Articles | Volume 12, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-691-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-691-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Gravity effect of Alpine slab segments based on geophysical and petrological modelling
Department of Geophysics, Institute for Geosciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
NERC British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK
School of geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Jörg Ebbing
Department of Geophysics, Institute for Geosciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
Amr El-Sharkawy
Department of Geophysics, Institute for Geosciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG),
Helwan, Cairo, Egypt
Thomas Meier
Department of Geophysics, Institute for Geosciences, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
Related authors
No articles found.
Peter Haas, Myron F. H. Thomas, Christian Heine, Jörg Ebbing, Andrey Seregin, and Jimmy van Itterbeeck
Solid Earth, 15, 1419–1443, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-1419-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-1419-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Transform faults are conservative plate boundaries where no material is added or destroyed. Oceanic fracture zones are their inactive remnants and record tectonic processes that formed oceanic crust. In this study, we combine high-resolution data sets along fracture zones in the Gulf of Guinea to demonstrate that their formation is characterized by increased metamorphic conditions. This is in line with previous studies that describe the non-conservative character of transform faults.
Ran Issachar, Peter Haas, Nico Augustin, and Jörg Ebbing
Solid Earth, 15, 807–826, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-807-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-807-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this contribution, we explore the causal relationship between the arrival of the Afar plume and the initiation of the Afro-Arabian rift. We mapped the rift architecture in the triple-junction region using geophysical data and reviewed the available geological data. We interpret a progressive development of the plume–rift system and suggest an interaction between active and passive mechanisms in which the plume provided a push force that changed the kinematics of the associated plates.
Judith Freienstein, Wolfgang Szwillus, Agnes Wansing, and Jörg Ebbing
Solid Earth, 15, 513–533, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-513-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-513-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Geothermal heat flow influences ice sheet dynamics, making its investigation important for ice-covered regions. Here we evaluate the sparse measurements for their agreement with regional solid Earth models, as well as with a statistical approach. This shows that some points should be excluded from regional studies. In particular, the NGRIP point, which strongly influences heat flow maps and the distribution of high basal melts, should be statistically considered an outlier.
Angelika Graiff, Matthias Braun, Amelie Driemel, Jörg Ebbing, Hans-Peter Grossart, Tilmann Harder, Joseph I. Hoffman, Boris Koch, Florian Leese, Judith Piontek, Mirko Scheinert, Petra Quillfeldt, Jonas Zimmermann, and Ulf Karsten
Polarforschung, 91, 45–57, https://doi.org/10.5194/polf-91-45-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/polf-91-45-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
There are many approaches to better understanding Antarctic processes that generate very large data sets (
Antarctic big data). For these large data sets there is a pressing need for improved data acquisition, curation, integration, service, and application to support fundamental scientific research, and this article describes and evaluates the current status of big data in various Antarctic scientific disciplines, identifies current gaps, and provides solutions to fill these gaps.
William Colgan, Agnes Wansing, Kenneth Mankoff, Mareen Lösing, John Hopper, Keith Louden, Jörg Ebbing, Flemming G. Christiansen, Thomas Ingeman-Nielsen, Lillemor Claesson Liljedahl, Joseph A. MacGregor, Árni Hjartarson, Stefan Bernstein, Nanna B. Karlsson, Sven Fuchs, Juha Hartikainen, Johan Liakka, Robert S. Fausto, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Anders Bjørk, Jens-Ove Naslund, Finn Mørk, Yasmina Martos, Niels Balling, Thomas Funck, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Dorthe Petersen, Ulrik Gregersen, Gregers Dam, Tove Nielsen, Shfaqat A. Khan, and Anja Løkkegaard
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 2209–2238, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2209-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2209-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We assemble all available geothermal heat flow measurements collected in and around Greenland into a new database. We use this database of point measurements, in combination with other geophysical datasets, to model geothermal heat flow in and around Greenland. Our geothermal heat flow model is generally cooler than previous models of Greenland, especially in southern Greenland. It does not suggest any high geothermal heat flows resulting from Icelandic plume activity over 50 million years ago.
