10 Solved Examples – Gravity Anomalies (Gravity
Method)
Prepared in English – step-by-step solutions (easy → harder)
Constants & Unit Conversions Used
G = 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ m³·kg⁻¹·s⁻²
1 Gal = 1 cm/s² = 0.01 m/s² ⇒ 1 m/s² = 100 Gal = 100,000 mGal
Density: 1 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³
Key Formulas (from your lecture sheet)
• Sphere mass: m = Δρ · V , V = (4/3)πR³
• Distance: r² = x² + z² (x = horizontal offset, z = depth)
• Sphere gravity anomaly (vertical): Δg = G m / r²
• Infinite horizontal cylinder (vertical): g_z = 2π G Δρ R² z / (x² + z²)
• Infinite horizontal slab: Δg = 2π G Δρ t (t = thickness)
• Convert to mGal: mGal = (Δg in m/s²) × 100,000
Problem 1 (Buried sphere)
Given Required
Radius R = 400 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg at the
Depth to center z = 1200 m surface point (in mGal).
Horizontal offset x = 0 m
Density contrast Δρ = 0.8 g/cm³
Solution:
1) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(400)³ = 2.68083e+08 m³
2) Δρ = 0.8 g/cm³ = 800 kg/m³
3) m = Δρ·V = 800 × 2.68083e+08 = 2.14466e+11 kg
4) r² = x² + z² = (0)² + (1200)² = 1.44000e+06 m²
5) Δg = Gm/r² = (6.674×10⁻¹¹)×2.14466e+11 / 1.44000e+06 = 9.939906e-06 m/s²
6) Δg = 0.99399 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = 0.994 mGal
Problem 2 (Buried sphere)
Given Required
Radius R = 250 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg at the
Depth to center z = 800 m surface point (in mGal).
Horizontal offset x = 0 m
Density contrast Δρ = 1.2 g/cm³
Solution:
1) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(250)³ = 6.54498e+07 m³
2) Δρ = 1.2 g/cm³ = 1200 kg/m³
3) m = Δρ·V = 1200 × 6.54498e+07 = 7.85398e+10 kg
4) r² = x² + z² = (0)² + (800)² = 6.40000e+05 m²
5) Δg = Gm/r² = (6.674×10⁻¹¹)×7.85398e+10 / 6.40000e+05 = 8.190230e-06 m/s²
6) Δg = 0.81902 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = 0.819 mGal
Problem 3 (Buried sphere)
Given Required
Radius R = 500 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg at the
Depth to center z = 1000 m surface point (in mGal).
Horizontal offset x = 600 m
Density contrast Δρ = 1.5 g/cm³
Solution:
1) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(500)³ = 5.23599e+08 m³
2) Δρ = 1.5 g/cm³ = 1500 kg/m³
3) m = Δρ·V = 1500 × 5.23599e+08 = 7.85398e+11 kg
4) r² = x² + z² = (600)² + (1000)² = 1.36000e+06 m²
5) Δg = Gm/r² = (6.674×10⁻¹¹)×7.85398e+11 / 1.36000e+06 = 3.854226e-05 m/s²
6) Δg = 3.85423 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = 3.854 mGal
Problem 4 (Buried sphere)
Given Required
Radius R = 300 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg at the
Depth to center z = 700 m surface point (in mGal).
Horizontal offset x = 500 m
Density contrast Δρ = 0.6 g/cm³
Solution:
1) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(300)³ = 1.13097e+08 m³
2) Δρ = 0.6 g/cm³ = 600 kg/m³
3) m = Δρ·V = 600 × 1.13097e+08 = 6.78584e+10 kg
4) r² = x² + z² = (500)² + (700)² = 7.40000e+05 m²
5) Δg = Gm/r² = (6.674×10⁻¹¹)×6.78584e+10 / 7.40000e+05 = 6.120094e-06 m/s²
6) Δg = 0.61201 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = 0.612 mGal
Problem 5 (Buried sphere)
Given Required
Radius R = 600 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg at the
Depth to center z = 1500 m surface point (in mGal).
