Gravity Maps of the Lithospheric Structure Beneath the Indian Ocean

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F49777513%3A23520%2F19%3A43955700" target="_blank" >RIV/49777513:23520/19:43955700 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10712-019-09564-6" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10712-019-09564-6</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10712-019-09564-6" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10712-019-09564-6</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Gravity Maps of the Lithospheric Structure Beneath the Indian Ocean

Original language description

The lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean is probably the most complicated, but at the same time, the least understood among world’s oceans. Results of tomographic, geochemical, magnetic and other surveys provide the evidence of its complex geological history. Seismic surveys have been a primary source of information about the lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean, but these experiments are mainly concentrated at locations of a high geophysical interest. Marine gravity data obtained from processing the satellite altimetry measurements, on the other hand, deliver a detailed image of the whole seafloor relief, advancing further the knowledge about its formation, tectonism and volcanism. In this study, we use gravitational, bathymetric, marine sediment and lithospheric density structure data to compile the Bouguer and mantle gravity maps. We then use both gravity maps to interpret the lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean. The Bouguer gravity map reveals major tectonic and volcanic features that are spatially correlated with crustal thickness variations. The mantle gravity map exhibits mainly a thermal signature of the lithospheric mantle. Gravity lows in this gravity map mark distinctively active oceanic divergent tectonic margins along the Central, Southeast and Southwest Indian Ridges including also the Carlsberg Ridge. Gravity lows extend along the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden and East African Rift Systems, confirming a connection between mid-oceanic spreading ridges (in the Indian Ocean) and continental rift systems (in East Africa). The combined interpretation of the Bouguer and mantle gravity maps confirms a non-collisional origin of mountain ranges along continental rift systems in East Africa. The evidence of a southern extension of the East African Rift System and its link with the Southwest Indian Ridge in the mantle gravity map is absent. Similarly, the ongoing breakup of the composite Indo-Australian plate is not manifested. A missing thermal signature in the mantle gravity map at these two locations is explained by the fact that the southern Nubian-Somalian plate boundary (i.e., the Lwandle plate) and the Indo-Australian plate boundary (i.e., the Capricorn plate) are diffuse zones of convergence, characterized by low deformation and seismicity due to very slow rates of relative motions accommodated across these boundaries. The clear manifestation of the thermal signature of intraplate hot spots in the mantle gravity map is also absent. This finding agrees with the evidence from direct heat flow measurements that do not indicate the presence of a significant positive temperature anomaly compared to the oceanic lithosphere of a similar age.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10508 - Physical geography

Project

<a href="/en/project/LO1506" target="_blank" >LO1506: Sustainability support of the centre NTIS - New Technologies for the Information Society</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2019

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Surveys in Geophysics

ISSN

0169-3298

e-ISSN

—

Volume of the periodical

40

Issue of the periodical within the volume

5

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

39

Pages from-to

1055-1093

UT code for WoS article

000484978000002

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85071022814