A high resolution lithospheric magnetic field model over China

CHAMP satellite data and ground-based magnetic observations are used and combined to map the lithospheric magnetic field over China by means of the revised spherical cap harmonic analysis (R-SHCA) modeling technique. The magnetic field is described to a spatial resolution of 150 km at the mean Earth’s radius, which represents a good compromise between the resolutions afforded by surface and satellite data. We compare the magnetic anomalies modeled at the regional scale with composite regions containing large-scale of tectonic structures. These regions, including the Tarim Basin and the Tibetan Plateau, are correlated with regional magnetic anomalies at satellite altitude but contain a significant number of small-scale and complex magnetic structures at the mean Earth’s radius. These magnetic anomalies are globally consistent with the known geological features in China but also offer a way to delineate the contours of the geological blocks and to discuss the connection between magnetic anomalies and the heat flow distribution in this region.