Horizontal offset x = 0 m
Density contrast Δρ = -0.4 g/cm³
Solution:
1) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(600)³ = 9.04779e+08 m³
2) Δρ = -0.4 g/cm³ = -400 kg/m³
3) m = Δρ·V = -400 × 9.04779e+08 = -3.61911e+11 kg
4) r² = x² + z² = (0)² + (1500)² = 2.25000e+06 m²
5) Δg = Gm/r² = (6.674×10⁻¹¹)×-3.61911e+11 / 2.25000e+06 = -1.073510e-05 m/s²
6) Δg = -1.07351 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = -1.074 mGal
Problem 6 (Sphere – find density contrast)
Given Required
Radius R = 350 m Find the density contrast Δρ (in g/cm³).
Depth to center z = 900 m
Measured maximum anomaly (x=0): Δg = 1.5
mGal
Solution:
1) Convert anomaly: Δg = 1.5 mGal = 1.500000e-05 m/s²
2) V = (4/3)πR³ = (4/3)π(350)³ = 1.79594e+08 m³
3) For x=0, r² = z²
4) Δg = G(Δρ·V)/r² ⇒ Δρ = Δg·r²/(G·V)
5) Δρ = 1.500000e-05×8.10000e+05 / ((6.674×10⁻¹¹)×1.79594e+08) = 1013.671727
kg/m³
6) Δρ = 1.013672 g/cm³
Final Answer: Δρ = 1.014 g/cm³
Problem 7 (Infinite horizontal cylinder)
Given Required
Radius R = 300 m Calculate g_z at the surface (in mGal).
Depth to cylinder axis z = 900 m
Horizontal offset x = 0 m
Density contrast Δρ = 0.5 g/cm³
Solution:
Use: g_z = 2π G Δρ R² z / (x²+z²)
1) Δρ = 0.5 g/cm³ = 500 kg/m³
2) r² = x² + z² = (0)² + (900)² = 8.10000e+05 m²
3) g_z = 2π(6.674×10⁻¹¹)(500)(300²)(900)/8.10000e+05 = 2.096699e-05 m/s²
4) g_z = 2.0967 mGal
Final Answer: g_z = 2.097 mGal
Problem 8 (Infinite horizontal cylinder)
Given Required
Radius R = 200 m Calculate g_z at the surface (in mGal).
Depth to cylinder axis z = 600 m
Horizontal offset x = 400 m
Density contrast Δρ = 1.0 g/cm³
Solution:
Use: g_z = 2π G Δρ R² z / (x²+z²)
1) Δρ = 1.0 g/cm³ = 1000 kg/m³
2) r² = x² + z² = (400)² + (600)² = 5.20000e+05 m²
3) g_z = 2π(6.674×10⁻¹¹)(1000)(200²)(600)/5.20000e+05 = 1.935414e-05 m/s²
4) g_z = 1.93541 mGal
Final Answer: g_z = 1.935 mGal
Problem 9 (Infinite horizontal slab)
Given Required
Thickness t = 200 m Calculate the gravity anomaly Δg (in mGal).
Density contrast Δρ = 0.7 g/cm³
Solution:
Use: Δg = 2π G Δρ t
1) Δρ = 0.7 g/cm³ = 700 kg/m³
2) Δg = 2π(6.674×10⁻¹¹)(700)(200) = 5.870757e-05 m/s²
3) Δg = 5.87076 mGal
Final Answer: Δg = 5.871 mGal
Problem 10 (Sphere anomaly at two surface points)
Given Required
Radius R = 450 m Compute Δg at A and B (in mGal), then state
Depth to center z = 1100 m which is larger and why.
Density contrast Δρ = 0.9 g/cm³
Point A: x = 0 m
Point B: x = 800 m
Solution:
1) m = Δρ·V where V=(4/3)πR³; use same m for both points.
2) At A: r_A² = 1.21000e+06 ⇒ Δg_A = 1.894827e-05 m/s² = 1.89483 mGal
3) At B: r_B² = 1.85000e+06 ⇒ Δg_B = 1.239319e-05 m/s² = 1.23932 mGal
4) The anomaly is larger at the point with smaller r² (closer to the body).
Final Answers: Δg_A = 1.895 mGal, Δg_B = 1.239 mGal
Notes
• Sign convention: If Δρ is negative (body less dense than surroundings), the anomaly is
negative.
• Always keep units consistent: meters, kg/m³, and m/s² (then convert to mGal).
• These examples follow the same approach shown in your lecture note (sphere example).