Igor Ognev, Jörg Ebbing, and Peter Haas
Solid Earth, 13, 431–448, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-13-431-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-13-431-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We present a new 3D crustal model of Volgo–Uralia, an eastern segment of the East European craton. We built this model by processing the satellite gravity data and using prior crustal thickness estimation from regional seismic studies to constrain the results. The modelling revealed a high-density body on the top of the mantle and otherwise reflected the main known features of the Volgo–Uralian crustal architecture. We plan to use the obtained model for further geothermal analysis of the region.
Rainer Kind, Stefan M. Schmid, Xiaohui Yuan, Benjamin Heit, Thomas Meier, and the AlpArray and AlpArray-SWATH-D Working Groups
Solid Earth, 12, 2503–2521, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2503-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2503-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A large amount of new seismic data from the greater Alpine area have been obtained within the AlpArray and SWATH-D projects. S-to-P converted seismic phases from the Moho and from the mantle lithosphere have been processed with a newly developed method. Examples of new observations are a rapid change in Moho depth at 13° E below the Tauern Window from 60 km in the west to 40 km in the east and a second Moho trough along the boundary of the Bohemian Massif towards the Western Carpathians.
Pavol Zahorec, Juraj Papčo, Roman Pašteka, Miroslav Bielik, Sylvain Bonvalot, Carla Braitenberg, Jörg Ebbing, Gerald Gabriel, Andrej Gosar, Adam Grand, Hans-Jürgen Götze, György Hetényi, Nils Holzrichter, Edi Kissling, Urs Marti, Bruno Meurers, Jan Mrlina, Ema Nogová, Alberto Pastorutti, Corinne Salaun, Matteo Scarponi, Josef Sebera, Lucia Seoane, Peter Skiba, Eszter Szűcs, and Matej Varga
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 2165–2209, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2165-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2165-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The gravity field of the Earth expresses the overall effect of the distribution of different rocks at depth with their distinguishing densities. Our work is the first to present the high-resolution gravity map of the entire Alpine orogen, for which high-quality land and sea data were reprocessed with the exact same calculation procedures. The results reflect the local and regional structure of the Alpine lithosphere in great detail. The database is hereby openly shared to serve further research.
Wolfgang Szwillus, Jörg Ebbing, and Bernhard Steinberger
Solid Earth, 11, 1551–1569, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-1551-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-1551-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
At the bottom of the mantle (2850 km depth) two large volumes of reduced seismic velocity exist underneath Africa and the Pacific. Their reduced velocity can be explained by an increased temperature or a different chemical composition. We use the gravity field to determine the density distribution inside the Earth's mantle and find that it favors a distinct chemical composition over a purely thermal cause.
Marcel Tesch, Johannes Stampa, Thomas Meier, Edi Kissling, György Hetényi, Wolfgang Friederich, Michael Weber, Ben Heit, and the AlpArray Working Group
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2020-122, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2020-122, 2020
Publication in SE not foreseen
Cameron Spooner, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, Hans-Jürgen Götze, Jörg Ebbing, György Hetényi, and the AlpArray Working Group
Solid Earth, 10, 2073–2088, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2073-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2073-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
By utilising both the observed gravity field of the Alps and their forelands and indications from deep seismic surveys, we were able to produce a 3-D structural model of the region that indicates the distribution of densities within the lithosphere. We found that the present-day Adriatic crust is both thinner and denser than the European crust and that the properties of Alpine crust are strongly linked to their provenance.
Emanuel D. Kästle, Claudio Rosenberg, Lapo Boschi, Nicolas Bellahsen, Thomas Meier, and Amr El-Sharkawy
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-102, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-102, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
We compare a set of tomographic models that image the upper mantle beneath the Alps and try to find evidence for a potential break off of the subducting European plate. We infer that break offs are likely to have happened all around the Alpine arc, but timing, exact location and interaction between European and Adriatic plate still difficult to assess.
We highlight the value of integrating different tomographic methods to obtain a more complete picture of the deep structures.
Emanuel D. Kästle, Claudio Rosenberg, Lapo Boschi, Nicolas Bellahsen, Thomas Meier, and Amr El-Sharkawy
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-17, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-17, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
We provide an extensive comparison of high-resolution subsurface models of the Alpine subduction zone. The imaged slab geometries are discussed in relation to the geodynamic evolution of the Alpine region. In the eastern Alps, we compare the models to three scenarios from the literature and propose a fourth one which best fits the tomographic images and the geological constraints. We find that the European slab is broken off below the entire Alpine arc, at variable depth levels.
