Three-dimensional constrained gravity inversion of Moho depth and crustal structural characteristics at Mozambique continental margin

Mozambique's continental margin in East Africa was formed during the break-off stage of the east and west Gondwana lands. Studying the geological structure and division of continent-ocean boundary(COB) in Mozambique's continental margin is considered of great significance to rebuild Gondwana land and understand its movement mode. Along these lines, in this work, the initial Moho was fit using the known Moho depth from reflection seismic profiles, and a 3D multi-point constrained gravity inversion was carried out. Thus, highaccuracy Moho depth and crustal thickness in the study area were acquired. According to the crustal structure distribution based on the inversion results, the continental crust at the narrowest position of the Mozambique Channel was detected. According to the analysis of the crustal thickness, the Mozambique ridge is generally oceanic crust and the COB of the whole Mozambique continental margin is divided.

The crustal nature of the northern Mozambique Ridge,Southwest Indian Ocean

The Mozambique Ridge(MOZR)is one of the basement high structures located in the Southwest Indian Ocean,parallel to the Southeast African continental margin.It was formed as a result of the tectono-magmatic evolution of the Gondwana breakup.The origin of the MOZR has been highly debated,with models suggesting either continental or oceanic origin.With new free-air gravity anomaly and multichannel seismic(MCS)reflection data,we present results of 2D density modeling along two seismic profiles acquired by R/V Xiangyanghong 10 at the northern Mozambique Ridge(N-MOZR)between 26°S and 28°S.We observed high free-air gravity anomaly and strong positive magnetic anomaly related to the emplaced seaward dipping reflectors(SDR)and high density lower crustal body(HDLCB),and high Bouguer gravity anomaly associated with the thinning of the continental crust underneath the N-MOZR over a distance of~82 km.This suggests a thinned and intruded continental crust bound by the Mozambique Fracture Zone(MFZ)that is characterized by gravity low and negative magnetic anomaly.This fracture zone marks the continent-ocean boundary(COB)while the N-MOZR is the transform margin high,i.e.,marks the continent-ocean transition(COT)of the Southern Mozambique margin,following the definition of transform margins.We suggest that the N-MOZR was formed by continental extension and subsequent breakup of the MFZ,accompanied by massive volcanism during the southward movement of the Antarctica block.The presence of SDR,HDLCB,and relatively thick oceanic crust indicates the volcanic nature of this transform margin.

Cenozoic tectonic subsidence in the Southern Continental Margin, South China Sea

We analyzed two recently acquired multi- channel seismic profiles across the Dangerous Grounds and the Reed Bank area in the South China Sea. Reconstruction of the tectonic subsidence shows that the southern continental margin can be divided into three stages with variable subsidence rate. A delay of tectonic subsidence existed in both areas after a break-up, which was likely related to the major mantle convection during seafloor spreading, that was triggered by the secondary mantle convection below the continental margin, in addition to the variation in lithospheric thickness. Mean-while, the stage with delayed subsidence rate differed along strikes. In the Reed Bank area, this stage is between 32-23.8 Ma, while in the Dangerous Grounds, it was much later （between 19-15.5 Ma）. We believe the propagated rifting in the South China Sea dominated the changes of this delayed subsidence rate stage.