Displays

Glacial isostatic adjustment is dominated by Earth rheology resulting in a variability of relative sea-level (RSL) predictions of more than 100 meters during the last glacial cycle. Seismic tomography models reveal significant lateral variations in seismic wavespeed, most likely corresponding to variations in temperature and hence viscosity. Therefore, the replacement of 1D Earth structures by a 3D Earth structure is an essential part of recent research to reveal the impact of lateral viscosity contrasts and to achieve a more consistent view on solid-Earth dynamics. Here, we apply the VIscoelastic Lithosphere and MAntle model VILMA to predict RSL during the last deglaciation. We create an ensemble of geodynamically constrained 3D Earth structures which is based on seismic tomography models while considering a range of conversion factors to transfer seismic velocity variations into viscosity variations. For a number of globally distributed sites, we discuss the resulting variability in RSL predictions, compare this with regionally optimized 1D Earth structures, and validate the model results with relative sea-level data (sea-level indicators). This study is part of the German Climate Modeling initiative PalMod aiming the modeling of the last glacial cycle under consideration of a coupled Earth system model, i.e. including feedbacks between ice-sheets and the solid Earth.

How to cite: Bagge, M., Klemann, V., Steinberger, B., Latinovic, M., and Thomas, M.: Dependence of late glacial sea-level predictions on 3D Earth structure , EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-7699, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-7699, 2020.

The lateral and vertical thermochemical heterogeneity in the mantle is a long standing question in geodynamics. The forces that control mantle flow and therefore Plate Tectonics arise from the density and viscosity lateral and vertical variations. A common approach to estimate the density field for geodynamical purposes is to simply convert seismic tomography anomalies sometimes assuming constraints from mineral physics. Such converted density field does not match in general with the observed gravity field, typically predicting anomalies the amplitudes of which are too large. Knowledge on the lateral variations in lithospheric density is essential to understand the dynamic/residual isostatic components of the Earth’s topography linking deep and surface processes. The cooling of oceanic lithosphere, the bathymetry of mid oceanic ridges, the buoyancy and stability of continental cratons or the thermochemical structure of mantle plumes are all features central to Plate Tectonics that are dramatically related to mantle temperature and composition.

Conventional methods of seismic tomography, topography and gravity data analysis constrain distributions of seismic velocity and density at depth, all depending on temperature and composition of the rocks within the Earth. However, modelling and interpretation of multiple data sets provide a multifaceted image of the true thermochemical structure of the Earth that needs to be appropriately and consistently integrated. A simple combination of gravity, petrological and seismic models alone is insufficient due to the non-uniqueness and different sensitivities of these models, and the internal consistency relationships that must connect all the intermediate parameters describing the Earth involved. In fact, global Earth models based on different observables often lead to rather different, even contradictory images of the Earth.

 Here we present a new global thermochemical model of the lithosphere-upper mantle (WINTERC-grav) constrained by state-of-the-art global waveform tomography, satellite gravity (geoid and gravity anomalies and gradiometric measurements from ESA's GOCE mission), surface elevation and heat flow data. WINTERC-grav is based upon an integrated geophysical-petrological approach where all relevant rock physical properties modelled (seismic velocities and density) are computed within a thermodynamically self-consistent framework allowing for a direct parameterization of the temperature and composition variables.

How to cite: Fullea, J., Lebedev, S., Martinec, Z., and Celli, N.: Unraveling the upper mantle heterogeneity from integrated multi-observable inversions, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-2685, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-2685, 2020.

The Canadian landmass of North America and the Russian Arctic were covered by large ice sheets during the Last Glacial Maximum, and have been key areas for Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) studies. Previous GIA studies have applied 1D models of Earth’s interior viscoelastic structure; however, seismic tomography, field geology and recent studies reveal the potential importance of 3D models of this structure. Here, using the latest quality-controlled deglacial sea-level databases from North America and the Russian Arctic, we investigate the effects of 3D structure on GIA predictions. We explore scaling factors in the upper mantle (β_UM) and lower mantle (β_LM) and the 1D background viscosity model (η_o) with predictions of of the ICE-6G_C (VM5a) glaciation/deglaciation model of Peltier et al (2015, JGR) in these two regions, and compare with the best fit 3D viscosity structures.

