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Computers & Geosciences 36 (2010) 848852

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Computers & Geosciences

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A FORTRAN program to implement the method of nite elements to compute

regional and residual anomalies from gravity data$
B.N.P. Agarwal, Shalivahan Srivastava n
Department of Applied Geophysics, Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad 826 004, Jharkhand, India

a r t i c l e in f o

a b s t r a c t

Article history:
Received 14 April 2009
Received in revised form
23 November 2009
Accepted 25 November 2009

In view of the several publications on the application of the Finite Element Method (FEM) to compute
regional gravity anomaly involving only 8 nodes on the periphery of a rectangular map, we present an
interactive FORTRAN program, FEAODD.FOR, for wider applicability of the technique. A brief description
of the theory of FEM is presented for the sake of completeness. The efcacy of the program has been
demonstrated by analyzing the gravity anomaly over Salt dome, South Houston, USA using two
differently oriented rectangular blocks and over chromite deposits, Camaguey, Cuba. The analyses over
two sets of data reveal that the outline of the ore body/structure matches well with the maxima of the
residuals. Further, the data analyses over South Houston, USA, have revealed that though the broad
regional trend remains the same for both the blocks, the magnitudes of the residual anomalies differ
approximately by 25% of the magnitude as obtained from previous studies.
& 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords:
Serendipity 8-node
Pascal triangle
Gravity anomaly
Chromite deposit
Salt dome

1. Introduction
The measurement of the Earths gravitational eld at observation points contains the effects of all the lateral variation in
density occurring at different depth levels (Nettleton, 1971). The
aim of a geophysicist is to visualize this total gravitational effect
(anomaly) into different constituent parts (generally called as
regional and residual anomalies) based upon the type of data
analysis required. In the most common visualization, i.e., say for
mineral exploration, the geophysicist is interested in knowing the
contribution from the shallow sources (residual) where as the
broad effect is considered as regional (noise). This situation would
be reversed when a geophysicist is interested in deep features, i.e.,
say mapping of Moho discontinuity, the residual in the former
case now becomes noise instead of signal and vice versa.
Therefore, visualization of the regional and residual anomalies
from the observed data is a highly specialized matter requiring
considerable amount of work experience and knowledge of local
geology. Dobrin (1976) observed that y the removal of regional
effect is one of the two most important problems in gravity
interpretation. The other is obtaining information from the
residual anomaly on the structural conguration and density
distribution of the sources. In general, the observed eld at any
point is the summation of gravitational attractions of all sources

$
n

Code available from server at http://www.iamg.org/CGEditor/index.htm

Corresponding author. Tel.: + 91 326 2235475; fax: + 91 326 2296563.
E-mail address: svismagp@yahoo.co.in (S. Srivastava).

0098-3004/$ - see front matter & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2009.11.002

lying below and in the neighborhood. The interpreter is interested

in isolating the anomaly due to individual sources which is often
ambiguous because an innite number of different congurations
can result in the identical gravity data at the surface due to its
non-uniqueness (Roy, 1962; Skeels, 1967). Several techniques for
separation of regional and residual anomalies were developed in
the past but none may be taken for granted, in general, a most
effective one. These techniques may be classied into two
probable categories: (1) Intuitive graphical (Nettleton, 1954)
which is highly exible and requires considerable expertise
(Nettleton, 1971) and (2) Mathematical techniques (Simpson,
1954; Oldham and Sutherland, 1955; Fuller, 1967; Paul, 1967;
Skeels, 1967; Spector and Grant, 1970; Syberg, 1972; Spector,
1975; Abdelrahman et al., 1985; Zeng, 1989; Mickus et al., 1991;
Fedi and Quarta, 1998; Mallick and Sharma, 1999; Ucan et al.,
2000 and others). From these publications, it is imperative that
without applying certain constraints, known independently, it is
impossible to break a single observed data into its constituent
parts, minimum being at least two components. This is the rst
part of an inherent ambiguity in gravity anomaly interpretation
(Roy, 1962).
By the end of 20th century, Mallick and Sharma (1999)
published a Finite Element Method (FEM) for computation of
the regional gravity anomaly which is approximated by a
weighted sum of discrete gravity values at eight stations
coinciding with the eight nodes of a second-order iso-parametric
element superimposing the map space. The computations are
carried out on a reference space with the shape functions acting as
weighting factors, and subsequently translated into the real map

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849

space. In this approach, the data points lying on the periphery of a

rectangular map area are only used and not a single inside point is
considered. This makes the technique for computation of the
regional anomaly independent of any inuence of the anomalous
zone lying inside the map area. In view of the several recent
publications on applications of FEM (Kannan and Mallick, 2003;
Kaftan et al., 2005; Vasanthi and Mallick, 2005, 2006; Vasanthi
et al., 2006; Hinze et al., 2006), we think it is appropriate to write
a FORTRAN program to implement this algorithm for the benet
of the scientic community.

