Book Chapter

Lower crustal rheological expression in inverted basins

Mike Sandiford, David L Hansen, Sandra N Mclaren

Geological Society Special Publication | GEOLOGICAL SOC PUBLISHING HOUSE | Published : 2006

Abstract

Although lithospheric modelling has provided extraordinary insights into the processes that shape the continental crust, considerable uncertainty surrounds the basic rheology that governs behaviour at geological timescales. In part, this is because it has proved difficult to identify the geological observations that might discriminate, or unify, models of lithospheric rheology. In particular, the relative strength of lower crust and upper mantle remains a contentious aspect of continental lithospheric rheology. We show that various models for lower crustal rheology may produce distinct patterns of inversion in extensional sedimentary basins, consistent with some of the observed natural varia..

View full abstract

Grants

Awarded by ARC


Awarded by Australian Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by ARC grants DP0209157 and F10020050 and by the ACcESS MNRF. Constructive comments from L. Gemmer, R. Stephenson and E. Eide, and S. Buiter have helped our preparation of the manuscript. Irradiation of K-feldspar 01-524 was undertaken by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization through the Australian Instimte of Nuclear Science and Engineering.