Towards a 3D integrated geophysical model of Northern Chile

The South American active margin is one of the most important and well-studied subduction zones on the Earth. In the last decade, our knowledge about the geometry of its respective constituent parts in Northern Chile has been significantly expanded thanks to seismicity data from a large network of permanent seismic stations. That calls for an effort to summarize these diverse constraints in a single 3D model, which can be validated and optimized using satellite gravity data.

Integrated geophysical modelling is primarily based on gravity data, which bring information about different crustal density inhomogeneities and their sources. As an inverse geophysical problem, gravity modelling is ambiguous, and therefore it is necessary to include geometry constraints from other geophysical data as well as geological information. Different types of seismic data offer the most commonly used constraints due to their depth range and the relatively well-described relation between seismic velocities and densities.

We aim to compile a 3D integrated geophysical model for Northern Chile in the IGMAS+ software, based on gravity data of the global gravitational (or geopotential) model EIGEN-6C4, which include terrestrial, satellite and altimetry data to a high degree and order of spherical harmonic expansion. As the main geometry constraints of the model, we use the newest available seismicity catalogs in the study area together with crustal thickness values from receiver functions. Starting with the geometries of previously published density models in the area of the Central Andes, especially those located at least partly in Northern Chile, we will modify these models guided by the geometry constraints from seismic data and will also use regional and global models of crustal and lithospheric interfaces, such as the top of basement in sedimentary areas, plate interface geometry, depth to continental Moho, and the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB). Densities of the modeled bodies will be selected based on previously published models or estimated from seismic velocities. We also plan to study the gravity effect of the different geometries deduced from different generations of seismic data.

Our contribution provides an overview of evidence compiled in previous studies and adds new information on the deep lithospheric structure of the North Chilean margin by integrating them into a single model.