Implementation of gravity and magnetic methods for understanding the structural configuration of the Neogene Lower Chelif Basin (LCB), Northern Algerian Margin

Walid Farhi¹, Ahmed M. Eldosouky², Kevin Mickus³, Wajdi Belkhiria⁴, 5, Luan Thanh Pham⁶ & Boudella Amar^1
1Department of Geophysics, Houari Boumediene University of Sciences and Technology (U.S.T.H.B.), B.P. 32Al Alia 16111, Algiers, Algeria.
²Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt.
³School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA, 65807.
⁴Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El-Manar, El Manar, Tunisie.
⁵Direction de l’Inventaire et de l’Exploration Minérale Office National des Mines, 24 rue de l’énergie 2035 La Charguia 1 Tunis, Tunisie.
⁶University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Corresponding author e-mail: kevinmickus@missouristate.edu

The Neogene Lower Chelif Basin (LCB) on the Algerian coastal margin has attracted both tectonic and petroleum exploration interest due to its structural and geological characteristics. This study combines a gravity and magnetic using wavelength filtering, upward continuation, power spectrum analyzes, Theta angles, and enhanced horizontal gradient amplitude, as well as 2D forward modeling to investigate the nature and structure of the basin. The results revealed the principle Early Miocene and younger NE-SW faults responsible for the formation of the basin, with additional secondary lineament trends in the NE-SW, NW-SE, E-W, and NNE-SSW directions. Joint modeling of the gravity and magnetic data along four SE-trending profiles provided information on the structurall makeupof the basin and the crystalline basement. These fault-influenced sedimentary phases show basin compression and extensional episodes that created thrust structures, graben-horsts, and half-grabens that were mainly formed during the Early Miocene and later time.

Lower Chelif Basin, Algeria, gravity, magnetics, Edge Source Detection, 2D Forward Modeling.