Feature removal and isolation in potential field data

SUMMARY With the aim of designing signal processing tools that act locally in space upon specific features of a signal, we compare two algorithms to remove or isolate individual anomalies in potential field profiles. The first method, based on multiscale edge analysis, leaves other features in the signal relatively untouched. A second method, based on iterative lateral continuation and subtraction of anomalies, accounts for the influence of adjacent anomalies on one another. This allows a potential field profile to be transformed into a number of single anomaly signals. Each single anomaly can then be individually processed, which considerably simplifies applications such as inversion and signal processing.