We compute gravitationally self-consistent relative sea-level histories with time dependent coastlines and rotational feedback using both the Normal Mode Method and Coupled Laplace-Finite Element Method. A subset of 3D GIA models is found that can fit the deglacial sea-level databases for both regions. These databases cover both the near and intermediate field regions. However, North America and Russian Arctic prefer different 3D structures (i.e., combinations of (η_o, β_UM, β_LM)) to provide the best fits. The Russian Arctic database prefers a softer background viscosity model (η_o), but larger scaling factors (β_UM, β_LM) than those preferred by the North America database.

Outstanding issues include the uncertainty of the history of local glaciation history. For example, preliminary modifications of the ice model in Russian Arctic reveal that the misfits of 1D models can be significantly reduced, but still fit less well than the best fit 3D GIA model.An additional issue concerns the extent to which the 3D models are able to improve both fits in North America and Russian Arctic when compared with 1D internal structure (ICE-6G_C VM5a & ICE-7G VM7), will be assessed in a preliminary fashion.

How to cite: Li, T., Khan, N., Engelhart, S., Baranskaya, A., William, P., Wu, P., and Horton, B.: Glacial Isostatic Adjustment with 3D Earth models: A comparison of case studies of deglacial relative sea level records of North America and Russian Arctic, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-5189, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-5189, 2020.

The negative anomaly present in the static gravity field near Hudson Bay bears striking resemblance to the area depressed by the Laurentide ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum, suggesting that it is at least partly due to Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA), but mantle convection and density anomalies in the crust and the upper mantle are also expected to contribute. At the moment, the contribution of GIA to this anomaly is still disputed. Estimates, which strongly depend on the viscosity of the mantle, range from 25 percent to more than 80 percent. Our objective is to find the contributions from GIA and mantle convection, after correcting for density anomalies in the topography, crust and upper mantle. The static gravity field has the potential to constrain the viscosity profile which is the most uncertain parameter in GIA and mantle convection models. A spectral method is used to transform 3D spherical density models of the crust into gravity anomalies. Density anomalies in the lithosphere are estimated so that isostatic compensation is reached at a depth of 300 km. The dynamic processes of mantle flow are corrected for before isostasy is assumed. Upper and lower mantle viscosities are varied so that the gravity anomaly predicted from the dynamic models matches the residual gravity anomaly. We consider uncertainties due to the crustal model, the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB), the conversion from seismic velocities to density and the ice history used in the GIA model. The best fit is found for lower mantle viscosities >10²² Pa s.

How to cite: Reusen, J., Root, B., Fullea, J., Martinec, Z., and van der Wal, W.: Constraining dynamic models in North America using the static gravity field, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-6964, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6964, 2020.

Upper mantle viscosity structure and lithospheric thickness control the solid Earth response to variations in ice sheet loading. These parameters vary significantly across Antarctica, leading to strong regional differences in the timescale of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), with important implications for ice sheet models.  We estimate upper mantle viscosity structure and lithospheric thickness using two new seismic models for Antarctica, which take advantage of temporary broadband seismic stations deployed across Antarctica over the past 18 years. Shen et al. [2018] use receiver functions and Rayleigh wave velocities from earthquakes and ambient noise to develop a higher resolution model for the upper 200 km beneath Central and West Antarctica, where most of the seismic stations have been deployed. Lloyd et al [2019] use full waveform adjoint tomography to invert three-component earthquake seismograms for a radially anisotropic model covering Antarctica and adjacent oceanic regions to 800 km depth. We estimate the mantle viscosity structure from seismic structure using laboratory-derived relationships between seismic velocity, temperature, and rheology. Choice of parameters for this mapping is guided in part by recent regional estimates of mantle viscosity from geodetic measurements. We also describe and compare several different methods of estimating lithospheric thickness from seismic constraints.

