GMS:3D Kriging

3D Kriging is almost identical to 2D Kriging. All of the basic kriging options, including simple kriging and ordinary kriging. (See Kriging)

2D vs. 3D

There are several differences in the 2D and the 3D versions of kriging. First of all, if the drift option is turned on, more drift coefficients are available. In the Search Options dialog, an octant searching scheme can be selected. A number is entered which represents the maximum number of scatter points from each of the eight octants surrounding the interpolation point to keep in the subset. Limiting the number of points in each octant can give better results when the scatter points are clustered.

Modeling Anisotropy

The main difference between the 3D and 2D versions of kriging is the way anisotropy is treated. The third dimension adds additional angles and factors that must be manipulated. As is the case with 2D kriging, the first step in modeling anisotropy is to detect anisotropy using experimental variograms. Anisotropy can be modeled in up to three orthogonal directions. A series of orthogonal variograms are generated at different orientations until the three experimental variograms corresponding to the three principal axes of anisotropy are found. The combination which gives the greatest difference in range for the three experimental variograms corresponds to the principal axes. The axis with the largest range is the major principal axis.

When computing directional experimental variograms in 3D, two angles are used to define the direction vector: azimuth and dip. To define the rotation of a vector, we assume the unrotated vector starts in the +y direction. The azimuth angle is the first angle of rotation and it represents a clockwise rotation in the horizontal plane starting from the +y axis. The dip angle is the second angle of rotation and it represents a downward rotation of the vector from the horizontal plane. The azimuth and dip angles defined in the experimental variogram dialog can be used to define a focused experimental variogram in any direction.

Once anisotropy has been detected using the experimental variograms, anisotropy can be modeled with the model variogram using either the directional variogram method or the anisotropy factor method. The simplest method is the directional variogram approach. If the directional variogram approach is used, a separate model variogram is constructed for each of the three orthogonal axes.

If the anisotropy factor method is selected, the azimuth and dip angles corresponding to the major principal axis should be entered into the angle edit fields in the lower left corner of the Variogram Editor. These fields also allow a third angle of rotation, the plunge angle, to be specified. The plunge angle represents a rotation or spinning about the direction vector (which is already rotated by the azimuth and dip). The direction of rotation is defined as clockwise looking down the direction vector toward the origin. In most cases, the plunge angle can be left at zero.

Once the angles are entered, the model variogram should then be constructed which fits the experimental variogram corresponding to the major principal direction. The anis1 and anis2 parameters in the Variogram Editor should then be changed to a value other than unity (the default value). Changing these parameters to a value less than unity causes three curves to be drawn for the model variogram. The second curve corresponds to the original curve with the range parameter multiplied by the anis1 value. The third curve corresponds to the original curve with the range parameter multiplied by the anis2 value. The anis1 parameter should be altered until the second curve fits the experimental variogram corresponding to the second principal axis of anisotropy. If the principal axis is assumed to be the y axis in the unrotated state, this axis is the x axis in the rotated state. The anis2 parameter should then be altered until the third curve matches the third principal axis of anisotropy (the z axis in the unrotated state). Once the correct anisotropy factors are found, the Variogram Editor should be exited and the angles and anisotropy factors should be entered in the Search Ellipsoid dialog to define a search ellipsoid that matches the variogram anisotropy.

For further information on modeling anisotropy in 3D, the user is referred to Deutsch and Journel (1992).

See also

• Kriging