Study of the Ardon deep fault spatial position using high-precision gravity and magnetic measurements

Geophysical Institute - the Affiliate of Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 362002, Vladikavkaz, Russia

¹ Corresponding author: cgi_ras@mail.ru

Abstract

Gravity prospecting (gravimetry) is one of the geophysical methods for studying the upper part of the Earth crust. To study the spatial position of the Ardon deep fault, the studies on the gravitational field gradient change have been carried out. A site along the road of Arkhonskaya - Dur-Dur was chosen as a profile. According to the obtained results, the greatest deviation from the average value is observed on the section from the 18th to the 36th kilometer. At the same time, there are areas with the values close to the average. This may indicate the presence of several “branches” of the fault. A similar profile was traversed using a magnetometer in order to compare the results with the data obtained by the gravimeter. According to the geomagnetic field modulus values, two areas are also singled out. Probably these areas are the extensions of the Ardon deep fault “branches”, found in early studies on the Upper Zgidprofile-Dzhimidon field with the help of the micro-seismic sounding method (MSM). According to the obtained data, it is possible to conclude that the gravimetric measurements, as well as the magnetic ones, allow determining the places of the probable spatial location of the faults. For a more detailed study of the Ardon deep fault, its further study with the help of MSM is proposed.