The mantle viscosity estimates indicate regional variations of several orders of magnitude, with extremely low viscosity (< 10¹⁹ Pa s) beneath the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE) and the Antarctic Peninsula, consistent with estimates from GIA models constrained by GPS data.  Lithospheric thickness is also highly variable, ranging from around 60 km in parts of West Antarctica to greater than 200 km beneath central East Antarctica. In East Antarctica, several prominent regions such as Dronning Maude Land and the Lambert Graben show much thinner lithosphere, consistent with Phanerozoic tectonic activity and lithospheric disruption. Thin lithosphere and low viscosity between the ASE and the Antarctic Peninsula likely result from the thermal effects of the slab window as the Phoenix-Antarctic plate boundary migrated northward during the Cenozoic. Low viscosity regions beneath the ASE and Marie Byrd Land coast connect to an offshore anomaly at depths of ~ 250 km, suggesting larger-scale thermal and geodynamic processes that may be linked to the initial Cretaceous rifting of New Zealand and Antarctica. Low mantle viscosity results in a characteristic GIA time scale on the order of several hundred years, such that isostatic adjustment occurs on the same time scale as grounding line retreat.  Thus the associated rebound may lessen the effect of the marine ice sheet instability proposed for the ASE region. 

How to cite: Wiens, D., Lloyd, A., Shen, W., Nyblade, A., Aster, R., and Wilson, T.: Upper mantle viscosity structure and lithospheric thickness of Antarctica inferred from recent seismic models, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-12280, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-12280, 2020.

The Antarctica crustal structure is still not completely unveiled due to the presence of thick ice shields all over the continent which prevent direct in situ measurements. In the last decades, various geophysical methods have been used to retrieve information of the upper crust and sediments distribution however there are still regions, especially in central Antarctica, where our knowledge is limited. For these kind of situations, in which the indirect investigation of the subsurface is the only valuable solution, the gravity data are an important source of information. After the recent dedicated satellite missions, like GRACE and GOCE, it has been possible to obtain global gravity field data with spatial resolution and accuracy almost comparable to those of local/regional gravity acquisitions, paving the way to new geophysical applications. The new challenge today is the capability to invert such gravity data on large areas with the aim to obtain a 3D density model of the Earth crust. This is in fact a problem characterized by intrinsic instability and non-uniqueness of the solution that to be solved requires the definition of strong constrains and numerical regularization.

In this work the authors propose the application of a Bayesian inversion algorithm to the Antarctica continent to infer a model of mass density distribution. The first operation is the definition of an initial geological model in terms of geological horizons and density. These two variables are considered as random variables and, within the iterative procedure based on Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, they are adjusted in such a way to fit the gravity field on the surface. The test performed show that the method is capable of retrieving an estimated model consistent with the prior information and fitting the gravity observations according to their accuracy.

How to cite: Capponi, M. and Sampietro, D.: Antarctica crustal model by means of the Bayesian gravity inversion, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-7035, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-7035, 2020.

It has been established recently (Velay-Vitow, Peltier and Stuhne JGR-Oceans 2019) that a high amplitude M2 tide may have triggered and contributed to the forcing of the rapid deglaciations of the Hudson Strait ice stream, commonly referred to as Heinrich events, during the last glacial period. The required conditions for a tidally triggered marine terminating ice stream instability are an ice stream with a retrograde slope of the ice stream bed at the edge of an ice sheet and high amplitude tides coincidental with the grounding line. Two paleo ice streams in the Arctic, the Amundsen Gulf ice stream and the McClure ice stream may have been amenable to rapid deglaciation prior to and during Younger Dryas time, as these locations may have been characterized by the required bathymetric conditions. Additionally, it has been shown in Griffiths and Peltier (GRL 2008) that the Arctic was megatidal at last glacial maximum. We investigate the possibility that some combination of the previously mentioned ice streams were rendered unstable by high amplitude polar tides, and proceeded to rapidly deglaciate, disgorging icebergs and ice rafted debris into the Arctic ocean. We further examine the effect that these proposed ice stream instabilities would have had on the tidal regime in the Arctic, and, by the mechanism of glacial isostatic adjustment, upon the underlying Arctic bathymetry.

