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Thermal cooling of the oceanic lithosphere from geoid height dataAnother type of geophysical observation has proved to be very useful in the study of thermal cooling of the oceanic lithosphere. It is the geoid height derivative with respect to plate age, a quantity computed from the short wavelength geoid step across fracture zones measured by altimeter satellites. Two categories of simples models are proposed to describe cooling and contraction of the oceanic lithosphere with age. Both plate model and half space model, give almost similar results up to ages of 50 to 70 ma, but predict quite distinct behavior of seafloor depth, heat flow and other parameters in old basins. Tests of thermal models are based on heat flow and topography data. However, heat flow is not very sensitive to the form of the thermal model. Large areas of the ocean floor are particularly shallow, and as a result topography data may not be very appropriate to discriminate between plate and half space models, and no clear concensus on a preferred model yet exists.
Document ID
19860003393
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Cazenae, A. (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales Toulouse, France)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Washington Geopotential Res. Mission (GRM)
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
SU-JIAA-TR-57
Accession Number
86N12861
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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