Paraná basin: One isostatic modeling using a Geographic Information System to delineate the main basement structures

Abstract

This paper presents a contribution to the localization of the main basement structures of the Parana Basin using a Geographic Information System (GIS). This Ordovician-Cretaceous sedimentary basin is intracratonic and located in the S-SE portion of Brazilian territory in South America. The main result of this study, based upon an isostatic modeling approach, was to compute the gravimetric anomaly caused by sediments and igneous rocks that fill the basin, and the “root” created by the isostatic adjustment. Approximately 8,000 gravity stations took part in this study, and through modeling results allowed to identify variations in the basement gravimetric signature, revealing different compositions. Over the years, a great number of gravimetric surveys have been done in the study area and countless data sets were produced. In attempt to summarize and synthesize some of these data sets, a GIS approach was used to create a data bank with topographic, gravimetric and stratigraphic information.