Gravity mapping in the southern Weddell Sea region, Antarctica (Scale 1:2 000 000)

• Main Authors: Aleshkova, Nadezhda D, Golynsky, Alexander V, Kurinin, Rem G, Mandrikov, V S
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2000
• Subjects: File format; File size; Geological mapping; GEOMAP; ORDINAL NUMBER; Uniform resource locator/link to raw data file; Weddell_Sea_Region_S; Weddell Sea; Coats Land; Dronning Maud Land; Weddell; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Shelves; Polarforschung
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.596360; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.596360

New maps of free-air and the Bouguer gravity anomalies on the Weddell Sea sector (70-81° S, 6-75° W) of Antarctica are presented. These maps are based on the first computer compilation of available gravity data collected by ''Sevmorgeologia'' in 1976-89 in the southern Weddell Sea and adjacent coasts of western Dronning Maud Land (WDML) and Coats Land. The accomplished gravity studies comprise airborne observations with a line spacing of about 20 km and conventional measurements at over-the-ice points, which were spaced at 10-30 km and supplemented by seismic soundings. Hence, anomalies on the maps represent mainly large-scale and deep crustal features. The dominant feature in free-air gravity map is a large dipolar gravity anomaly stretching along the continental margin. Following the major grain of seabed morphology this shelf-edge/slope anomaly (SESA) is clearly divided into three segments characterized by diverse anomaly amplitudes, wavelengths and trends. They are associated with continental margins of different geotectonic provinces of Antarctica surrounding the Weddell Sea. Apparent distinctions in the SESA signatures are interpreted as the gravity expression of tectonic, deep crustal structure segmentation of the continental margin. The prominent gravity highs (100-140 mGal) of the shelf edge anomaly mapped along WDML are assumed to represent high-density mantle injections intruded into the middle/lower crust during initial rifting of continental breakup. Enlarged wavelengths and diminished amplitudes of the gravity anomaly westwards, along the Weddell Sea embayment (WSE) margin, reflect a widening of the continental slope and a significant increase in thickness of underlying sediment strata. Low amplitude, negative free-air anomalies in the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelves (FRIS) contrast sharply with the dominating positive anomalies offshore. This indicates a greater sedimentary thickness of the basin in this area. Crustal response to the enlarged sediment load is impressed in mostly positive features of ...