We have developed a new method that drastically reduces the number of the source location estimates in Euler deconvolution to only one per anomaly. Our method employs the analytical estimators of the base level and of the horizontal and vertical source positions in Euler deconvolution as a function of the x-and y-coordinates of the observations. By assuming any tentative structural index (defining the geometry of the sources), our method automatically locates plateaus, on the maps of the horizontal coordinate estimates, indicating consistent estimates that are very close to the true corresponding coordinates. These plateaus are located in the neighborhood of the highest values of the anomaly and show a contrasting behavior with those estimates that form inclined planes at the anomaly borders. The plateaus are automatically located on the maps of the horizontal coordinate estimates by fitting a first-degree polynomial to these estimates in a moving-window scheme spanning all estimates. The positions where the angular coefficient estimates are closest to zero identify the plateaus of the horizontal coordinate estimates. The sample means of these horizontal coordinate estimates are the best horizontal location estimates. After mapping each plateau, our method takes as the best structural index the one that yields the minimum correlation between the total-field anomaly and the estimated base level over each plateau. By using the estimated structural index for each plateau, our approach extracts the vertical coordinate estimates over the corresponding plateau. The sample means of these estimates are the best depth location estimates in our method. When applied to synthetic data, our method yielded good results if the bodies produce weak-and mid-interfering anomalies. A test on real data over intrusions in the Goiás Alkaline Province, Brazil, retrieved sphere-like sources suggesting 3D bodies.

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In most applications, the Euler deconvolution aims to define the nature (type) of the geologic source (i.e., the structural index [SI]) and its depth position. However, Euler deconvolution also estimates the horizontal positions of the sources and the base level of the magnetic anomaly. To determine the correct SI, most authors take advantage of the clustering of depth estimates. We have analyzed Euler’s equation to indicate that random variables contaminating the magnetic observations and its gradients affect the base-level estimates if, and only if, the SI is not assumed correctly. Grounded on this theoretical analysis and assuming a set of tentative SIs, we have developed a new criterion for determining the correct SI by means of the minimum standard deviation of base-level estimates. We performed synthetic tests simulating multiple magnetic sources with different SIs. To produce mid and strongly interfering synthetic magnetic anomalies, we added constant and nonlinear backgrounds to the anomalies and approximated the simulated sources laterally. If the magnetic anomalies are weakly interfering, the minima standard deviations either of the depth or base-level estimates can be used to determine the correct SI. However, if the magnetic anomalies are strongly interfering, only the minimum standard deviation of the base-level estimates can determine the SI correctly. These tests also show that Euler deconvolution does not require that the magnetic data be corrected for the regional fields (e.g., International Geomagnetic Reference Field [IGRF]). Tests on real data from part of the Goiás Alkaline Province, Brazil, confirm the potential of the minimum standard deviation of base-level estimates in determining the SIs of the sources by applying Euler deconvolution either to total-field measurements or to total-field anomaly (corrected for IGRF). Our result suggests three plug intrusions giving rise to the Diorama anomaly and dipole-like sources yielding Arenópolis and Montes Claros de Goiás anomalies.