Utilization of high resolution satellite gravity over the Carlsberg Ridge |
| |
| Authors: | S Chatterjee R Bhattacharyya T J Majumdar |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Earth Sciences and Hydrology Division, Marine and Earth Sciences Group, Remote Sensing Applications and Image Processing Area, Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, 380 015, India |
| |
| Abstract: | The Carlsberg Ridge lies between the equator and the Owen fracture zone. It is the most prominent mid-ocean ridge segment
of the western Indian Ocean, which contains a number of earthquake epicenters. Satellite altimetry can be used to infer subsurface
geological structures analogous to gravity anomaly maps generated through ship-borne survey. In this study, free-air gravity
and its 3D image have been generated over the Carlsberg Ridge using a very high resolution data base, as obtained from Geosat
GM, ERS-1, Seasat and TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data. As observed in this study, the Carlsberg Ridge shows a slow spreading
characteristic with a deep and wide graben (average width ∼15 km). The transform fault spacing confirms variable slow to intermediate
characteristics with first and second order discontinuities. The isostatically compensated region of the Carlsberg Ridge could
be demarcated with near zero contour values in the free-air gravity anomaly images over and along the Carlsberg Ridge axes
and over most of the fracture zone patterns. Few profiles have been generated across the Carlsberg Ridge and the characteristics
of slow/intermediate spreading ridge of various orders of discontinuity could be identified. It has also been observed in
zero contour image as well as in the characteristics of valley patterns along the ridge from NW to SE that different spreading
rates, from slow to intermediate, are occurring in different parts of the Carlsberg ridge. It maintains the morphology of
a slow spreading ridge in the NW, where the wide and deep axial valley (∼1.5–3 km) also implies the pattern of a slow spreading
ridge. However, a change in the morphology/depth of the axial valley from NW to SE indicates the nature of the Carlsberg Ridge
as a slow to intermediate spreading ridge.
For the prevailing security restrictions, lat./lon. coordinates have been omitted in few images. |
| |
| Keywords: | Satellite altimetry Geosat Geodetic Mission ERS-1 Carlsberg Ridge Free-air gravity Seafloor spreading |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
