National Gravity Compilation 2019: First Vertical Derivative Image of Australia

Geoscience Australia's National Gravity Compilation 2019 DGIR 1VD image is a processed gravity grid derived from nearly 1.4 million ground and marine observations. The grid has a cell size of approximately 435 meters and represents the first vertical derivative of de-trended global isostatic residual anomalies. Data originates from the Australian National Gravity Database as of September 2019, supplemented by global marine data, with ground observations collected from the 1940s to the present day.

Use Cases

• Map subsurface geological structures based on gravity anomaly data.
• Model crustal density variations for tectonic studies based on the processed isostatic residual grid.
• Support mineral and resource exploration by interpreting features revealed by the first vertical derivative.

Strengths

• Derived from nearly 1.4 million gravity stations, providing dense spatial coverage.
• Integrates ground data collected from the 1940s onward with contemporary offshore global gravity data.
• Processed and quality-checked by GA geophysicists to be fit-for-purpose.
• Has a fine spatial resolution with a grid cell size of approximately 435 meters.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data, incorporating data from Commonwealth, State, Territory Governments, industry, universities, and global sources.

Collection Method

Ground and marine gravity observations processed via standard methods, including isostatic correction and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT).

Time Range

Ground observations from the 1940s to September 2019.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 02:18:24.940553; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Australia and its continental margins.