F. Sodoudi, A. Brüstle, T. Meier, R. Kind, W. Friederich, and EGELADOS working group
Solid Earth, 6, 135–151, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-6-135-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-6-135-2015, 2015
A. Brüstle, W. Friederich, T. Meier, and C. Gross
Solid Earth, 5, 1027–1044, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-1027-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-1027-2014, 2014
W. Friederich, A. Brüstle, L. Küperkoch, T. Meier, S. Lamara, and Egelados Working Group
Solid Earth, 5, 275–297, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-275-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-5-275-2014, 2014
S. Wehling-Benatelli, D. Becker, M. Bischoff, W. Friederich, and T. Meier
Solid Earth, 4, 405–422, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-405-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-4-405-2013, 2013
C. Weidle, R. A. Soomro, L. Cristiano, and T. Meier
Adv. Geosci., 36, 21–25, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-36-21-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-36-21-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject area: Tectonic plate interactions, magma genesis, and lithosphere deformation at all scales | Editorial team: Geodesy, gravity, and geomagnetism | Discipline: Geodynamics
Analytical solution for residual stress and strain preserved in anisotropic inclusion entrapped in an isotropic host
The role of edge-driven convection in the generation of volcanism – Part 1: A 2D systematic study
The effect of effective rock viscosity on 2-D magmatic porosity waves
Xin Zhong, Marcin Dabrowski, and Bjørn Jamtveit
Solid Earth, 12, 817–833, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-817-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-817-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Elastic thermobarometry is an useful tool to recover paleo-pressure and temperature. Here, we provide an analytical model based on the Eshelby solution to calculate the residual stress and strain preserved in a mineral inclusion exhumed from depth. The method applies to ellipsoidal, anisotropic inclusions in infinite isotropic hosts. A finite-element method is also used for a facet effect. Volumetrically averaged stress is shown to be a good proxy for the overall heterogeneous stress stage.
Antonio Manjón-Cabeza Córdoba and Maxim D. Ballmer
Solid Earth, 12, 613–632, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-613-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-613-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The study of intraplate volcanism can inform us about underlying mantle dynamic processes and thermal and/or compositional anomalies. Here, we investigated numerical models of mantle flow and melting of edge-driven convection (EDC), a potential origin for intraplate volcanism. Our most important conclusion is that EDC can only produce moderate amounts of mantle melting. By itself, EDC is insufficient to support the formation of voluminous island-building volcanism over several millions of years.
Janik Dohmen, Harro Schmeling, and Jan Philipp Kruse
Solid Earth, 10, 2103–2113, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2103-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2103-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
In source regions of magmatic systems the temperature is above solidus and melt ascent is assumed to occur predominantly by two-phase flow. This two-phase flow allows for the emergence of solitary porosity waves. By now most solutions of these waves used strongly simplified viscosity laws, while in our laws the viscosity decreases rapidly for small melt fractions. The results show that for higher background porosities the phase velocities and the width of the wave are significantly decreased.
Cited articles
Afonso, J. C., Fernandez, M., Ranalli, G., Griffin, W. L., and Connolly, J.
A. D.: Integrated geophysical-petrological modeling of the lithosphere and
sublithospheric upper mantle: Methodology and applications, Geochem.
Geophy. Geosy., 9, Q05008, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GC001834, 2008.
Amante, C. and Eakins, B. W.: ETOP01 1 arc-minute global reliefmodel: Procedures, data sources and analysis, NOAA Tech. Memo., NESDIS NGDC-24, 19 pp., https://doi.org/10.7289/V5C8276M, 2009.
Artemieva, I. M.: Lithosphere structure in Europe from thermal isostasy,
Earth-Sci. Rev., 188, 454–468, 2019.
Babuška, V., Plomerova, J., and Granet, M.: The deep lithosphere in the
Alps: a model inferred from P residuals, Tectonophysics, 176, 137–165,
1990.
Beller, S., Monteiller, V., Operto, S., Nolet, G., Paul, A., and Zhao, L.:
Lithospheric architecture of the South-Western Alps revealed by
multiparameter teleseismic full-waveform inversion, Geophys. J.
