Characteristics of gravity anomalies and tectonic analysis of Enderby Land in East Antarctica and its adjacent areas

Enderby Land in East Antarctica and its adjacent areas, which are closely related to the Indian Plate in their geological evolution, have become one of the key zones for studies on how the Antarctic continent evolves. Based on the isostasy and flexure theories of the lithosphere and using the CRUST1.0 model as the depth constraint, this paper uses the gravity field model EIGEN-6C4 and topographic data to calculate the isostatic gravity anomalies of Enderby Land and its adjacent areas. Then, the ...     

太平洋卫星测高重力场与地球动力学特征

通过多卫星测高数据的综合处理，获得西太平洋卫星测高重力场，进行不同尺度、深度构造动力信息的分离，探讨诸边缘海盆的地球动力学问题。测高大地水准面反映了研究区板块相互作用的特点，其高频成分可以刻画各海盆的构造特征。测高空间重力异常也可刻画陆架构造及盆地分布，由其推算出的海底地形含有大量的海底构造信息。各边缘海盆的莫霍面埋深具有往南变浅的趋势，与菲律宾海各海盆的莫霍面埋深大致相当，说明岛弧两侧的构造动力强度基本相似。大尺度地幔流应力场总体上反映了欧亚板块向东南蠕散和太平洋板块向北西扩张的特点；日本海北侧和南海巽他陆架的中尺度上地幔对流与地幔柱之间有着密切关系，西菲律宾海的上地幔对流强化了日本-琉球-台湾-菲律宾岛弧的活动强度；小尺度地幔流主要限于软流圈层内部，在各海盆分散，而在冲绳海槽和马里亚纳海槽则会聚，可与均衡重力异常类比。还讨论了大、中、小地幔流体系的特点及相互之间的关系，籍以阐明海盆及海槽演化的地球动力学过程。     

Studies of the deep structure in transition zones from oceans to continents

Studies of the deep structure of the earth’s crust, lithosphere, and asthenosphere (tectonosphere) of transition zones from continents to oceans is one of the urgent issues of present-day geology and geophysics. The most important information on the deep structure of such zones is provided by seismic and seismological methods. Meanwhile, a comparison between gravity data and results of seismic studies showed that the gravity anomalies observed in the marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean cannot be explained solely by changes in the thickness and composition of the earth’s crust. In order to estimate the internal structure of the Pacific type of transition zones, the authors performed an analysis of the anomalous gravity field and the field of geoid heights in the Indonesian region, which also included calculations of the values of the gravity field and geoid heights in different reductions (Bouguer, Glenny, and isostatic), their transformations, and compilation of density models of the tectonosphere of the transition zone of this region compatible with the geological and geophysical data available. As a result of these studies, we performed zonation of the Indonesian region with respect to the gravity field and defined particular features of the areas distinguished. Based on the analysis performed, we inferred the existence of differences in the structure of individual zones both in the upper layers of the tectonosphere and in deeper layers. Detailed characteristics of the anomalous gravity fields typical of the objects distinguished are presented.     

6′x 10′ Free air gravity anomalies of Europe including marine areas

A set of 103 997 free air gravity anomalies in 6′x 10′ blocks has been compiled covering Europe including the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Baltic Sea and parts of the North Atlantic Ocean. Concerning sea areas, this data set is based on a collection of point free air gravity anomalies. Anomalies for land areas have been compiled resp. computed from free air gravity anomaly maps or Bouguer anomaly maps and partly from supplied mean values of convenient small block size. Remaining gaps have been interpolated by means of least squares prediction filtering. The precision of the compiled mean free air gravity anomalies is estimated to ±7 mgal, verified by a comparison of independent gravity anomaly sets.     

