Weakened continental lithosphere beneath the northern Red Sea inferred from elastic thickness
Weakened continental lithosphere beneath the northern Red Sea inferred from elastic thickness
The northern Red Sea (NRS) is considered an extended continental region that has resulted in a rift
system. Gravity and bathymetry data were used to estimate the Moho depth and the elastic thickness
Te of the lithosphere beneath the NRS region to characterize its flexural rigidity and understand its
mechanical behavior. Focusing on the Mabahiss Deep in NRS, we analyzed the lithosphere’s flexural
rigidity. The observed long-wavelength positive Bouguer anomaly is attributed to crustal thinning and
lithospheric mantle uplift. The crustal thickness varies from 28 km in coastal areas to 24 km beneath
the axial rift, supporting a regional compensation model over the Airy model. Forward modeling
suggests that the optimal model explaining the regional Bouguer anomaly is a flexural model with Te
equal to 7 km, indicating a weak and irregular continental crust. The primary factor contributing to
this weakness is heating activity. Given the weakened state of the crust and the ongoing extension in
the region, the NRS rift could evolve into a rupture, potentially leading to the formation of oceanic
crust.
The northern Red Sea (NRS) is considered an extended continental region that has resulted in a rift
system. Gravity and bathymetry data were used to estimate the Moho depth and the elastic…
This study aims to synthesize seismic observations with gravity and magnetic data and to suggest a new scenario
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The Eastern flank of the Red sea represents an uplifted Precambrian basement that is known as the
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