Work

Unveiling Northern Antarctica's Marine‐Covered Continent‐Ocean Boundary and Characteristics Using Density and Magnetization Vector Structures

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The Antarctic continental margin, a critical transition zone between thin continental and incipient oceanic crust, preserves vital records of lithospheric extension and rupture, crucial for reconstructing Antarctica's ancient configuration. Extensive ice cover and extreme environments restrict the obtainable geological and ground‐based data. Although airborne and satellite gravity‐magnetic data are essential tools for Antarctic studies, their integration with sparse outcrops remains hindered for interpretational ambiguity. Magmatic rifting alters crustal density and magnetization while preserving remanent magnetism, facilitating continent‐ocean boundary (COB) identification. We develop a high‐precision and fast inversion method to obtain density and magnetization structures following subduction and fragmentation. Magma intrusions in the Antarctic Peninsula and Dronning Maud Land exhibit 20° and −120° magnetization directions, respectively, at 10–30 km depths, reveal differential tectonic patterns along the margin. The refined COB highlights how subduction and extension shape continental margins, offering new insights into geodynamics and plate evolution under global climate change.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2025gl117507

Authors: N. Wang, G. Ma, L. Li, T. Wang, Q. Meng

Institution: Jilin University

Language: English

Topic: Geological and Geophysical Studies

Subfield: Geology

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190