetic examples, effectively differentiates between dike and contact models, selecting the one with the smallest data-fit error. By analyzing the strike direction and transforming measured components into a strike coordinate system, researchers can estimate source parameters such as horizontal position, depth, thickness, dip angle, and density contrast. Applied to Vredefort Dome in South Africa, this approach supports geological interpretations of vertical structures formed during impact events.

Beiki, M., & Pedersen, L. B. (2011). Window constrained inversion of gravity gradient tensor data using dike and contact models. Geophysics, 76(6), I59–I72. https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2010-0368.1