Effective Elastic Thickness Map Reveals Subglacial Structure of East Antarctica
Christopher J. Swain, J. F. Kirby
Abstract
Abstract East Antarctica is the least well‐exposed Precambrian shield on Earth. What is known, or surmised, of its geological structure comes from extrapolation over large distances and from geophysics. Here, we present a map of effective elastic thickness, T e , computed from Antarctic bedrock topography and both terrestrial and satellite gravity data. T e is directly related to lithospheric strength and can distinguish domains of differing tectonic history. Our map reveals a broad region of high T e in Wilkes Land, interpreted as a craton, while elsewhere a corridor of low T e meanders between areas of higher T e . The low‐ T e belt follows the trend of prominent linear magnetic anomalies identified in the Gamburtsev and Dronning Maud Land provinces, two of which have previously been identified as possible Grenville or Pan‐African age sutures.