Enhancing the detection accuracy of the edges of the geological features within the subsurface remains a significant objective in geophysical data interpretation. Despite numerous advancements, approaches stemming from the directional gradients of gravity and magnetic fields still grapple with challenges such as low-resolution outcomes and susceptibility to noise contamination. In this study, we introduce a novel filtering framework based on the total horizontal gradient and its derivatives, designed to yield more precise and coherent edges free from false boundaries or disruptive artifacts. Validation using synthetic Bishop complex magnetic and gravity datasets, alongside Tuangiao aeromagnetic data from Vietnam, substantiates the robustness and applicability of our modified approach. Furthermore, recognizing the inherent susceptibility of edge detection filters to noise contamination resulting from directional derivatives, we employ the recently developed modified non-local means (MNLM) algorithm to alleviate noise effects prior to the analysis of noisy synthetic and real datasets. Our findings confirm the efficacy of the proposed method in reducing false artifacts and identifying edges with heightened precision, positioning MHGA as a valuable alternative for processing potential field data.

The use of microgravity technique in archaeology: A case study from the St. Nicolas Church in Pukanec, Slovakia: The detection of subsurface cavities, such as crypts, cellars and tunnels, in churches and castles belongs to successful applications of the employment of surface gravity measurement techniques in archaeo-prospecting. The old historic building exploration requires using of non-invasive methods, and hence the microgravity technique is a proper candidate for this task. On a case study from the Roman-Catholic Church of St. Nicolas in the town Pukanec the results of using microgravity for detection and delineation of local density variations caused by a near-surface void are shown. The acquired negative anomaly in the residual Bouguer anomalies field suggested the presence of a possible void feature. Euler deconvolution and 3D modelling were used to estimate the depth and shape of the anomalous source. Additionally, measurements of the vertical gravity gradient on several stations were performed. We tested how the use of a downward continuation of gravity, utilizing the real vertical gravity gradient, influences the shape and amplitude of the final Bouguer anomaly map.

The paper deals with the revision and enrichment of the present gravimetric database of the Slovak Republic. The output of this process is a new version of the complete Bouguer anomaly ( CBA ) field on our territory. Thanks to the taking into account of more accurate terrain corrections, this field has significantly higher quality and higher resolution capabilities. The excellent features of this map will allow us to re-evaluate and improve the qualitative interpretation of the gravity field when researching the structural and tectonic geology of the Western Carpathian lithosphere. In the contribution we also analyse the field of the new CBA based on the properties of various transformed fields – in particular the horizontal gradient, which by its local maximums defines important density boundaries in the lateral direction. All original and new transformed maps make a significant contribution to improving the geological interpretation of the CBA field. Except for the horizontal gradient field, we are also interested in a new special transformation of TDXAS , which excellently separates various detected anomalies of gravity field and improves their lateral delimitation.