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    On the robustness of estimates of mechanical anisotropy in the continental lithosphere: A North American case study and global reanalysis

    227814_227814.pdf (2.921Mb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Kalnins, L.
    Simons, F.
    Kirby, Jon
    Wang, D.
    Olhede, S.
    Date
    2015
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
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    Citation
    Kalnins, L. and Simons, F. and Kirby, J. and Wang, D. and Olhede, S. 2015. On the robustness of estimates of mechanical anisotropy in the continental lithosphere: A North American case study and global reanalysis. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 419: pp. 43-51.
    Source Title
    Earth and Planetary Science Letters
    DOI
    10.1016/j.epsl.2015.02.041
    ISSN
    0012-821X
    School
    Department of Spatial Sciences
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/34805
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Lithospheric strength variations both influence and are influenced by many tectonic processes, including orogenesis and rifting cycles. The long, complex, and highly anisotropic histories of the continental lithosphere might lead to a natural expectation of widespread mechanical anisotropy. Anisotropy in the coherence between topography and gravity anomalies is indeed often observed, but whether it corresponds to an elastic thickness that is anisotropic remains in question. If coherence is used to estimate flexural strength of the lithosphere, the null-hypothesis of elastic isotropy can only be rejected when there is significant anisotropy in both the coherence and the elastic strengths derived from it, and if interference from anisotropy in the data themselves can be plausibly excluded. We consider coherence estimates made using multitaper and wavelet methods, from which estimates of effective elastic thickness are derived. We develop a series of statistical and geophysical tests for anisotropy, and specifically evaluate the potential for spurious results with synthetically generated data. Our primary case study, the North American continent, does not exhibit meaningful anisotropy in its mechanical strength. Similarly, a global reanalysis of continental gravity and topography using multitaper methods produces only scant evidence for lithospheric flexural anisotropy.

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