| A useful property of the anomalous magnetic field T associated with a geological body is that it can be generally assumed homogeneous with respect to horizontal x and vertical z displacements. Its horizontal and vertical derivatives are also homogeneous fields. A corollary is that the angle ratio theta of the lateral gradient over the vertical gradient, theta = tan-1 (--∂ T /∂x/∂T /∂ z), is constant along rays emanating outward from a single point approximating the location of the geological source. Hence drawing these ray paths, which connect same theta at different upward continued heights, along a profile can be used to identify the location and depth of the source. Further examination of these ray paths can also determine the structural index of the causative body and, in turn, this allows the susceptibility contrast to be solved for. This is the basis for the Source Location Using Total-field Homogeneity (SLUTH) method.;This thesis describes a computer algorithm which implements the SLUTH algorithm automatically and determines the afore mentioned outputs along magnetic profiles. |
