On lithospheric studies utilizing geoid/gravity anomalies over the enderby Basin, Antarctica

Abstract

Present article is the study of various products of satellite data of the Enderby Basin, thereby correlated to known plate tectonic features, volcanic traces and continental margin features. Timing for breakup of the Indian continent from eastern Gondwanaland and evolution of the lithosphere in the Bay of Bengal are still remained as ambiguous issues. Geoid and free-air gravity data of the conjugate regions, Bay of Bengal and Enderby Basin, are coupled with ship-borne geophysical data for investigation of early evolution of the eastern Indian Ocean. The geoid and gravity data over the western Enderby Basin reveal a major Kerguelen Fracture Zone (FZ) and five N4°E FZs. Spectral analyses of free-air gravity anomaly over a part of the Enderby Basin near Conrad Rise indicate that the sources of those anomalies varies between 100-400 km The results obtained from these analyses may help in further exploration in these conjugate basins.