Int., 212, 1369–1388, 2018.
Bouman, J., Ebbing, J., Fuchs, M., Sebera, J., Lieb, V., Szwillus, W.,
Haagmans, R., and Novak, P.: Satellite gravity gradient grids for
geophysics, https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/catalog/goce-global-gravity-field-models-and-grids (last access: 18 March 2021), Sci. Rep., 6, 1–11, 2016.
Braitenberg, C.: Exploration of tectonic structures with GOCE in Africa and
across-continents, Int. J. Appl. Earth Obs., 35, 88–95, 2015.
Channell, J. E. T. and Horvath, F.: The African/Adriatic promontory as a
palaeogeographical premise for Alpine orogeny and plate movements in the
Carpatho-Balkan region, Tectonophysics, 35, 71–101, 1976.
Connolly, J. A. D.: The geodynamic equation of state: what and how,
Geochem. Geophy. Geosy., 10, Q10014, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GC002540, 2009.
Dewey, J. F., Helman, M. L., Knott, S. D., Turco, E., and Hutton, D. H. W.:
Kinematics of the western Mediterranean, Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 45, 265–283, 1989.
Ebbing, J., Braitenberg, C., and Götze, H. J.: Forward and inverse
modelling of gravity revealing insight into crustal structures of the
Eastern Alps, Tectonophysics, 337, 191–208, 2001.
Ebbing, J., Braitenberg, C., and Götze, H. J.: The lithospheric density
structure of the Eastern Alps, Tectonophysics, 414, 145–155, 2006.
El-Sharkawy, A., Meier, T., Lebedev, S., Behrmann, J., Hamada, M.,
Cristiano, L., Weidle, C., and Köhn, D.: The Slab Puzzle of the
Alpine-Mediterranean Region: Insights from a new, High-Resolution,
Shear-Wave Velocity Model of the Upper Mantle, Geochem. Geophy.
Geosy., 21, e2020GC008993, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC008993, 2020.
Fichtner, A., van Herwaarden, D. P., Afanasiev, M., Simutė, S.,
Krischer, L., Çubuk-Sabuncu, Y., Colli, E., Saygin, E., Villaseñor,
A., Trampert, J., Cupillard, P., Bunge, H., and Igel, H.: The collaborative
seismic earth model: Generation 1, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45,
4007–4016, 2018.
Frisch, W.: Tectonic progradation and plate tectonic evolution of the Alps,
Tectonophysics, 60, 121–139, 1979.
Fullea, J., Afonso, J. C., Connolly, J. A. D., Fernandez, M.,
García-Castellanos, D., and Zeyen, H.: LitMod3D: An interactive 3-D
software to model the thermal, compositional, density, seismological, and
rheological structure of the lithosphere and sublithospheric upper mantle,
Geochem. Geophy. Geosy., 10, Q08019, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GC002391, 2009.
Fullea, J., Fernàndez, M., Afonso, J. C., Vergés, J., and Zeyen,
H.: The structure and evolution of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary
beneath the Atlantic-Mediterranean Transition Region, Lithos, 120,
74–95, 2010.
Ganguly, J., Freed, A. M., and Saxena, S. K.: Density profiles of oceanic
slabs and surrounding mantle: Integrated thermodynamic and thermal modeling,
and implications for the fate of slabs at the 660km discontinuity, Phys. Earth Planet. Inter., 172, 257–267, 2009.
Götze, H. J. and Krause, S.: The Central Andean gravity high, a relic
of an old subduction complex?. J. S. Am. Earth
Sci., 14, 799–811, 2002.
Götze, H. J. and Pail, R.: Insights from recent gravity satellite
missions in the density structure of continental margins – With focus on the
passive margins of the South Atlantic., Gondwana Res., 53, 285–308, 2018.
Götze, H. J., Lahmeyer, B., Schmidt, S., and Strunk, S.: The
lithospheric structure of the Central Andes (20–26 S) as inferred from
interpretation of regional gravity, in: Tectonics of the southern Central
Andes, edited by: Reutter, K.-J., Scheuber, E., and Wigger, P. J., Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg, Germany, 7–21, 1994.
