Forward simulation of gravity for crustal structure of Xiachayu-Gonghe profile in eastern Tibetan plateau

Abstract

The crustal structure of Xiachayu-Gonghe geophysical profile in eastern Tibetan plateau is simulated with Bouguer anomaly corrected for sediments and lithosphere. The forward simulation shows that the thickness of upper crust in eastern Tibetan plateau is about 20 km, and the density is 2.78×103kg/m3. The bottom interface of middle crust changes from 30 km to 40 km, the density of middle crust is 2.89×103kg/m3. The materials with low density of 2.78 ×103kg/m3 exist in middle crust, and those with high density of 3.33 ×103kg/m3 exist at the bottom of middle crust between Wenquan and Tanggemu. The density is 3.10 ×103kg/m3 in lower crust. The shallowest depth of Moho interface is about 56 km, and the deepest one is about 74 km, the undulation of interface is large, the deep Moho is located in Xiachayu, Chayu, Nujiang, and Wenquan. The crustal density of eastern Tibetan plateau is larger than that of central section; the low velocity layers are located in middle crust and bottom in eastern Tibetan plateau and at the bottom of the upper crust in the central plateau. © 2010 Wuhan University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.