Three-dimensional gravity inversion model of the deep crustal structure of the central drake passage (Shackleton Fracture Zone and West Scotia Ridge, Antarctica)

[1] Gravity and bathymetric data collected by the Spanish R/V Hesperides over the Shackleton Fracture Zone (SFZ) and the West Scotia Ridge (WSR) were used to invert for the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the deep crust. Data from the Global Gravity Grid and Global Seafloor Topography (GGSFT) w...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Flores-Marquez, EL, Surinach, E, Galindo-Zaldivar, J, Maldonado, A
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2003
País:México
Institución:Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Repositorio:Sistema de Información de la Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.fciencias.unam.mx:11154/2464
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11154/2464
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Geochemistry & Geophysics
three-dimensional deep structure
gravity
global gravity grid
global seafloor topography
numerical inversion
Shackleton Fracture Zone
Descripción
Sumario:[1] Gravity and bathymetric data collected by the Spanish R/V Hesperides over the Shackleton Fracture Zone (SFZ) and the West Scotia Ridge (WSR) were used to invert for the three-dimensional (3-D) structure of the deep crust. Data from the Global Gravity Grid and Global Seafloor Topography (GGSFT) were also employed to enlarge the cruise area. The merged data were analyzed to determine the 3-D deep structure by numerical inversion. Water layer contribution to the gravity anomaly was eliminated, taking into account the bathymetry. Spectral analysis of the reduced data yielded mean crust-mantle interface (CMI) depths of 10.5 +/- 1.2 km. Inversion of the regional anomaly gave a 3-D detailed geometry of the CMI, which generally agrees with the 2-D models established along profiles where gravity data and multichannel seismic lines are available. The WSR shows an asymmetrical structure with a reverse fault located southeastward to the central valley. This fault was developed, probably, as a consequence of the NW-SE compressive deformations, which occurred following the spreading. The 3-D view shows that the SW end of the spreading axis was affected more intensely by the compression. The SFZ represents an active sinistral transpressive fault zone of the Scotia-Antarctica plate boundary and shows crustal thickening related to bathymetric highs. The crustal thinning detected at the intersection with the inactive WSR suggests a complex interaction between these two structures.