Geophysical mapping of the Dominican Republic: density, magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization data
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21701/bolgeomin.118.2.002Keywords:
density, Dominican Republic, geophysical mapping, magnetic susceptibility, remanent magnetisationAbstract
This paper analyses the variation of petrophysical properties measured in laboratory from surface rocks of the Dominican Republic. The aim is to improve the geological interpretation of available ground gravity and airborne magnetic surveys carried out over the Dominican Republic during last years. In this work, 586 density and magnetic susceptibility samples, and 104 remanent magnetization samples have been measured. Main petrophysical groups have been characterized: high density rocks (basalts, amphibolites, gabbroic, ultrabasic suites and eclogites), low density rocks (metasedimentary rocks, acid volcanics and granitoids), the magnetic markers of the area (andesites, basalts, tonalites, serpentinites, and some gabbros, ultrabasic rocks and acid volcanites), and finally, the paramagnetic set (metasedimentary and granitic rocks). Induction dominates over remanence, which is only important in some acid volcanites and the gabbroic rocks. Multidomain magnetite is the main ferromagnetic mineral. This fact makes easier the interpretation of total field magnetic survey results. Measured petrophysical properties simplify interpretation of Dominican Republic magnetic and gravity maps, whose main features are: 1) Clear NW-SE strike anomaly structures delineated by the geological terranes that constitute La Española island. Those terranes are limited by main magnetic accidents that coincide with major strike slip fault zones, 2) Excellent geophysical mapping examples of igneous and volcanosedimentary units, and 3) Gravity and magnetic field characterised by very remarkable anomalies due to a magmatism widely spread all over La Española island. Focusing on magnetic susceptibility, this magmatism is a bimodal one, with magnetic and paramagnetic areas in any of the plutonic bodies and volcanic axis in the island. The petrophysical measurements presented here illustrate some natural patterns exhibited by the analysed rocks. The petrophysical results are built in a database which constitutes a basic reference for petrological and geological interpretation of geophysical surveys. These results will contribute significantly to improve new geological mapping, structural interpretation and resource searching scheduled projects with the aid of the high-resolution airborne and ground surveys available in the Dominican Republic.
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