Grad, M., Tiira, T., and ESC Working Group: The Moho depth map of the
European Plate, https://www.seismo.helsinki.fi/mohomap/ (last access: 18 March 2021) Geophys. J. Int., 176, 279–292, 2009.
Griffin, W. L., O'Reilly, S. Y., Ryan, C. G.: The composition and origin of sub-continental lithospheric mantle, in: MantlePetrology: Field Observations and High-Pressure Experimentation: A Tribute toFrancis R. (Joe) Boyd, edited by: Fei, Y., Berkta, C. M., and Mysen, B. O, Special Publication Geochemical Society, 6, 13–45, 1999.
Gutknecht, B. D., Götze, H. J., Jahr, T., Jentzsch, G., and Mahatsente,
R.: Structure and state of stress of the Chilean subduction zone from
terrestrial and satellite-derived gravity and gravity gradient data, Surv. Geophys., 35, 1417–1440, 2014.
Handy, M. R., Schmid, S. M., Bousquet, R., Kissling, E., and Bernoulli, D.:
Reconciling plate-tectonic reconstructions of Alpine Tethys with the
geological-geophysical record of spreading and subduction in the Alps,
Earth-Sci. Rev., 102, 121–158, 2010.
Handy, M. R., Ustaszewski, K., and Kissling, E.: Reconstructing the
Alps-Carpathians-Dinarides as a key to understanding switches in
subduction polarity, slab gaps and surface motion, Int. J.
Earth Sci., 104, 1–26, 2015.
Hawkesworth, C. J., Waters, D. J., and Bickle, M. J.: Plate tectonics in
the Eastern Alps, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 24, 405–413, 1975.
Hetényi, G., Plomerová, J., Bianchi, I., Exnerová, H. K.,
Bokelmann, G., Handy, M. R., Babuška, V., and AlpArray-EASI Working
Group: From mountain summits to roots: Crustal structure of the Eastern Alps
and Bohemian Massif along longitude 13.3 E, Tectonophysics, 744, 239–255,
2018.
Holzrichter, N. and Ebbing, J.: A regional background model for the
Arabian Peninsula from modeling satellite gravity gradients and their
invariants, Tectonophysics, 692, 86–94, 2016.
Hua, Y., Zhao, D., and Xu, Y.: P wave anisotropic tomography of the Alps,
J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 122, 4509–4528, 2017.
Isaak, D. G.: High-temperature elasticity of iron-bearing olivines, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 97, 1871–1885, 1992.
Isaak, D. G., Anderson, O. L., Goto, T., and Suzuki, I.: Elasticity of
single-crystal forsterite measured to 1700 K, J. Geophys.
Res.-Sol. Ea., 94, 5895–5906, 1989.
Karato, S. I.: Importance of anelasticity in the interpretation of seismic
tomography, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 1623–1626, 1993.
Karousová, H., Plomerová, J., and Babuška, V.: Upper-mantle
structure beneath the southern Bohemian Massif and its surroundings imaged
by high-resolution tomography, Geophys. J. Int., 194,
1203–1215, 2013.
Kästle, E. D., El-Sharkawy, A., Boschi, L., Meier, T., Rosenberg, C.,
Bellahsen, N., Cristiano, L., and Weidle, C.: Surface wave tomography of
the alps using ambient-noise and earthquake phase velocity measurements,
J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 123, 1770–1792, 2018.
Kästle, E. D., Rosenberg, C., Boschi, L., Bellahsen, N., Meier, T., and
El-Sharkawy, A.: Slab break-offs in the Alpine subduction zone,
Int. J. Earth Sci., 109, 587–603, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01821-z, 2020.
Kincaid, C. and Olson, P.: An experimental study of subduction and slab
migration, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 92,
13832–13840, 1987.
Kissling, E., Schmid, S. M., Lippitsch, R., Ansorge, J., and
Fügenschuh, B.: Lithosphere structure and tectonic evolution of the
Alpine arc: new evidence from high-resolution teleseismic tomography,
Geol. Soc. Mem., 32, 129–145, 2006.
Kogan, M. G. and McNutt, M. K.: Gravity field over northern Eurasia and
variations in the strength of the upper mantle, Science, 259, 473–479,
1993.
