Global tectonic and climatic control of mean elevation of continents, and Phanerozoic sea level change

• Published in: Earth and Planetary Science Letters
• Main Author: Zhang, YX
• Other Authors: Zhang, YX (reprint author), Univ Michigan, Dept Geol Sci, 1006 CC Little Bldg, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA., Univ Michigan, Dept Geol Sci, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA., Peking Univ, Sch Earth & Space Sci, MOE, Key Lab Orogen Belts & Crustal Evolut, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China., Univ Michigan, Dept Geol Sci, 1006 CC Little Bldg, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA.
• Format: Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: earth and planetary science letters 2005
• Subjects: continental crust thickness; continental height; eustasy; freeboard; hypsometry; ocean depth; sea level; coupling between global tectonic and climatic systems; DYNAMIC TOPOGRAPHY; MARINE INUNDATION; CRUSTAL THICKNESS; EVOLUTION; CONSTRAINTS; ATMOSPHERE; EROSION; GROWTH; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11897/254009; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2005.07.015

Mean elevation of all continents, as well as mean elevation of individual continents, should be at the fundamental level controlled by the global tectonic and climatic systems. I propose a first-order model considering the interplay of the two factors in controlling mean elevation of continents. The model is able to account for the positive correlation between the present-day mean elevation and area of individual continents (except for Antarctica). Furthermore, it can also explain the low sea level during the times of supercontinents. Finally the model is used to evaluate the variation of continental crust thickness with time. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Geochemistry & Geophysics SCI(E) EI 8 ARTICLE 3-4 524-531 237