印度洋无震海岭及海底高原的初步研究

根据１９８６年１０月－１９８７年５月第三次南极考察和首次环球科学考察所获的印度洋实测重力资料，对印度洋一些典型构造进行了分析研究。初步主人为：无震海岭，海底高原和大洋中脊都有着复杂的壳－幔结构，其上都伴有一个布格异常的低值带，但引种布格局异常低值原因却不尽相同。虽然上述３者都是大洋中的隆起地带，但前两者的地壳增厚，莫氏丰下拱，软流圈变深，影响布格异常的主要因素是其下存在着一个较大的负山根。相反，在     

Crustal analysis of the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea (Japan Sea) from enhanced gravity mapping

To facilitate geological analyses of the Ulleung Basin in the East Sea (Japan Sea) between Korea and Japan, shipborne and satellite altimetry-derived gravity data are combined to derive a regionally coherent anomaly field. The 2-min gridded satellite altimetry-based gravity predicted by Sandwell and Smith [Sandwell DT, Smith WHF (1997) J Geophys Res 102(B5):10,039–10,054] are used for making cross-over adjustments that reduce the errors between track segments and at the cross-over points of shipborne gravity profiles. Relative to the regionally more homogeneous satellite gravity anomalies, the longer wavelength components of the shipborne anomalies are significantly improved with minimal distortion of their shorter wavelength components. The resulting free-air gravity anomaly map yields a more coherent integration of short and long wavelength anomalies compared to that obtained from either the shipborne or satellite data sets separately. The derived free-air anomalies range over about 140 mGals or more in amplitude and regionally correspond with bathymetric undulations in the Ulleung Basin. The gravity lows and highs along the basin’s margin indicate the transition from continental to oceanic crust. However, in the northeastern and central Ulleung Basin, the negative regional correlation between the central gravity high and bathymetric low suggests the presence of shallow denser mantle beneath thinned oceanic crust. A series of gravity highs mark seamounts or volcanic terranes from the Korean Plateau to Oki Island. Gravity modeling suggests underplating by mafic igneous rocks of the northwestern margin of the Ulleung Basin and the transition between continental and oceanic crust. The crust of the central Ulleung Basin is about a 14–15 km thick with a 4–5 km thick sediment cover. It may also include a relatively weakly developed buried fossil spreading ridge with approximately 2 km of relief.     

Isostatic response of the large-offset Atlantic Equatorial fracture zones

Spectral analysis techniques have been applied to data sets of gravity and topography selected across fracture zones with large offset in the Equatorial and Central Atlantic Ocean and processed independently for each fracture zone. Three simple compensation models, two in local isostatic equilibrium (Airy I and II) and one in regional equilibrium (Plate model) have been tested. It is found that the free-air anomalies are primarily controlled by the topography and its isostatic response. For short wavelengths, admittance can be explained either by the effect of uncompensated sea floor topography with high density basement or by the effect of uncompensated sea floor topography with normal oceanic basement density but accompanied by a crust of constant thickness. For intermediate wavelengths, admittance for the Romanche fracture zone agrees best with a local isostatic model in which compensation is achieved by a less dense material in the upper mantle. No such evidence exists for the Vema and Chain fracture zones for which topography could just as well be regionally supported by an elastic plate 3 to 10 km thick. For longer wavelengths, the admittances computed for the three fracture zones are compatible with a thermal compensation of the topography.     

Free-air anomalies in the western Pacific from the viewpoint of wave number spectrum

Free-air anomalies in the western Pacific consist of the two groups of wavelengths 200–500 km and longer than 1,000 km. This is the reason why the patterns of short wavelength geoidal undulation and those of free-air anomalies in the western Pacific look alike with earch other. The gravity anomalies of shorter wavelengths can be explained by tectonics related with thickness of the lithosphere. Positive free-air anomalies of longer wavelengths may be explained by relics of the subsided lithosphere.     

Gravity field analysis of Sio Guyot: An isostatically compensated seamount in the Mid-Pacific Mountains

Positive gravity anomalies indicate two dense conduits or eruptive centers beneath the northern summit of Sio Guyot, western Mid-Pacific Mountains. The low amplitude of the positive anomalies and the gravity lows flanking the guyot can be explained by crust 2.5 times the normal Pacific Ocean crustal thickness extending to a depth of 22 ± 2 km. The excess mass of the seamount is 100% locally isostatically compensated by the mass deficit below; this compensation may result from flexural loading and voluminous sill injection near a former ridge-crest transform fault system trending roughly ENE and NNW.     

