CHEMICAL SURVEYS OF THE ATMOSPHERE FROM AIRCRAFT AND ITS GEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The authors have investigated the potential of chemical surveys of the atmosphere from aircraft for purposes of geological applications and have developed a theory of such surveys. The anomalous methane and radon concentration zones discovered are located in an area of neotectonic blocks, some of which have been found to contain oil deposits. The Sobinskiy oil and gas-condensate field exhibits inheritance of geochemical fields in the vertical sequence pay stratum-overlying rock-ground surface-atmosphere ground layer. This is an important demonstration that 'penetrative' anomalies occur above oil and gas pools. Gas surveys of the atmosphere not only offer the possibility of zoning large regions in terms of the degree of tectonic activity and defining potentially petroliferous zones, but also can be used in various other applications, e.g., geological mapping for the purpose of identifying faults and joint zones. The effectiveness of the surveys will be increased if they are combined with airborne investigations of geophysical (electrical, magnetic, gravimetric and thermal) fields.