Premium
A directional analysis of the small wavelength geoid in the Pacific Ocean
Author(s) -
Moriceau Christophe,
Fleitout Luce
Publication year - 1989
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/gl016i003p00251
Subject(s) - lineation , geoid , geology , pacific plate , lithosphere , geodesy , seismology , extensional tectonics , geophysics , extensional definition , tectonics , subduction , measured depth
The geoid over the Pacific Ocean has been filtered in order to enhance wavelengths of the order of 200 km. As noticed by previous authors, lineations elongated in the direction of present plate motion are observed in the East‐Central Pacific. Elongated features as clearly visible with a larger amplitude and a totally different direction are also present south of the Hawaiian chain and west of Baja California. The dominant directions visible on the filtered geoid map have been confirmed by spectral analyses. Near the Californian coast, the NE‐SW lineations seem to be related to extensional tectonics. South of Hawaii, the NW‐SE directions correspond to the various directions of the Pacific plate prior to 40 Ma. Magmas implaced in the lithosphere over fixed convective plumes may be the source of these geoid lineations.