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.

Gravity modelling of crustal architecture and heterogeneity in the Nansha Block,South China Sea

The stretched structure and heterogeneity of the crust of the Nansha Block,the southern continental margin of the South China Sea(SCS),are not well understood.We used published ocean bottom seismic(OBS)/multichannel reflection seismic(MCS)profiles across the Nansha Block to establish five two-dimensional crustal structure models.Using gravity modelling with magnetic anomaly inversion,we obtained the distribution of density and local magnetic susceptibility of the crust.The models show that the distribution of density and thickness of the upper crust in the Nansha Block is uneven,and the thick upper crust is prevalent in the regions close to the continent-ocean transition(COT)showing different characteristics.The interpreted Mesozoic granite blocks and Precambrian rigid basement reflects the heterogeneity in the material composition of the SCS continental margin.Based on the thinning styles of different crustal layers,we suggest that the Nansha Block has a three-layer thinning pattern.The uppermost pre-rift layer was deformed via brittle fractures,the upper crust was sheared by discrete shear zones,and the lower crust experienced ductile deformation.The inherited pre-rift thermal regime,mechanical state,and material composition of the SCS continental margin affected the extensional structure of the crust.