Euler homogeneity equation along ridges for a rapid estimation of potential field source properties

The Euler deconvolution is the most popular technique used to interpret potential field data in terms of simple sources characterized by the value of the degree of homogeneity. A more recent technique, the continuous wavelet transform, allows the same kind of interpretation. The Euler deconvolution is usually applied to data at a constant level while the continuous wavelet transform is usually applied to the points belonging to lines (ridges) connecting the m ‐order partial derivative modulus maxima of the upward‐continued field at different altitudes in the harmonic region. In this paper a new method is proposed that unifies the two techniques. The method consists of the application of Euler's equation to the ridges so that the equation assumes a reduced form. Along each ridge the ratio among the m ‐order partial derivative of the field and its vertical partial derivative, for isolated source model, is a straight line whose slope and intercept allows the estimation of the source depth and degree of homogeneity. The method, strictly valid for single source model, has also been applied to the multisource case, where the presence of the interference among the field generated by each single source causes the path of the ratio to be no longer straight. The method in this case gives approximate solutions that are good estimations of the source depth and its degree of homogeneity only for a restricted range of altitudes, where the ratio is approximately linear and the source behaves as if it were isolated.