Gravity anomalies and deep structure of the Ninetyeast Ridge north of the equator,eastern Indian Ocean — a hot spot trace model

The Ninetyeast Ridge north of the equator in the eastern Indian Ocean is actively deforming as evidenced by seismicity and its eastward subduction below the Andaman Trench. Basement of the ridge is elevated nearly 2 km with respect to the Bengal Fan; seismic surveys demonstrate continuity of the ridge beneath sediment for 700 km north of 10° N where the ridge plunges below the Fan sediment. The ridge is characterised by a free-air gravity high of 50 mgal amplitude and 350 km wavelength, and along-strike continuity of 1500 km in a north-south direction, closely fringing (locally, even abutting) the Andaman arc-trench bipolar gravity field. Regression analysis between gravity and bathymetry indicates that the ridge gravity field cannot be explained solely by its elevation. The ridge gravity field becomes gradually subdued northwards where overlying Bengal Fan sediments have a smaller density contrast with the ridge material. Our gravity interpretation, partly constrained by seismic data, infers that the ridge overlies significant crustal mass anomalies consistent with the hot spot model for the ridge. The anomalous mass is less dense by about 0.27 g cm^–3 than the surrounding oceanic upper mantle, and acts as a cushion for isostatic compensation of the ridge at the base of the crust. This cushion is up to 8 km thick and 400–600 km wide. Additional complexities are created by partial subduction of the ridge below the Andaman Trench that locally modifies the arc-trench gravity field.     

Latest Caledonian to Present tectonomorphological development of southern Norway

The regional resultant stress field of the northeastern North Atlantic has shifted significantly throughout the Phanerozoic. In Fennoscandian parts of the Caledonian orogen, mountain building, which was characterized by NW-SE contraction (reference to present North), was followed by a collapse with transport both parallel and transverse to the mountain chain. The Late Palaeozoic – Mesozoic saw several stages of E-W to NW-SE extension, varying in time and position. Local episodes of inversion are traceable in some cases, particularly in connection with deep-seated and long-lived zones of weakness. The Cenozoic has to a larger degree been affected by compression, including folding and basin inversion. Again some of the more pronounced effects of local inversion are related to pre-existing fault systems. Neogene uplift of the western mountainous area in Scandinavia can be unravelled by potential field study, AFT data and reflection seismic sections. Assuming that the region is close to isostatic equilibrium, the uplifted areas must be supported at depth by substantial volumes of low-density material within the crust or the mantle, close to the crust/mantle interface or close to the lithosphere/asthenosphere interfaces.     

Equatorial Pacific gravity lineaments: interpretations with basement topography along seismic reflection lines

The central equatorial Pacific is interesting for studying clues to upper mantle processes, as the region lacks complicating effects of continental remnants or major volcanic plateaus. In particular, the most recently produced maps of the free-air gravity field from satellite altimetry show in greater detail the previously reported lineaments west of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) that are aligned with plate motion over the mantle and originally suggested to have formed from mantle convection rolls. In contrast, the gravity field 600 km or farther west of the EPR reveals lineaments with varied orientations. Some are also parallel with plate motion over the mantle but others are sub-parallel with fracture zones or have other orientations. This region is covered by pelagic sediments reaching ~?500–600 m thickness so bathymetry is not so useful for seeking evidence for plate deformation across the lineaments. We instead use depth to basement from three seismic reflection cruises. In some segments of these seismic data crossing the lineaments, we find that the co-variation between gravity and basement depth is roughly compatible with typical densities of basement rocks (basalt, gabbro or mantle), as expected for some explanations for the lineaments (e.g., mantle convection rolls, viscous asthenospheric inter-fingering or extensional deformation). However, some other lineaments are associated with major changes in basement depth with only subtle changes in the gravity field, suggesting topography that is locally supported by varied crustal thickness. Overall, the multiple gravity lineament orientations suggest that they have multiple origins. In particular, we propose that a further asthenospheric inter-fingering instability mechanism could occur from pressure variations in the asthenosphere arising from regional topography and such a mechanism may explain some obliquely oriented gravity lineaments that have no other obvious origin.     