How to cite: Velay-Vitow, J. and Peltier, R.: Tidal Forcing as a Trigger of Arctic Ice Stream Deglaciation, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-1808, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-1808, 2020.

The pseudo-spectral form of the sea level equation (SLE) requires the approximation of a radially-symmetric visco-elastic Earth. Thus, the resulting predictions of sea level change (SLC) and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) often ignore lateral variations in the Earth structure. Here, we assess the capabilities of a Multiple 1D Earth Approach (M1DEA) applied to large-scale ice load components with different Earth structures to account for these variations. In this approach the total SLC and GIA responses result from the superposition of individual responses from each load component, each computed globally assuming locally-appropriate 1D Earth structures. We apply the M1DEA to three separate regions (East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and outside Antarctica) to analyze uplift rates for a range of Earth structures and different ice loads at various distances. We find that the uplift response is mostly sensitive to the local Earth structure, which supports the usefulness of the M1DEA. However, stresses transmitted across rheological boundaries (e.g., producing peripheral bulges) present challenges for the M1DEA, but can be minimized under two conditions: (1) If the considered time period of ice loading for each component is consistent with the relaxation time of the local Earth structure. (2) If the load components can be subdivided according to the scale of the lateral variations in Earth structure. Overall, our results indicate that M1DEA could be a computationally much cheaper alternative to 3D finite element models, but further work is needed to quantify the relative accuracy of both methods for different resolutions, loads, and Earth structure variations.

How to cite: Hartmann, R., Ebbing, J., and Conrad, C. P.: A Multiple 1D Earth Approach (M1DEA) to account for lateral viscosity variations in solutions of the sea level equation: An application for glacial isostatic adjustment by Antarctic deglaciation, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-10466, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10466, 2020.

Numerous unresolved issues exist regarding the lithosphere of Antarctica, especially in terms of its fundamental density, temperature, and compositional structure. Estimates of total lithospheric thickness typically involve assumptions on the depth of the Moho discontinuity, which remains ill-constrained in several parts of Antarctica. Recent estimates of the Moho depth from different geophysical methods show significant discrepancies of 10-20 km in large sectors of the continent. While seismological methods suffer from a limited station coverage and ice reverberation, potential field methods, such as gravity studies, are inherently non-unique. By modelling multiple geophysical parameters in a consistent way and accounting for thermodynamically stable mineral phases of rocks as a function of pressure and temperature conditions, we were able to mitigate the detrimental effects of data sparseness while also reducing geophysical inconsistencies and ambiguities. Gravity gradient data from ESA’s satellite mission ‘GOCE’ are used here to constrain the density distribution within the lithosphere in an integrated 3D model of the Antarctic continent. Independent seismic estimates serve as a benchmark for the robustness of our results. Our model derives new estimates of the crustal and the total lithospheric thickness of Antarctica.
Based on our new 3D lithospheric model, we investigate the feasibility of a mantle plume beneath parts of West Antarctica, which has been inferred from previous geochemistry, seismology, and glacial isostatic adjustment studies. The impact of thermal anomalies, simulating ponded plume material, on different geophysical parameters, such as geothermal heat flux, seismic velocities, mineral phase transition changes, gravity, and topographic elevation are modelled for both Marie Byrd Land and Ross Island, two key candidate sites for putative plumes. Combined interpretation of the results is performed together with current understanding of geodynamic processes, such as locations of the LLVPs at the core-mantle boundary, representing potential ‘cradles’ for plumes.
Our results suggest that a deep-rooted mantle plume is unlikely beneath West Antarctica. However, the observed low seismic velocity zones could still correspond to proposed hot upper mantle zones characterised by lower viscosity. Alternative/additional explanations, such compositional effects and water content as causes for the seismic anomalies must also be further evaluated to better assess their effects on mantle viscosities. This is particularly important beneath regions of recent ice mass loss and recently observed remarkably high rates of GIA-induced bedrock uplift, such as the Amundsen Sea Embayment.

