Integrated 3D density modelling and segmentation of the Dead Sea Transform |
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| Authors: | H-J Götze R El-Kelani S Schmidt M Rybakov M Hassouneh H-J Förster J Ebbing DESERT Group |
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| Institution: | 1.Institut für Geowissenschaften, Abtlg. Geophysik,Christian-Albrechts-Universit?t zu Kiel,Kiel,Gemany;2.An-Najah University,Nablus,Palestine;3.Geophysical Institute of Israel,Holon,Israel;4.Natural Resources Authority,Amman,Jordan;5.GeoForschungsZentrum,Potsdam,Germany;6.Norges Geologiske Unders?kelse,Trondheim,Norway |
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| Abstract: | A 3D interpretation of the newly compiled Bouguer anomaly in the area of the “Dead Sea Rift” is presented. A high-resolution
3D model constrained with the seismic results reveals the crustal thickness and density distribution beneath the Arava/Araba
Valley (AV), the region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba/Elat. The Bouguer anomalies along the axial portion of
the AV, as deduced from the modelling results, are mainly caused by deep-seated sedimentary basins (D > 10 km). An inferred zone of intrusion coincides with the maximum gravity anomaly on the eastern flank of the AV. The intrusion
is displaced at different sectors along the NNW–SSE direction. The zone of maximum crustal thinning (depth 30 km) is attained
in the western sector at the Mediterranean. The southeastern plateau, on the other hand, shows by far the largest crustal
thickness of the region (38–42 km). Linked to the left lateral movement of approx. 105 km at the boundary between the African
and Arabian plate, and constrained with recent seismic data, a small asymmetric topography of the Moho beneath the Dead Sea
Transform (DST) was modelled. The thickness and density of the crust suggest that the AV is underlain by continental crust.
The deep basins, the relatively large intrusion and the asymmetric topography of the Moho lead to the conclusion that a small-scale
asthenospheric upwelling could be responsible for the thinning of the crust and subsequent creation of the Dead Sea basin
during the left lateral movement. A clear segmentation along the strike of the DST was obtained by curvature analysis: the
northern part in the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea is characterised by high curvature of the residual gravity field. Flexural
rigidity calculations result in very low values of effective elastic lithospheric thickness (t
e < 5 km). This points to decoupling of crust in the Dead Sea area. In the central, AV the curvature is less pronounced and
t
e increases to approximately 10 km. Curvature is high again in the southernmost part near the Aqaba region. Solutions of Euler
deconvolution were visualised together with modelled density bodies and fit very well into the density model structures.
An erratum to this article can be found at |
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| Keywords: | Bouguer anomaly 3D-density modelling Flexural rigidity Euler deconvolution Dead Sea Transform |
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