A Multivariate Approach for Mapping Lithospheric Domain Boundaries in East Antarctica

Abstract

Beneath the ice of East Antarctica lies a continent that is likely to be as geologically complex as its neighbors in Gondwana. An improved model of the heterogeneous lithosphere is required to progress research on Antarctica's tectonic evolution and support interdisciplinary studies of cryosphere and solid Earth interaction. We make use of multiple data sets, which were updated following the field campaigns and compilations of the International Polar Year of 2007/2008. Seismic tomography results, gravity anomalies, and surface elevation are used in a novel method, which combines spatial multivariate data to map possible boundaries as projected likelihood functions. Six multivariate combinations are tested and compared with sparse geological observations in East Antarctica. The resulting lithospheric domain boundaries contribute to our understanding of the deep continental structure. New boundaries are suggested in the interior, and models agree with likely surface expressions of crustal tectonic boundaries exposed along the coast.