How to cite: Pappa, F., Bredow, E., Ebbing, J., and Ferraccioli, F.: Modelling Antarctica’s lithospheric structure and testing the West Antarctic mantle plume hypothesis, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-8542, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-8542, 2020.

Improving the understanding of geothermal heat flux in Antarctica is crucial for ice-sheet modelling and glacial isostatic adjustment. It affects the ice rheology and can lead to basal melting, thereby promoting ice flow. Direct measurements are sparse and models inferred from e.g. magnetic or seismological data differ immensely. By Bayesian inversion, we evaluated the uncertainties of some of these models and studied the interdependencies of the thermal parameters. In contrast to previous studies, our method allows the parameters to vary laterally, which leads to a heterogeneous West- and a slightly more homogeneous East Antarctica with overall lower surface heat flux. The Curie isotherm depth and radiogenic heat production have the strongest impact on our results but both parameters have a high uncertainty.

To overcome such shortcomings, we adopt a machine learning approach, more specifically a Gradient Boosted Regression Tree model, in order to find an optimal predictor for locations with sparse measurements. However, this approach largely relies on global data sets, which are notoriously unreliable in Antarctica. Therefore, validity and quality of the data sets is reviewed and discussed. Using regional and more detailed data sets of Antarctica’s Gondwana neighbors might improve the predictions due to their similar tectonic history. The performance of the machine learning algorithm can then be examined by comparing the predictions to the existing measurements. From our study, we expect to get new insights in the geothermal structure of Antarctica, which will help with future studies on the coupling of Solid Earth and Cryosphere.

How to cite: Lösing, M., Ebbing, J., and Szwillus, W.: New Heat Flux Model for Antarctica with a Machine Learning Approach, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-7014, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-7014, 2020.

The Wilkes Subglacial Basin (WSB) is a major intraplate tectonic feature in East Antarctica. It stretches for ca 1400 km from the edge of the Southern Ocean, where it is up to 600 km wide towards South Pole, where it is less than 100 km wide. Recent modelling of its subice topography (Paxman et al., 2019, JGR) lends support to a long-standing hypothesis predicting that the wide basin is linked to flexure of more rigid and mostly Precambrian cratonic lithosphere induced by the Cenozoic uplift of the adjacent Trasantarctic Mountains,. However, there is also mounting evidence from potential field and radar exploration that its narrower structurally controlled sub-basins may have formed in response to more localised Mesozoic to Cenozoic extension and transtension that preferentially steered glacial erosion (Paxman et al., 2018, GRL).  

Here we exploit recent advancements in regional aerogeophysical data compilations and continental scale satellite gravity gradient imaging with the overarching aim of helping unveil the degree of 4D heterogeneity in the crust and lithosphere beneath the WSB. New views of crustal and lithosphere thickness stem from 3D satellite gravity modelling (Pappa et al., 2019, JGR) and these can be compared with predictions from previous flexural modelling and seismological results. By stripping out the computed effects of crustal and lithosphere thickness variations we then obtain residual intra-crustal gravity anomalies. These are in turn compared with a suite of enhanced aeromagnetic anomaly images. We then calculate depth to magnetic and gravity source estimates and use these results to help constrain the first combined 2D magnetic and gravity models for two selected regions within the WSB.

One first model reveals a major lithospheric scale boundary along the eastern margin of the northern WSB. It separates the Cambro-Ordovician Ross Orogen from a newly defined composite Precambrian Wilkes Terrane that forms the unexposed crustal basement buried beneath partially exposed early Cambrian metasediments and more recent Devonian to Jurassic sediments.

Our second model investigates a sector of the WSB further south, where the proposed Precambrian basement is modelled as being both shallower and of more felsic bulk composition. Although the lack of drilling precludes direct sampling of this cryptic basement, aeromagnetic anomaly patterns suggest that it may be akin to late Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic igneous basement exposed in part of the Gawler and Curnamona cratons in South Australia. We conclude that these first order differences in basement depth, bulk composition and thickness of metasediment/sediment cover are a key and previously un-appreciated intra-crustal boundary condition, which is likely to affect geothermal heat flux variability beneath different sectors of the WSB, with potential cascading effects on subglacial hydrology and the flow of the overlying East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

How to cite: Armadillo, E., Ferraccioli, F., Ghirotto, A., Young, D., Blankenship, D., and Siegert, M.: Magnetic and gravity views of crust and lithosphere heterogeneity in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin of East Antarctica, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-10664, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10664, 2020.

Mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet has accelerated during the past decade due to climate warming. This deglaciation is now considered a major contributor to global sea level rise, and a serious threat to future coastlines. It is therefore vital to measure patterns and volumes of ice sheet mass loss. However, measurements of the ice sheet’s mass and elevation, both of which decrease as the ice melts, are also sensitive to ground deformation associated with glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), which is the solid Earth’s response to ice loss since the last ice age. For Greenland, GIA is poorly constrained in part because Greenland’s complex geologic history, with a passage over the Iceland Plume, probably created large lateral viscosity variations beneath Greenland that complicate the GIA response.

The Norwegian MAGPIE project (Magnetotelluric Analysis for Greenland and Postglacial Isostatic Evolution) seeks to develop new constraints on mantle viscosity beneath Greenland by collecting magnetotelluric (MT) data on the ice sheet. MT images the Earth’s electrical conductivity, which is sensitive to three of the major controls on mantle viscosity: temperature, partial melt content and water content of solid-state mantle minerals. We therefore plan to use MT data, together with existing seismic data, to map viscosity variations beneath Greenland. During the summer of 2019 we deployed 13 MT stations in a 200 km grid centered on EastGRIP camp on the North-East Greenland Ice Stream. Good quality data were recorded at periods up to 10,000 s, providing good resolution of upper mantle conductivity structure. We also collected a broadband MT traverse across the NE Greenland Ice Stream, which allows us to directly compare MT and radar data to investigate the role of basal melt on ice flow dynamics. During the 2020 summer season we will be collecting additional data over the south-western and central parts of the ice sheet. Here we show preliminary constraints on the conductivity of the asthenosphere, lithosphere, and crust beneath Greenland, which will be used to investigate the upper mantle viscosity structure, including the present-day signature of the Iceland Plume.

How to cite: Conrad, C., Selway, K., Weerdesteijn, M., Smith-Johnsen, S., Nisancioglu, K., and Karlsson, N.: Magnetotelluric Constraints on Upper Mantle Viscosity Structure and Basal Melt Beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet , EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-10542, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10542, 2020.

The mass lost from Greenland ice sheet is one of the most important contribution to the global sea level rise, and it is under constant monitoring. However, still little is known about the heat flux at the glacier bedrock, and how it affects dynamics of the major outlet glaciers in Greenland. Recent studies suggest that the hotspot currently under Iceland have been under eastern Greenland at ~40 Ma BP and that the upwelling of hot material from the Iceland plume towards Greenland is ongoing. A warm upper mantle has a low viscosity, which in turn causes the solid Earth to rebound much faster to deglaciation. We have good reasons to believe that mantle beneath SE-Greenland has very low viscosity (Khan, et al. 2016), as also suggested by the discrepancy between the GPS velocities and the predicted purely elastic deformations caused by present-day ice loss. Here we present a preliminary computation of the Earth deformation driven by a low viscosity mantle excited by the deglatiation since the little ice age (LIA) to the present day. We produce the time series of such deformation and compare it with GPS time series, the oldest dating back to 1992.

How to cite: Barletta, V. R., Bordoni, A., and Khan, S. A.: Impact of the Icelandic hotspot on GPS time series in southeast Greenland , EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-11093, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-11093, 2020.

Models of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) processes are useful because they help us understand landscape evolution in past and current glaciated regions. Such models are sensitive to ice and ocean loading as well as to Earth material properties, such as viscosity. Many current GIA models assume radially-symmetric (layered) viscosity structures, but viscosity may vary laterally and these variations can have large effects on GIA modeling outputs. Here we present the potential of using ASPECT, an open-source finite element mantle-convection code that can handle lateral viscosity variations, for GIA modeling applications. ASPECT has the advantage of adaptive mesh refinement, making it computationally efficient, especially for problems such as GIA with large variations in strain rates. Furthermore, ASPECT is open-source, as will be the GIA extension, making it a valuable future tool for the GIA community.

