Mon Feb 16, F. Flechtner
• Sorted by Date • Sorted by Last Name of First Author •
Ghomsi, Franck Eitel Kemgang, Tenzer, Robert, Chen, Wenjin, Baranov, Alexey, Apeh, Ojima Isaac, Xiaolong, Tan, Guoqing, Hong, and Stroeve, Julienne, 2026. Gravity maps of the African continental crustal and mantle structure. Earth Science Reviews, 275:105412, doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2026.105412.
• from the NASA Astrophysics Data System • by the DOI System •
@ARTICLE{2026ESRv..27505412G,
author = {{Ghomsi}, Franck Eitel Kemgang and {Tenzer}, Robert and {Chen}, Wenjin and {Baranov}, Alexey and {Apeh}, Ojima Isaac and {Xiaolong}, Tan and {Guoqing}, Hong and {Stroeve}, Julienne},
title = "{Gravity maps of the African continental crustal and mantle structure}",
journal = {Earth Science Reviews},
keywords = {Archean cratons, African Rift Systems, Gravity, Africa, Lithosphere, Mantle, Tectonics},
year = 2026,
month = apr,
volume = {275},
eid = {105412},
pages = {105412},
abstract = "{The African continent is characterized by a complex tectonic and
geological history, with its current configuration shaped by the
assemblage of Precambrian cratons and fragments delineated by
Proterozoic and Paleozoic mobile belts. Knowledge of its
lithospheric structure has primarily been derived from sparsely
and irregularly distributed seismic surveys, limiting continent-
wide analysis. To address this issue, we utilize satellite
(e.g., GOCE, GRACE) and terrestrial gravity observations,
integrated with lithospheric structure models, to compile a
suite of gravity maps on a 5' {\texttimes} 5' geographical grid.
The maps of the free-air, Bouguer, crust-stripped, mantle,
lithosphere-stripped, and sub-lithospheric mantle gravity
disturbances enable detailed interpretation of Africa's
lithospheric architecture. Our methodology enhances traditional
gravimetric studies by applying advanced corrections for
topographic, bathymetric, sediment, crustal, and lithospheric
mantle density heterogeneities, revealing deeper structural
signatures. The free-air gravity map exhibits a signature of
topographic and upper crustal density variations, with positive
anomalies (+50 to +150 mGal) over elevated regions (e.g.,
Ethiopian Plateau) and negative anomalies ({\ensuremath{-}}50 to
{\ensuremath{-}}150 mGal) over sedimentary basins (e.g., Congo
Basin). The Bouguer gravity map highlights tectonic and volcanic
features, reflecting crustal thickness variations, with
isostatic equilibrium in cratons and disequilibrium along
continental rifts like the East African Rift System (EARS). The
crust-stripped gravity map mirrors Moho geometry, showing a
stark contrast between thin oceanic and thick continental crust.
The mantle gravity map exhibits a thermal signature, with
gravity lows marking active divergent margins along the East and
West Rift Systems and highs coinciding with cold, stable Archean
cratons. Combined Bouguer and mantle gravity analyses confirm a
non-collisional origin of mountain ranges along the EARS.
Notably, the southern portion of the EARS lacks a clear thermal
signature, suggesting distributed deformation at diffuse plate
boundaries. These findings, alongside signatures of the African
Superswell and the Congo Craton subsidence, provide new insights
into Africa's geodynamic evolution, supporting future
geophysical and resource exploration efforts.}",
doi = {10.1016/j.earscirev.2026.105412},
adsurl = {https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026ESRv..27505412G},
adsnote = {Provided by the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System}
}
Generated by
bib2html_grace.pl
(written by Patrick Riley
modified for this page by Volker Klemann) on
Mon Feb 16, 2026 23:51:58
GRACE-FO
Mon Feb 16, F. Flechtner