Koulakov, I., Kaban, M. K., Tesauro, M., and Cloetingh, S. A. P. L.: P-and
S-velocity anomalies in the upper mantle beneath Europe from tomographic
inversion of ISC data, Geophys. J. Int., 179, 345–366,
2009.
Le Breton, E., Handy, M. R., Molli, G., and Ustaszewski, K.: Post-20 Ma
motion of the Adriatic Plate: New constraints from surrounding orogens and
implications for crust-mantle decoupling, Tectonics, 36, 3135–3154,
2017.
Lippitsch, R., Kissling, E., and Ansorge, J.: Upper mantle structure
beneath the Alpine orogen from high-resolution teleseismic tomography,
J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 108, B8, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JB002016, 2003.
Lüschen, E., Lammerer, B., Gebrande, H., Millahn, K., Nicolich, R., and
TRANSALP Working Group: Orogenic structure of the Eastern Alps, Europe,
from TRANSALP deep seismic reflection profiling, Tectonophysics, 388,
85–102, 2004.
Lüschen, E., Borrini, D., Gebrande, H., Lammerer, B., Millahn, K.,
Neubauer, F., Nicolich, D., and TRANSALP Working Group: TRANSALP – deep
crustal Vibroseis and explosive seismic profiling in the Eastern Alps,
Tectonophysics, 414, 9–38, 2006.
Lyu, C., Pedersen, H. A., Paul, A., Zhao, L., and Solarino, S.: Shear wave
velocities in the upper mantle of the Western Alps: new constraints using
array analysis of seismic surface waves, Geophys. J. Int.,
210, 321–331, 2017.
Mahatsente, R.: Plate Coupling Mechanism of the Central Andes Subduction:
Insight from Gravity Model, J. Geodetic Sci., 9, 13–21, 2019.
McDonough, W. F. and Sun, S. S.: The composition of the Earth, Chem.
Geol., 120, 223–253, 1995.
McKenzie, D. and Fairhead, D.: Estimates of the effective elastic
thickness of the continental lithosphere from Bouguer and free air gravity
anomalies, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 102,
27523–27552, 1997.
Mitterbauer, U., Behm, M., Brückl, E., Lippitsch, R., Guterch, A.,
Keller, G. R., Koslovskaya, E., Rumpfhuber, E., and Šumanovac, F.:
Shape and origin of the East-Alpine slab constrained by the ALPASS
teleseismic model, Tectonophysics, 510, 195–206, 2011.
Nocquet, J. M. and Calais, E.: Geodetic measurements of crustal
deformation in the Western Mediterranean and Europe, Pure Appl.
Geophys., 161, 661–681, 2004.
Piromallo, C., and Morelli, A.: P wave tomography of the mantle under the
Alpine-Mediterranean area, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea.,
108, B2, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JB001757, 2003.
Reuber, G., Meier, T., Ebbing, J., El-Sharkawy, A., and Kaus, B.:
Constraining the dynamics of the present-day Alps with 3D geodynamic inverse
models-model version 0.2, Geophys. Res. Abs., 21, p. 1, 2019.
Root, B. C.: Comparing global tomography-derived and gravity-based upper
mantle density models, Geophys. J. Int., 221, 1542–1554,
2020.
Schmid, S. M., Fügenschuh, B., Kissling, E., and Schuster, R.: Tectonic
map and overall architecture of the Alpine orogen, Eclogae Geol.
Helv., 97, 93–117, 2004.
Serpelloni, E., Vannucci, G., Anderlini, L., and Bennett, R. A.:
Kinematics, seismotectonics and seismic potential of the eastern sector of
the European Alps from GPS and seismic deformation
data, Tectonophysics, 688, 157–181, 2016.
Spada, M., Bianchi, I., Kissling, E., Agostinetti, N. P., and Wiemer, S.:
Combining controlled-source seismology and receiver function information to
derive 3-D Moho topography for Italy, Geophys. J. Int.,
194, 1050–1068, 2013.
Spakman, W., and Wortel, R.: A tomographic view on western Mediterranean
geodynamics, in: The TRANSMED atlas, The Mediterranean region from crust to
mantle, edited by: Cavazza, W., Roure, F., Spakman, W., Stampfli, G. M., and Ziegler, P. A., Springer, Berlin and Heidelberg, Germany, 31–52, 2004.
