Abstract
Rifting incorporates the fundamental processes concerning the breakup of continental lithosphere and plays a significant role in the formation and evolution of sedimentary basins. In order to decipher the characteristics of rifting at its earliest stage, we conduct the first teleseismic crustal study of one of the world's youngest continental rifts, the Okavango Rift Zone (ORZ), where the magma has not yet breached the surface. Results from receiver function stacking and gravity modeling indicate that the crust/mantle boundary beneath the ORZ is uplifted by 4-5 km, and the initiation of the ORZ is closely related to lithospheric stretching. Possible decompression melting of the subcrustal lithosphere occurs beneath the ORZ, as evidenced by a relatively low upper mantle density based on the gravity modeling.
Recommended Citation
Y. Yu et al., "A Joint Receiver Function and Gravity Study of Crustal Structure beneath the Incipient Okavango Rift, Botswana," Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 42, no. 20, pp. 8398 - 8405, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oct 2015.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL065811
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Research Center/Lab(s)
Center for High Performance Computing Research
Keywords and Phrases
Geologic Models; Lithology; Tectonics; Botswana; Continental Crusts; Continental Rifting; East African Rift; Okavango Rift; Structural Geology; Continental Breakup; Continental Crust; Continental Lithosphere; Crust-Mantle Boundary; Crustal Structure; Crustal Thinning; Decompression; Gravity; Magma; Melting; Rifting; Sedimentary Basin; Shear; Teleseismic Wave; Uplift; Upper Mantle; Botswana; East African Rift; Okavango Rift Zone
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0094-8276
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2015 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Oct 2015
