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Long wavelength topography, seafloor subsidence and flattening
Author(s) -
Cazenave Anny,
Lago Bernard
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/91gl01605
Subject(s) - seafloor spreading , geology , flattening , geoid , bathymetry , lithosphere , residual , subsidence , ocean surface topography , wavelength , mid ocean ridge , geophysics , geodesy , mantle (geology) , seismology , geomorphology , oceanography , measured depth , tectonics , materials science , computer science , composite material , physics , optoelectronics , algorithm , structural basin
Seafloor subsidence effects due to cooling of the oceanic lithosphere have been removed from bathymetry data. The corrected ocean floor topography presents long wavelength highs, in particular over western Pacific. We show in this study that this long wavelength residual topography can be interpreted as either a term of seafloor flattening at old ages or a dynamic response to large‐scale convection. Whatever its origin, this long wavelength residual topography is dominated by a degree 2 pattern highly correlated with geoid, lower mantle heterogeneities and plate age.