Spooner, C., Scheck-Wenderoth, M., Götze, H.-J., Ebbing, J., Hetényi, G., and the AlpArray Working Group: Density distribution across the Alpine lithosphere constrained by 3-D gravity modelling and relation to seismicity and deformation, Solid Earth, 10, 2073–2088, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2073-2019, 2019.
Stampfli, G. M. and Borel, G. D.: A plate tectonic model for the Paleozoic
and Mesozoic constrained by dynamic plate boundaries and restored synthetic
oceanic isochrons, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 196, 17–33,
2002.
Tadiello, D. and Braitenberg, C.: Gravity modeling of the Alpine lithosphere affected by magmatism based on seismic tomography, Solid Earth, 12, 539–561, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-539-2021, 2021.
Tašárová, Z. A.: Towards understanding the lithospheric
structure of the southern Chilean subduction zone (36∘ S–42∘ S) and its role
in the gravity field, Geophys. J. Int., 170, 995–1014,
2007.
Tiberi, C., Diament, M., Lyon Caen, H., and King, T.: Moho topography
beneath the Corinth Rift area (Greece) from inversion of gravity
data, Geophys. J. Int., 145, 797–808, 2001.
Uieda, L., Barbosa, V. C., and Braitenberg, C.: tesseroids:
Forward-modeling gravitational fields in spherical coordinates, Geophysics,
81, 41–48, 2016.
Vacher, P., Mocquet, A., and Sotin, C.: Computation of seismic profiles
from mineral physics: the importance of the non-olivine components for
explaining the 660km depth discontinuity, Phys. Earth Planet. In., 106, 275–298, 1998.
Vrabec, M. and Fodor, L.: Late Cenozoic tectonics of Slovenia: structural
styles at the Northeastern corner of the Adriatic microplate, in: The Adria
microplate: GPS geodesy, tectonics and hazards, edited by: Pinter, N., Grenerczy, G., Weber, J., Medak, D., and Stein, S., Springer,
Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 151–168, 2006.
Wang, Y., He, Y., Lu, G., and Wen, L.: Seismic, thermal and compositional
structures of the stagnant slab in the mantle transition zone beneath
southeastern China, Tectonophysics, 775, 228208, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2019.228208, 2020.
Webb, S. J.: The use of potential field and seismological data to analyze
the structure of thelithosphere beneath southern Africa, PhD thesis, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 377 pp., 2009.
Wessel, P. and Luis, J. F.: The GMT/MATLAB Toolbox, Geochem.
Geophy. Geosy., 18, 811–823, 2017.
Wessel, P., Smith, W. H., Scharroo, R., Luis, J., and Wobbe, F.: Generic
mapping tools: improved version released, Eos T. Am.
Geophys. Un., 94, 409–410, 2013.
Workman, R. K. and Hart, S. R.: Major and trace element composition of the
depleted MORB mantle (DMM), Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 231,
53–72, 2005.
Zeyen, H. and Fernàndez, M.: Integrated lithospheric modeling
combining thermal, gravity, and local isostasy analysis: Application to the
NE Spanish Geotransect, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol.
Ea., 99, 18089–18102, 1994.
Zhao, L., Paul, A., Malusà, M. G., Xu, X., Zheng, T., Solarino, S.,
Guillot, S., Schwartz, S., Dumont, T., Salimbeni, S., Aubert, C., Pondrelli,
S., Wang, Q., and Zhu, R.: Continuity of the Alpine slab unraveled by
high-resolution P wave tomography, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol.
Ea., 121, 8720–8737, 2016.
Zingerle, P., Pail, R., Gruber, T., and Oikonomidou, X.: The combined
global gravity field model XGM2019e, http://icgem.gfz-potsdam.de/tom_longtime (last access: 18 March 2021), J. Geodesy, 94, 1–12, 2020.
Short summary
This study estimates the gravitational contribution from subcrustal density heterogeneities interpreted as subducting lithosphere beneath the Alps to the gravity field. We showed that those heterogeneities contribute up to 40 mGal of gravitational signal. Such density variations are often not accounted for in Alpine lithospheric models. We demonstrate that future studies should account for subcrustal density variations to provide a meaningful representation of the complex geodynamic Alpine area.
This study estimates the gravitational contribution from subcrustal density heterogeneities...