Aeromagnetic Data Interpretation of Wadi Hawashiya Area for Identifying Surface and Subsurface Structures, North Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

The studied area is located within the North Eastern Desert of Egypt. The lithology of this area comprises rocks related to Precambrian, Cambrian, Carboniferous, Albian to Cenomanian, Late Cenomanian to Early Turonian and Quaternary. Aeromagnetic data are fully analyzed and interpreted where the analysis and interpretation are mainly devoted towards outlining significant surface and subsurface tectonic trends and their relationship with T.C. radiometric anomalous zones. According to the qualitative interpretation of the geological and aeromagnetic, and its shaded relief maps, the lineament structural map is constructed through the signatures of the contours and shaded relief of the total aeromagnetic data. Werner de-convolution (dyke model) was applied to the aeromagnetic anomaly map. The depth estimates calculated for these major magnetic anomalies range between 0.5 and 3.9 km. lineament structural map and magnetic depth map values have been utilized to construct the interpretation of the main subsurface structures affecting the studied area, which correlate with the previous studies of aeroradiomtric anomalous zones allover the study area. The obtained results showed the most significant structural trends affecting the distribution of these radiometric anomalies in the present study area. Four main tectonic trends are outlined from the total aeromagnetic and shading relief maps. These trends were defined as N60E, N45W and E-W.