Sains Malaysiana 41(12)(2012):
1629–1634
Gravity
Investigation of the Bukit Bunuh Impact Crater at Lenggong, Perak, Malaysia
(Kajian Graviti Kawah Impak Bukit Bunuh di Lenggong, Perak,
Malaysia)
Abdul
Rahim Samsudin*, Abdul Rahim Harun, Mohd Hariri Arifin & Umar Hamzah
Geology
Program, School of Environment and Natural Resource Sciences
Faculty
of Science & Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia43600 Bangi, Selangor,
Malaysia
Mokhtar Saidin & M Shyeh Sahibul Karamah
Geophysics Program, School of Physics, Universiti Sains
Malaysia11800 USM, Penang,Malaysia
Diserahkan: 9 Mac 2012 / Diterima: 6 Ogos 2012
ABSTRACT
An archeological study, conducted by the Archaeological Global
Research Centre, Universiti Sains Malaysia shows the evidence of shock metamorphisms
(suevite breccia) and crater morphology at Bukit Bunuh in Lenggong area of
north Perak, Malaysia. A regional gravity survey focusing at Bukit Bunuh and
its surrounding area was conducted to justify the occurrence and to determine
the diameter and subsurface geological structure of the Bukit Bunuh impact
crater. The gravity survey, using a Scintrex CG5 gravity meter, comprises 476
gravity stations with a 500 m spacing covering an area of approximately 160 km2.
The elevation of the gravity stations were obtained by using a pair of Wellace
and Tiernan altimeters. The gravity data were corrected for drift, free air,
bouguer, latitude and terrain in order to produce a corrected gravity data of
the study area. The data were processed and analysed using Oasis Montaj
(Geosoft software) to produce bouguer, residual, Total Horizontal Derivative (THD)
residual, regional and Total Horizontal Derivative (THD) regional anomaly
maps for qualitative and quantitative interpretations. The bouguer gravity map
shows relatively low negative anomaly with nearly circular shaped contour
around the Bukit Bunuh area. This anomaly was interpreted as the remnant of
meteorite impact structure with rounded shaped crater in the study area. The
bouguer anomaly map shows that the Bukit Bunuh impact crater has a diameter of
approximately 2.5 km. The impact structure was successfully modeled as a
complex impact crater with maximum depth of about 300 m. The bouguer anomaly
map also showed the possible occurences of at least two more impact craters
located in the northeast and southeast areas of the Bukit Bunuh crater and
these structures need further investigation for confirmation.
Keywords: Archaeology; complex crater; gravity anomaly; meteorite impact
structures
ABSTRAK
Kajian arkeologi yang telah dijalankan oleh Pusat Penyelidikan
Arkeologi Global, Universiti Sains Malaysia menunjukkan bukti kewujudan
metamorfisme kejutan (suevite breksia) dan morfologi kawah di Bukit Bunuh,
Lenggong, Utara Perak, Malaysia. Kajian graviti rantau dengan
penumpuan di Bukit Bunuh dan kawasan sekitarnya telah dilakukan untuk
mengesahkan pembentukan dan menentukan diameter serta struktur geologi
permukaan bawah kawasan hentaman di Bukit Bunuh. Tinjauan graviti menggunakan
meter graviti Scintrex CG-5, mengandungi 476 stesen graviti dengan jarak antara
stesen 500 m meliputi kawasan seluas 160 km2. Ketinggian
stesen graviti telah ditentukan menggunakan sepasang altimeter Wellace &
Tiernan. Data graviti telah dilakukan pembetulan
hanyutan, udara bebas, bougeur, latitude dan terain untuk menghasilkan data
graviti yang sebenar bagi kawasan tersebut. Data kemudiannya diproses
dan dianalisis menggunakan Oasis Montaj (Perisian Geosoft) untuk mendapatkan
peta anomali bouguer, baki, rantau, terbitan mendatar jumlah (THD) baki dan terbitan
mendatar jumlah (THD) rantau untuk pentafsiran kuantitatif dan
kualitatif. Peta graviti bouguer menunjukkan anomali relatif
yang rendah dan negatif dengan kontur membulat di sekitar Bukit Bunuh. Anomali ini ditafsirkan sebagai sisa struktur hentaman meteorit dengan diameter
2.5 km. Struktur hentaman telah berjaya dimodelkan sebagai kawah kompleks
dengan kedalaman maksimum 300 m. Peta anomali bouguer juga menunjukkan
kemungkinan pembentukan paling kurang dua atau lebih kawah hentaman di bahagian
timur laut dan tenggara kawah Bukit Bunuh dan struktur ini memerlukan kajian
lanjut untuk pengesahan.
Kata kunci: Anomali graviti; arkeologi; kawah
kompleks; struktur hentaman meteorit
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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: abrahim@ukm.my