Precambrian Basement Surface Estimation using Coupled 3D Modeling of Gravity and Aeromagnetic Data in Southeastern Wisconsin and Fond Du Lac County
Abstract
Increased concerns about groundwater resources in Wisconsin have brought about the need for better understanding of the subsurface geologic structure that lead to developing conceptual hydrogeologic models for numerical simulation of groundwater flow. Models are often based on sparse data from well logs usually located large distances apart and limited in depth. Model assumptions based on limited spatial data typically requires simplification that may add uncertainty to the simulation results and the accuracy of a groundwater model. This research provides another tool for the groundwater modeler to better constrain the conceptual model of a hydrogeologic system. The area near the Waukesha Fault in southeastern Wisconsin provides an excellent research opportunity for our proposed approach because of the strong gravity and aeromagnetic anomalies associated with the fault, the apparent complexity in fault geometry, and uncertainty in Precambrian basement depth and structure. Precambrian basement surface throughout Fond du Lac County is known to be very undulated and this uneven basement topography controls water well yields and zones of stagnant water. Therefore, an accurate estimation of the basement topography in Fond Du Lac County is vital to determining ground water flow and quality of groundwater in this region.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFM.H51A1179S
- Keywords:
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- 1219 GEODESY AND GRAVITY / Gravity anomalies and Earth structure;
- 1517 GEOMAGNETISM AND PALEOMAGNETISM / Magnetic anomalies: modeling and interpretation;
- 1835 HYDROLOGY / Hydrogeophysics;
- 9619 INFORMATION RELATED TO GEOLOGIC TIME / Precambrian