A Generalised Derivative Operator for Potential Field Data

The enhancement of potential field data using filters based on horizontal and vertical derivatives is common. As well as the direct use of the gradients themselves they are used in filters such as sunshading, total horizontal derivative, analytic signal, horizontal and vertical Tilt angles, the Theta map, etc. These techniques are highpass filters of different types and so enhance noise as well as detail in the data. A generalised derivative operator is introduced in this paper, which combines the effects of some of the previously mentioned filters in a user-controllable manner. The filter is demonstrated on aeromagnetic data from South Africa.