Authors: M K Kaban P Schwintzer Ch Reigber
Publish Date: 2004/11/12
Volume: 78, Issue: 6, Pages: 368-385
Abstract
Based on the analysis of various factors controlling isostatic gravity anomalies and geoid undulations it is concluded that it is essential to model the lithospheric density structure as accurately as possible Otherwise if computed in the ‘classical’ way ie based on the surface topography and the simple Airy compensation scheme isostatic anomalies mostly reflect differences of the real lithosphere structure from the simplified compensation model and not necessarily the deviations from isostatic equilibrium Starting with global gravity topography and crustal density models isostatic gravity anomalies and geoid undulations have been determined The initial crust and uppermantle density structure has been corrected in a least squares adjustment using gravity To model the longwavelength 2000 km features in the gravity field the isostatic condition ie equal mass for all columns above the compensation level is applied in the adjustment to uncover the signals from the deepEarth interior including dynamic deformations of the Earth’s surface The isostatic gravity anomalies and geoid undulations rather than the observed fields then represent the signals from mantle convection and deep density inhomogeneities including remnants of subducted slabs The longwavelength nonisostatic ie the dynamic topography was estimated to range from –04 to 05 km For shorter wavelengths 2000 km the isostatic condition is not applied in the adjustment in order to obtain the nonisostatic topography due to regional deviations from classical Airy isostasy The maximum deviations from Airy isostasy −15 to 1 km occur at currently active plate boundaries As another result a new global model of the lithosphere density distribution is generated The most pronounced negative density anomalies in the upper mantle are found near large plume provinces such as Iceland and East Africa and in the vicinity of the midocean ridge axes Positive density anomalies in the upper mantle under the continents are not correlated with the cold and thick lithosphere of cratons indicating a compensation mechanism due to thermal and compositional density
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