2. Methodology
For the sake of completeness, we discuss, in brief, the
methodology of regional-residual separation using the nite
element approach, as described by Mallick and Sharma (1999).
Mallick and Sharma (1999) have used Serendipity 8-node
element (Hinton and Owen, 1985)a special case of a Pascals
Triangle in two dimensions (Fig. 1a). In general, the required
interpolation function element should possess highest complete
polynomial for a minimal number of degrees of freedom.
According to Mallick and Sarma (1999), the regional anomaly,
g(x, y) is dened by a relation
X
Ni x,ygi
1
gx,y
i

where Ni(x, y)represent the shape functions and gi represent the

node values. Fig. 1b shows the xy observation plane in a real map
space with eight nodes of a quadrilateral element. The map space
is normalized by its actual dimensions in length and width to
transform into a non dimensional (x, Z) plane (Fig. 1b). The forms
of the shape functions of the Serendipity 8-node element (Fig. 1b)
are given by (Hinton and Owen, 1985)

2.1. For corner nodes

Nie

1
1 xxi 1 ZZi
4

i 1,3,5,7:

2.2. For mid-side nodes

Nie

x2i
2

1 xxi 1Z2

Z2i
2

1 ZZi 1x

i 2,4,6,8:

At the ith node, Ni(x, Z) 1 and zero elsewhere and also

Ni(x, Z)1.
With respect to Fig. 1b, the regional gravity value at a point
(x, Z) in the reference space, expressed by a second-order
polynomial, is given by

Fig. 1. (a) Pascal Triangle: terms used in 8-node rectangular element and (b)
natural co-ordinates for a rectangular element. Length and width of map is 2a and
2b, respectively, and centered at (Xc, Yc). Same map under transformation results
in a dimensionless coordinate system (x, Z).

gx,Z A1 A2 x A3 x A4 Z A5 xZ A6 Z2 A7 x Z A8 xZ2 :

Following co-ordinate transformation, the reference space (x,

Z) is converted into the real-space (x, y) i.e., the plane of

observation by
xx,Z SMi x,Zxi and yx,Z SMi x,Zyi ,

where i1,2,y,8, Mi(x, Z) and xi and yi are shape functions and

nodal coordinates in real space, respectively.
Mallick and Sharma (1999) have chosen iso-parametric
elements, where the shape function of the reference space and
real space are same, i.e., Ni(x, Z)Mi(x, Z). Accuracy in computation increases by using the iso-parametric elements as there
is a near perfect match between the eld variable and the
coordinates.

3. Computational strategy
We have developed an interactive FORTRAN program
(FEAODD.FOR) for analyzing the gravity map data using FEM
(Mallick and Sharma, 1999). The code utilizes the square gridded
data having odd number of rows and columns. The observed map
data le is required in the SURFER ASCII grid format (GOLDEN
SOFTWARE). The program automatically prints the position of
each node for which the regional value is to be assigned. The
computed regional and residual values are stored in two separate
les compatible with the SURFER ASCII GRID FORMAT.

4. Analysis of eld data

To demonstrate the applicability of the program based
on the FEM technique, we have analyzed two eld examples

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adopted
below:

B.N.P. Agarwal, S. Srivastava / Computers & Geosciences 36 (2010) 848852

from

published

literature.

These

are

discussed

4.1. Salt dome, South Houston, USA

Fig. 2 shows the observed gravity map over a salt dome near
South Houston adopted from Nettleton (1954) and Mallick and
Sharma (1999). Two map areas shown by continuous and
discontinuous lines have been considered. The map area with
continuous line is the same as that used by Mallick and Sharma
(1999).
We initially analyzed the gravity map (Fig. 2: rectangle by
continuous line) and obtained the regional and residual anomalies
using the map area of Mallick and Sharma (1999). We selected the
same observed gravity values at the eight nodes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
and 8) as assumed regional values by Mallick and Sharma (1999).
These regional values are (0.6, 0.2, 0.0, 1.6, 3.0, 3.2, 3.4 and

Fig. 2. Observed gravity map over a salt dome near South Houston, USA with
contour interval 0.2 mGal (adopted from Nettleton, 1954). Inclined (solid) square
indicates position of 8 nodes used for computation of regional by assuming values
taken from Mallick and Sharma (1999). Gravity data in rectangle by dashed line is
analyzed by present authors.

