Grid preparation for magnetic and gravity data using fractal fields

Abstract. Most interpretive methods for potential field (magnetic and gravity) measurements require data in a gridded format. Many are also based on using fast Fourier transforms to improve their computational efficiency. As such, grids need to be full (no undefined values), rectangular and periodic. Since potential field surveys do not usually provide data sets in this form, grids must first be prepared to satisfy these three requirements before any interpretive method can be used. Here, we use a method for grid preparation based on a fractal model for predicting field values where necessary. Using fractal field values ensures that the statistical and spectral character of the measured data is preserved, and that unwanted discontinuities at survey boundaries are minimized. The fractal method compares well with standard extrapolation methods using gridding and maximum entropy filtering. The procedure is demonstrated on a portion of a recently flown aeromagnetic survey over a volcanic terrane in southern British Columbia, Canada.