Effective Elastic Thickness in Northern South America
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The strength of the lithosphere plays an important role in understanding the deformation process of the Earth. In northern South America, the convergence of three tectonic plates has resulted in a zone of active deformation. The effective elastic thickness (Te) is a parameter that serves as a proxy for the lithospheric strength. This study determined the spatial variations of Te across northern South America through a joint inversion of admittance and coherence using Bouguer gravity anomaly and topography data. The inversion reveals that Te ranges from 15 to 60 km, with high Te (>50 km) corresponding to stable cratons, whereas low Te (<20 km) is displayed in areas close to continental margins. The Colombian Andes exhibit an intermediate Te value, ranging from 20 to 40 km. The subsurface-to-surface ratio (F) indicates dominant surface loading in the region. Furthermore, a correlation was observed between Te and other proxies for lithospheric structure, such as seismic velocity.
Source: Applied Sciences
DOI: 10.3390/app15095163
Authors: Ivan F. Casallas, Jyr-Ching Hu
Institution: National Taiwan University
Language: English
Subfield: Geophysics
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W4410119068