Our GIA extension is benchmarked using a similar case as in Martinec et al. (GJI, 2018), such that the performance of our GIA code can be compared to other GIA codes. In this case, a spherically symmetric, five-layer, incompressible, self-gravitating viscoelastic Earth model is used (Spada et al, GJI 2011). The surface load consists of a spherical ice cap centered at the North pole, and is applied as a Heaviside loading. The ice load remains constant with time, and thus we have not yet implemented the full sea level equation (SLE). Beyond this benchmark, we have incorporated lateral viscosity variations underneath the ice cap, to demonstrate the ability of efficiently implementing laterally-varying material properties in ASPECT.

We show the possibilities, capabilities, and potential of ASPECT for GIA modeling. In the near future we will further develop the code with the sea level equation and an ocean basin, and will explore ASPECT’s current capability of using time-varying distributed surface loads. These functions will allow for modeling of GIA for realistic ice load scenarios imposed above potentially complex earth structures.

How to cite: Weerdesteijn, M., Conrad, C., Naliboff, J., and Selway, K.: Developing an open-source 3D glacial isostatic adjustment modeling code using ASPECT, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-3531, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-3531, 2020.

In this study, we focus on better constraint of the long term glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) signal at present-day, and its role as a contributor to total present-day rates of change. The main study area extends from the coastal regions of northern Europe to Scandinavia. Both Holocene relative sea level (RSL) data as well as vertical land motion (VLM) data are incorporated as constraints in a semi-empirical GIA model. Specifically, 70 geological rates of GIA-driven RSL change are inferred from Holocene data; peak RSL fall is indicated in central Scandinavia and the northern British Isles where past ice sheets were thickest, RSL rise is indicated in the southern British Isles and along the northern European coastline. Rates of vertical land motion from GPS at 108 sites provide an additional measure of regional GIA deformation. Within the study area, the geological RSL data complement the spatial gaps of the VLM data and vice versa; both datasets are inverted in a semi-empirical GIA model to yield updated estimates of regional present-day GIA deformations. A regional validation is presented for the North Sea, where the GIA signal may be complicated by lateral variations in Earth structure and existing predictions of regional and global GIA models are discrepant. The model validation in the North Sea region indicates that geological data are needed to fit independent estimates of GIA-related RSL change inferred from tide gauge rates, suggesting that the geological rates provide an important additional constraint of present-day GIA.

How to cite: Simon, K. and Riva, R.: Constraint of GIA in Northern Europe with Geological RSL and VLM Data, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-19774, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-19774, 2020.

Crustal density is a fundamental physical parameter that helps to reveal its composition and structure, and is also significantly related to the tectonic evolution and geodynamics. Based on the latest Bouguer gravity anomalies and the constrains of 3-D shear velocity model and surface heat flow data, the 3-D gravity inversion method, incorporating deep weight function, has been used to obtain the refined density structure over the Antarctic continent. Our results show that the density anomalies changes from -0.25 g/cm³ to 0.20 g/cm³. Due to the multi-phase extensional tectonics in Mesozoic and Cenozoic, the low density anomalies dominates in the West Antarctica, while the East Antarctica is characterized by high values of density anomalies. By comparing with the variations of effective elastic thickness, the inverted density structure correlates well with the lithospheric integrated strength. According to the mechanical strength and inverted density structure in the West Antarctic Rift System (WARS), our analysis found that except for the local area affected by the Cenozoic extension and magmatic activity, the crustal thermal structure in the WARS tends to be normal under the effect of heat dissipation. Finally, the low density anomalies features in West Antarctica extend to beneath the Transantarcitc Mountains (TAMs), however, we hypothesize that a single rift mechanism seems not be used to explain the entire TAMs range.

How to cite: Ji, F. and Zhang, Q.: Crustal density structure of the Antarctic continent from constrained 3-D gravity inversion, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-4427, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-4427, 2020.