High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee

This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, an area centered about 100 km north of Memphis, Tennessee. The survey covers parts of the southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone, the northwestern margin of the Reelfoot rift, the Blytheville arch, and the Commerce geophysical lineament (reference: Langenheim, V.E., and Hildenbrand, T.G., 1997, Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 109, p. 580). The survey is underlain by Paleocene and younger sediments, consisting of silt, clay, sand, and gravel. Plutons and other intrusive rocks lie at depth. These data were acquired between July 12 and July 28, 2013, by EDCON-PRJ, Inc., working under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey. The nominal flying height was based on a best fit, pre-planned, three-dimensional draped surface targeted at 200 m above terrain, subject to aircraft climb and descent limitations. The average terrain clearance was 203 m. Variable terrain clearance should be considered when modeling and interpreting these data. Flight lines were spaced 400 m apart and directed with a heading of 148 degrees east of north; tie lines were spaced 4000 m apart and directed 58 degrees east of north. A total of 12,868 line-kilometers were acquired over an area of approximately 4,646 square kilometers. The details of the New Madrid aeromagnetic survey are described in the document NewMadrid_Tech_Report.pdf available for download in this data release.