2.4 mGal), respectively. The computed regional anomaly is shown

in Fig. 3a with a contour interval of 0.2 mGal. The patterns of the
regional anomaly contours are identical with that of Mallick and
Sarma (1999). The obtained residual anomaly map (Fig. 3b) is at an
interval of 0.1 mGal. The contours are fairly well dened and
circular with a relief of over 0.7 mGal. The location of the
South Houston coincides with the 4500 ft contours of the salt
dome (Nettleton, 1954). The computed residual map exhibits a
good agreement with the result of Mallick and Sharma (1999, Fig. 4)
and shows near circular contour with the relief over 0.6 mGal.

Fig. 4. Regional and residual separation of observed gravity map (Fig. 2: rectangle
with discontinuous line) over a salt dome near South Houston (adopted from
Nettleton, 1954 and Mallick and Sharma, 1999), by FEM technique (a) computed
regional map and (b) computed residual map. Production of oil eld is indicated by
thick line.

Fig. 3. Regional and residual separation of observed gravity map (Fig. 2: rectangle with continuous line) over a salt dome near South Houston (adopted from Nettleton,
1954 and Mallick and Sharma, 1999), by FEM technique (a) computed regional map and (b) computed residual map. Production of oil eld is indicated by thick line.

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Fig. 5. (a) Observed gravity map over a chromite deposit adopted from Hammer et al. 1945 analyzed by present authors, (b) computed regional map and (c) computed
residual map. Outline of body is indicated by thick discontinuous line.

Subsequently, we have analyzed the same anomaly with the

area shown by discontinuous line (Fig. 2) to study the effect of the
choice of the rectangular block. The computed regional anomaly is
shown in Fig. 4a at a contour interval of 0.2 mGal. The regional
trend is eastwest. The residual anomaly (Fig. 4b) contour at an
interval of 0.1 mGal is fairly well developed and circular with a
relief of over 0.8 mGal. The location of South Houston coincides
with the 4500 ft contours of the salt dome.

4.2. Chromite deposit, Camaguey, Cuba

In Camaguey, Cuba the chromite deposits are either primary
ore bodies within the serpentine or chromite oat left on the
surface by weathering of serpentine (Hammer et al., 1945). These
are extremely irregular sackform masses in serpentine rocks
with no denite trends either horizontally or in depth. The sizes of
individual deposits vary from small pods with the dimension of
about half a metre to large dimensions of about 80100 m. The
ore bodies range from almost pure massive chromite to country
rock containing only a small percentage of chromite.
The gravity anomaly (Fig. 5a) over chromite deposit Camaguey,
Cuba adopted from Hammer et al. (1945) is analyzed by
FEAODD.FOR to visualize the quality of separation of anomalies.
In view of the major northsouth trend in the anomaly and
localized deposition of chromite, the regional anomalies at eight
points have been chosen nearly the same as the corresponding
spot values. The computed regional anomaly thus obtained is
shown in Fig. 5b at a contour interval of 0.05 mGal. The residual
anomaly (Fig. 5c) contour at an interval of 0.02 mGal is reasonably

well developed with a relief of over 0.06 mGal and coincides with
the outline of the ore body.
5. Conclusions
A FORTRAN program, FEAODD.FOR, has been developed to
implement the FEM for calculation of the regional gravity anomaly
using 8 nodes on the periphery of a rectangle. The efcacy and
correctness of the code has been evaluated by reanalyzing the
gravity anomaly over Salt dome, South Houston for the area
considered by Mallick and Sharma (1999) and Chromite Deposit
Camaguey, Cuba (Hammer et al., 1945). The computed regional and
residual anomalies of these digitized maps match well, in magnitude
and shape. The probable effect of the choice of regional values along
the periphery of rectangle is demonstrated by redening the
rectangle over Salt dome, South Houston gravity anomaly. The
results indicate that though the broad trends of regional contours
are nearly the same, the magnitude of the residual anomaly is
increased by about 25% to that obtained by Nettleton (1954). We
further observed that the FEM may be a better technique for
analyzing gravity anomaly over distinct isolated sources.
The FORTRAN source code may be downloaded from the web
site http://www.iamg.org/CGEditor/index.htm or can be obtained
from the authors.
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to two anonymous reviewers and
Eric Grunsky Editor-in-Chief for their critical evaluation of the

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B.N.P. Agarwal, S. Srivastava / Computers & Geosciences 36 (2010) 848852

manuscript and valuable suggestions leading to substantial

improvement in the manuscript. Acknowledgement is due to
the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India,
New Delhi for infrastructure (facilities) developed under various
projects.

Appendix. Supplementary materials

Supplementary data associated with this article can be found
in the online version at doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2009.11.002.

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