1887

Abstract

Summary

Gravity data are an important tool for plate tectonic modelling as they image oceanic fracture zones which delineate the movement of plates as well as plate boundaries and geological structures on conjugate plate margins. Reconstructing gravity images in a plate tectonic context enables plate models and processes to be assessed. The continuity of reconstructed images is often hampered by the effects of long wavelength components of the Earth’s gravity field. Investigation of the power spectrum of the EGM2008 global gravity model suggests the dominance of sources from a small number of typical depth ranges within the Earth’s mantle and at the core-mantle boundary. We subtract the deeper components defined by spherical harmonic degrees up to 27. The residual gravity field images features in the crust and uppermost mantle including most of the features related to plate tectonic modelling. Reconstructions of the residual gravity grid provide improved continuity across plate boundaries and enhanced insights into plate tectonic processes.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.20141068
2014-06-16
2024-04-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bowin, C.
    [1991] The Earth’s gravity field and plate tectonics. Tectonophysics187(1–3), 69–89.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Fairhead, J. D., Green, C. M., Masterton, S. M. and Guiraud, R.
    [2013] The role that plate tectonics, inferred stress changes and stratigraphic unconformities have on the evolution of the West and Central African Rift System and the Atlantic continental margins. Tectonophysics594(0), 118–127.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Maus, S.
    [2008] The geomagnetic power spectrum. Geophysical Journal International174(1), 135–142.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Mazur, S., Green, C., Stewart, M. G., Whittaker, J. M., Williams, S. and Bouatmani, R.
    [2012] Displacement along the Red River Fault constrained by extension estimates and plate reconstructions. Tectonics31(5), TC5008.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Pavlis, N. K., Holmes, S. A., Kenyon, S. C. and Factor, J. K.
    [2012] The development and evaluation of the Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008). J. Geophys. Res.117(B4), B04406.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Prescott, C., Jackson, T., Fairhead, D., Green, C., Bermingham, P. and Davis, R.
    [1996] Potential field grids in a plate tectonic context - Animation and re-evaluation of continental margin evolution. EAGE Expanded Abstracts.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Spector, A. and Grant, F. S.
    [1970] Statistical models for interpreting aeromagnetic data. Geophysics35(2), 293–302.
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.20141068
Loading
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.20141068
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error