Gravity anomalies over inactive fracture zones in the central North Atlantic

The basement topography and the free-air gravity along two profiles in the central North Atlantic between 16° and 25° N, crossing a number of fracture zones, were divided in three wavelength intervals. Two-dimensional modelling shows that the short wavelength (>50 km) gravity is well explained by uncompensated topography (mainly spreading topography). For the long wavelengths (>200 km) there is no correlation of topography and gravity. In principle this topography is compensated. Residual anomalies comprise the Ridge effect as well as regional anomalies related to depth anomalies. The 50 to 200km band-pass filtered topography and gravity contain relevant information on fracture zones. Models require a base of the crust that parallels the topography rather than a form of regional compensation. For an explanation of this crustal model that has the appearance of frozen in normal faults we have to consider the typical morphology as created in the transform domain. The geophysical processes that cause this morphology are still an object of study.     

Three-dimensional SeaMARC II,gravity, and magnetics study of large-offset rift propagation at the Pito Rift,Easter microplate

We present results from a SeaMARC II bathymetry, gravity, and magnetics survey of the northern end of the large-offset propagating East Rift of the Easter microplate. The East Rift is offset by more than 300 km from the East Pacific Rise and its northern end has rifted into approximately 3 Ma lithosphere of the Nazca Plate forming a broad (70–100 km) zone of high (up to 4 km) relief referred to as the Pito Rift. This region appears to have undergone distributed and asymmetric extension that has been primarily accommodated tectonically, by block faulting and tilting, and to a lesser degree by seafloor spreading on a more recently developed magmatic accretionary axis. The larger fault blocks have dimensions of 10–15 km and have up to several km of throw between adjacent blocks suggesting that isostatic adjustments occur on the scale of the individual blocks. Three-dimensional terrain corrected Bouguer anomalies, a three-dimensional magnetic inversion, and SeaMARC II backscatter data locate the recently developed magmatic axis in an asymmetric position in the western part of the rift. The zone of magmatic accretion is characterized by an axis of negative Bouguer gravity anomalies, a band of positive magnetizations, and a high amplitude magnetization zone locating its tip approximately 10 km south of the Pito Deep, the deepest point in the rift area. Positive Bouguer gravity anomalies and negative magnetizations characterize the faulted area to the east of the spreading axis supporting the interpretation that this area consists primarily of pre-existing Nazca plate that has been block faulted and stretched, and that no substantial new accretion has occurred there. The wide zone of deformation in the Pito Rift area and the changing trend of the fault blocks from nearly N-S in the east to NW-SE in the west may be a result of the rapidly changing kinematics of the Easter microplate and/or may result from ridge-transform like shear stresses developed at the termination of the East Rift against the Nazca plate. The broad zone of deformation developed at the Pito Rift and its apparent continuation some distance south along the East Rift has important implications for microplate mechanics and kinematic reconstructions since it suggests that initial microplate boundaries may consist in part of broad zones of deformation characterized by the formation of lithospheric scale fault blocks, and that what appear to be pseudofaults may actually be the outer boundaries of tectonized zones enclosing significant amounts of stretched pre-existing lithosphere.     

