P8: The Lithospheric transfer function

Supervisors

Prof. Hans-Peter Bunge, Prof. Roland Pail

Advisors (int.)

Dr. Ingo Stotz (LMU)

Advisors (ext.)

Prof. Dr. van der Meijde (Univ. Twente)

Description

A significant component of topography globally is supported by lithospheric isostasy. The goal of this work package is to determine the best possible isostasy model for the contemporary state of the lithosphere by taking advantage of geodetic (P1, P2), geologic (P3, P4) and geophysical (P5) observables. This will include the use of gravity and gravity gradient data sets from modern satellite missions to constrain lithospheric architectures and will involve studies of the impact of uncertainties of gravity models on crustal thickness estimates. The separation problem of dynamic topography and topography in isostatic support will be helped further by exploiting the transient nature of dynamic topography and turning to geologic archives (P4) in order to deliver proxy records of continent-scale mantle-induced vertical motion of the lithosphere. 

Main objectives

• Transfer function between results of the geodynamic model and the landscape evolution model

RTG coupling

Input:

• Spatially coherent model of paleotopography as a function of time from P7.
• P1, P2 and P5 provide contemporary uplift rates, gravity signals, and mantle density anomalies.
• Geologic uplift rates from P3, P4

Output:

• Coupling of the geodynamic model (P6) and the landscape evolution model (P7)
• Contemporary and transient uncertainty estimates (in connection with P9) 
• Results of P8 will be visualized in P10