GRACE

See movie

Free air gravity anomalies derived from radar altimetric determinations of geoid height

milligals

Bathymetry determined from satellite radar derived gravity plus shipboard measurements

Major types of isostatic compensation

1. Airy: crustal root compensates elevated topography
a. Ocean-continent crustal thicknesses
b. Majority of variations in elevations on continental
mountain belts
c. Oceanic plateaus
2. Thermal: elevated topography a result of thermal expansion
a. Ocean ridge system
b. Basin and Range
3. Flexural isostasy
a. Bending of the lithosphere: oceanic trenches
b. Regional isostasy

Airy isostasy
crust
mantle

crustal thickening

Airy isostasy
topographic load

crust
mantle

compensating root

Simple Airy isostasy is dealt

with in more detail in
grav_anom.ppt

Thermal isostasy

Temperature,
degrees C
1300
0

uplift from thermal expansion

crust

ric
he
sp
ho ing
Lit hinn
t

mantle lithosphere

50

A
B

B
100

1300 C
150

mantle athenosphere
200
Thermal thinning and uplift are
dealt with in more detail in
thermal.pdf

Outstanding continental examples of thermal or Airy isostasy

thermal

Airy

Airy