Gravity Field Variations Associated with the Buried Geological Structures: San Marcos Fault (NE Mexico) Case Study

Vsevolod Yutsis, Yaneth Quintanilla-López, Konstantin Krivosheya, Juan Carlos Montalvo-Arrieta, Gabriel Chávez-Cabello

aculty of Earth Sciences, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon (UANL), Linares, Mexico.
Faculty of Earth Sciences, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon (UANL), Linares, Mexico.

DOI: 10.4236/jmp.2012.329160                

Abstract

Gravity data are sensitive to local vertical offsets across high-angle faults, where rocks with different densities are juxtaposed. Yet high densities in some Mesozoic sedimentary rocks just above the basement may smear out the subtle gravity signatures of basement faults. At this study the gravity data processing tends to avoid ill-described “black-box” techniques. The study area is situated in the Palomas site, Cuatrociénegas region, Coahuila, NE Mexico. The San Marcos Fault is at least 300 km long and has WNW-ESE trend from the central part of Nuevo León State through Coahuila, and finally to the eastern part of Chihuahua State. Gravimetric data shows that the lowest values of free air and Bouguer anomalies are in the southern part of the area, and the highest values are in the western and central part of the area. Between these parts exists a zone of high horizontal gravity gradient. Configuration of linear elements of gravity field (gradient zones) delimited the San Marcos Fault in the San Marcos valley below thickness of recent sedimentary cover. Two density models were carried out, which showed that the Cretaceous rocks are in discordant contact with the Paleo- zoic rocks that can be related to the San Marcos Fault. The density was determinate using to Nettleton’s method, which results highlight the presence of the San Marcos Fault. Density models showed that the Quaternary sediments are in direct contact with the San Marcos Fault.

Keywords

Earth Gravity; Newton Potential; Geophysical Prospecting; Density Models; Free Air Anomaly; Gravity Field Variations

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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