This authoritative guide introduces the principles of airborne magnetometers, and explains how survey data is processed to generate maps and images. Geoscience students and geologists now have a useful guide for learning the theory and practice of aeromagnetic surveying. The importance of the aeromagnetic survey as a reconnaissance tool is growing as exploration success becomes increasingly reliant on finding buried deposits with no surface expression. A grasp of how the method works and the results it generates is essential for any geoscientist involved in uncovering the next generation of oil, gas and mineral deposits.

The e-book on Aeromagnetic Surveys: Principles, Practice and Interpretation is authored by Colin Reeves of Earthworks and published by Geosoft, providing a useful guide for non-specialists looking to gain a better understanding of aeromagnetic surveying. It unravels the theory and practice of aeromagnetic surveying from basic physical concepts to interpretation of results. This comprehensive document explains the principles and practices without going into the daunting details of mathematically deriving the theory.

Author Colin Reeves pulls together 25 years of research and knowledge to provide an authoritative guide that describes the way the earth’s magnetic field interacts with crustal rocks to produce anomalies, introduces the principles of airborne magnetometers, and explains how survey data is processed to generate maps and images.

Using illustrative figures, the book explains the qualitative and quantitative interpretation of anomalies and anomaly patterns in the context of pre-existing geological knowledge. The electronic format will allow for updates that keep pace with rapidly evolving aeromagnetic technology.

The text will prove useful to students in the final years of their education who are planning a career in the resource sector and to working geoscientists that lack a grounding in potential field geophysics. It is available as a free download from Geosoft at www.geosoft.com/knowledge . 

Colin Reeves is an independent consultant. He holds degrees from Cambridge, Birmingham and Leeds Universities in the UK and has over 35 years’ experience in the instigation, execution and interpretation of regional geophysical surveys in Africa, India, Australia and the Americas, spread across the government, commercial and educational sectors. He may be reached at: [email protected] .

Geosoft is a world leader in software and solutions for earth exploration. Making the experience of finding, using and sharing data more natural and powerful for earth explorers, Geosoft solutions accelerate knowledge development and unlock opportunity within exploration industries and the earth sciences sector. Originally founded by geoscientists in 1986, Geosoft ranks among the top 150 software companies in Canada today, with more than 5,000 customers in over 100 countries worldwide.