Abstract
Thematic maps can be analyzed by multiple regression for (1) forward prediction where a younger geological structural map is written as a least-squares function of older maps for information on historical perspectives or (2) by backward prediction where an older map is regressed stepwise on a series of younger ones to aid in prospecting. The technique was evaluated by a series of structure maps on different geological horizons from the U.S. Midcontinent (Kansas) where the forward prediction proved more effective than backward. In forward prediction, the first map entered into a multiple regression is invariably the immediately underlying one as expected. On the other hand, the first map in a backward prediction is not necessarily related to stratigraphy which limits the utility of the technique for prospecting.
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Brower, J.C., Merriam, D.F. Thematic Map Analysis Using Multiple Regression. Mathematical Geology 33, 353–368 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007690307603
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007690307603