冲绳海槽海底地形的补偿模式初步研究

从区域补偿模式和实验均衡理论出发,利用重力和地形资料计算了冲绳海槽的均衡响应函数,结果表明：冲绳海槽南段弹性板有效厚度和补偿深度明显大于中段,结合其它地质地球物理资料解释认为,产生这种差异的原因主要是南,中两段岩石圈温度和补偿机制的不同所致。     

Morphology and crustal structure of a small transform fault along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: The Atlantis Fracture Zone

The Atlantis Fracture Zone (30° N) is one of the smallest transform faults along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with a spatial offset of 70 km and an age offset of ~ 6 Ma. The morphology of the Atlantis Fracture Zone is typical of that of slow-slipping transforms. The transform valley is 15–20 km wide and 2–4 km deep. The locus of strike-slip deformation is confined to a narrow band a few kilometers wide. Terrain created at the outside corners of the transform is characterized by ridges which curve toward the ridge-transform intersections and depressions which resemble nodal basins. Hooked ridges are not observed on the transform side of the ridge-transform intersections. Results of the three-dimensional inversion of the surface magnetic field over our survey area suggest that accretionary processes are sufficiently organized within 3–4 km of the transform fault to produce lineated magnetic anomalies. The magnetization solution further documents a 15-km, westward relocation of the axis of accretion immediately south of the transform about 0.25 Ma ago. The Atlantis Transform is associated with a band of high mantle Bouguer anomalies, suggesting the presence of high densities in the crust and/or mantle along the transform, or anomalously thin crust beneath the transform. Assuming that all the mantle Bouguer anomalies are due to crustal thickness variations, we calculate that the crust may be 2–3 km thinner than a reference 6-km thickness beneath the transform valley, and 2–3 km thicker beneath the mid-points of the spreading segments which bound the transform. Our results indicate that crustal thinning is not uniform along the strike of the fracture zone. Based on studies of the state of compensation of the transform, we conclude that the depth anomaly associated with the fracture zone valley is not compensated everywhere by thin crust. Instead, the regional relationship between bathymetry and gravity is best explained by compensation with an elastic plate with an effective thickness of ~ 4 km or greater. However, the remaining isostatic anomalies indicate that there are large variations away from this simple model which are likely due to variations in crustal thickness and density near the transform.     

Geophysical interpretation of features in the marine geoid of fennoscandia

An interpretation of the geoid in and around Scandinavia in terms of crustal depth structure has been made. Correlations as high as 0.92 were found between current models of crustal depth and the geoid for marine areas of Scandinavia. The Fennoscandian land uplift together with its corresponding resultant change of geoid were also found to be highly correlated with crustal depth structure. Results of these correlations compare favorably with theoretical models based upon large scale isostatic behavior of the lithosphere. These models indicate that the crustal thickness variations of Scandinavia are compensated generally at depths greater than 100 km. The results indicate that previous attempts to correlate the geoid with the causes of present land uplift have overestimated the remaining isostatic geoid anomaly in Fennoscandia. The application of these results would reduce the isostatic geoid anomaly by as much as 80% for marine areas of Fennoscandia. This may be interpreted as placing the estimated upper mantle viscosities for Fennoscandia closer to 10²¹ Pa s.     

Gravity anomalies of the ridge-transform system in the South Atlantic between 31 and 34.5° S: Upwelling centers and variations in crustal thickness

