2014/10/02 by David T. Sandwell, R. Dietmar Müller, Walter H. F. Smith +2 · 4 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Seamount #Tectonics #Geology #High resolution #Geodesy #Satellite #Seismology #Geography #Oceanography #Paleontology #Remote sensing
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1258213
openalex publication_date 2014/10/02 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Gravity models are powerful tools for mapping tectonic structures, especially in the deep ocean basins where the topography remains unmapped by ships or is buried by thick sediment. We combined new radar altimeter measurements from satellites CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 with existing data to construct a global marine gravity model that is two times more accurate than previous models. We found an extinct spreading ridge in the Gulf of Mexico, a major propagating rift in the South Atlantic Ocean, abyssal hill fabric on slow-spreading ridges, and thousands of previously uncharted seamounts. These discoveries allow us to understand regional tectonic processes and highlight the importance of satellite-derived gravity models as one of the primary tools for the investigation of remote ocean basins.