Physical Properties by Geologic Unit in the Southern San Luis Basin, New Mexico

Physical properties of geologic units are important for geophysical interpretation because they provide the tie between lithology and geophysical fields. For gravity data, the applicable physical property is bulk density, which is the overall mass per unit volume of rocks, sediments, and their pore spaces. Bulk dry density is the mass per unit volume measured when the sample is dry. Saturated density is the mass per unit volume measured when the sample is saturated with fresh water, which has a density of 1,000 kg/m^3. The two values are commonly compared in order to determine the porosity of a sample, that is, the percentage of the volume that is composed of open space. Density is commonly reported in kilograms per cubic meter in [...]