To decipher the distribution of mass anomalies near the earth's surface and their relation to the major tectonic elements of a spreading plate boundary, we have analyzed shipboard gravity data in the vicinity of the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 31–34.5° S. The area of study covers six ridge segments, two major transforms, the Cox and Meteor, and three small offsets or discordant zones. One of these small offsets is an elongate, deep basin at 33.5° S that strikes at about 45° to the adjoining ridge axes.By subtracting from the free-air anomaly the three-dimensional (3-D) effects of the seafloor topography and Moho relief, assuming constant densities of the crust and mantle and constant crustal thickness, we generate the mantle Bouguer anomaly. The mantle Bouguer anomaly is caused by variations in crustal thickness and the temperature and density structure of the mantle. By subtracting from the mantle Bouguer anomaly the effects of the density variations due to the 3-D thermal structure predicted by a simple model of passive flow in the mantle, we calculate the residual gravity anomalies. We interpret residual gravity anomalies in terms of anomalous crustal thickness variations and/or mantle thermal structures that are not considered in the forward model. As inferred from the residual map, the deep, major fracture zone valleys and the median, rift valleys are not isostatically compensated by thin crust. Thin crust may be associated with the broad, inactive segment of the Meteor fracture zone but is not clearly detected in the narrow, active transform zone. On the other hand, the presence of high residual anomalies along the relict trace of the oblique offset at 33.5° S suggests that thin crust may have been generated at an oblique spreading center which has experienced a restricted magma supply. The two smaller offsets at 31.3° S and 32.5° S also show residual anomalies suggesting thin crust but the anomalies are less pronounced than that at the 33.5° S oblique offset. There is a distinct, circular-shaped mantle Bouguer low centered on the shallowest portion of the ridge segment at about 33° S, which may represent upwelling in the form of a mantle plume beneath this ridge, or the progressive, along-axis crustal thinning caused by a centered, localized magma supply zone. Both mantle Bouguer and residual anomalies show a distinct, local low to the west of the ridge south of the 33.5° S oblique offset and relatively high values at and to the east of this ridge segment. We interpret this pattern as an indication that the upwelling center in the mantle for this ridge is off-axis to the west of the ridge.     

冲绳海槽中段地球物理场及对其新生洋壳的认识

通过对冲绳海槽中的磁场进行分析，在海槽轴部追踪到了线性磁条带异常。另外，在扩张轴附近也拖到了新鲜拉斑玄武岩。重力自由空气异常值较低。根据这是由于深部地幔大幅上升所致。地震剖面及磁力资料显示在海槽轴部有强磁性浅层侵入体及海底山，这些侵入体很可能来自于深部地幔。高温地幔物质上涌在海槽轴部形成高热流、强磁异常、多火山以及热液活动。上述现象说明冲绳海槽中段张裂轴部大陆岩石圈已经破裂，并可能已有新生洋壳形成。     

Geoid height versus topography of the Northern Ninetyeast Ridge: implications on crustal compensation

In this paper we focused on understanding the isostatic compensation of the Ninetyeast Ridge in the overall context of the Bay of Bengal oceanic lithosphere and the interaction of the ridge system with the north Andaman subduction zone from north of 7–18°N. This region is characterized by the initial interaction of the Kerguelen hotspot with the Bay of Bengal oceanic lithosphere. We used satellite altimeter-derived marine geoid, as it should comprehensively reflect the compensations caused by large spatial wavelength dominated deeper anomaly sources in a hotspot affected lithospheric load like the Ninetyeast Ridge. Our analyses of the geoid-to-topography ratio (GTR), residual geoid, gravity-to-topographic kernel and upward continuation of anomalies show the existence of two different types of source compensation bodies beneath the northern (12–18°N) and southern (7–12°N) Ninetyeast Ridge. In the northern region, the geoid to topography ratio varies from 0.63 ± 0.05 to 0.44 ± 0.03, while in the southern region it ranges from 1.34 ± 0.09 to 1.31 ± 0.07 which resulted in a north to south increase in the apparent compensation depth from ~9 to 28 km. The presence of a shallow Moho, low GTR, broader gravity to topography kernel and the absence of a ridge anomaly from the mantle density dominated upward continued anomaly at z = 300 km indicates that at the northern segment the underplated low density crustal melt is the dominant isostatic compensating body. However, at the southern ridge segment the high GTR, strong gravity-to-topography kernel and the subsistence of the anomaly at long wavelengths, even at z = 300 km represents the existence of large volumes of hotspot related underplated dense material as the source of compensation. The proximity of the dense source compensating body of the southern Ninetyeast Ridge to the Andaman subduction zone affected the regional mantle driven density gradient flow, as observed from the z = 300 km continued gravity anomaly. The existence of a southern Ninetyeast Ridge in such a transpressional regime has caused the formation of a forearc sliver at its eastern flank, which is a major crustal deformational structure developed as a result of ridge-trench collision.