The state gravity maps of Oregon and Washington show a gravity high centered south of Portland, Oregon and a gravity low in the Tualatin Valley to the west disrupting the regional gravity gradient which is controlled by crustal thickening. Detailed gravity surveys done in the Portland area are consistent with the state gravity maps but show considerably more detail. Quantitative interpretation of this data has provided new information on the subsurface structure in this area; recent work has yielded corroborative evidence for a fault zone bounding the east side of the Portland Hills, and has indicated the presence of faults under the Portland Basin to the east which were previously unknown.

The recent contributions of several investigators has indicated the Portland basin may be a pull-apart structure associated with wrench tectonism. Because of the large density contrast between sedimentary and volcanic units and because of their reasonably uniform and continuous nature, gravity survey methods can be used to identify covered structures with considerable success. The study utilized gravity modeling techniques to investigate the structure and genesis of the Portland basin's eastern margin.