Skip to main content

Elastic Properties of the Lithosphere

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Mantle Plumes and Their Effects

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences ((BRIEFSEARTHSYST))

  • 778 Accesses

Abstract

The elastic thickness (Te) is the computed thickness of a lithospheric plate that responds elastically to long term geological loading by flexure. The loading should take place for more than 105 years. The elastic thickness represents the integrated strength of the lithosphere and is a measure of its resistivity to deformation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Banks RJ, Parker RL, Huestis SP (1977) Isostatic compensation on a continental scale: local versus regional mechanism. Geophys J R Astron Soc 51:431ā€“452

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Braitenberg C, Ebbing J, Gƶtze H-J (2002) Inverse modeling of elastic thickness by convolution methodā€”the eastern Alps as a case example. Earth Planet Sci Lett 202:387ā€“404

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Caldwell JG, Turcotte DL (1979) Dependence of the elastic thickness of the oceanic lithosphere on age. J Geophys Res 84:7572ā€“7576

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Cazenave A, Lago B, Dominh K, Lambeck K (1980) On the response of the ocean lithosphere to seamount loads from Geos 3 satellite radar altimeter observations. Geophys J R Astron Soc 63:233ā€“252

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Courtney RC, Beaumont C (1983) Thermally-activated creep and flexure of the oceanic lithosphere. Nature 305:201ā€“204

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Dixon TH, Naraghi M, McNutt MK, Smith SM (1983) Bathymetric prediction from Seasat altimeter data. J Geophys Res 88:1563ā€“1571

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Forsyth DW (1985) Subsurface loading and estimates of the flexural rigidity of continental lithosphere. J Geophys Res 90:12623ā€“12632

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Goodwillie AM, Watts AB (1993) An altimetric and bathymetric study of elastic thickness in the central Pacific Ocean. Earth Planet Sci Lett 118:311ā€“326

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Gunn R (1943) A quantitative evaluation of the influence of the lithosphere on the anomalies of gravity. Franklin Inst J 236:47ā€“65

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Lambeck K, Nakiboglu SM (1981) Seamount loading and stress in the ocean lithosphere, 2. Viscoelastic and elastic-viscoelastic models. J Geophys Res 86:6961ā€“6984

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Lyons SN, Sandwell DT, Smith WHF (2000) Three-dimensional estimation of elastic thickness under the Louisville Ridge. J Geophys Res 105:13239ā€“13252

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • McKenzie DP, Bowin CO (1976) The relationship between bathymetry and gravity in the Atlantic Ocean. J Geophys Res 81:1903ā€“1915

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • McNutt MK, Parker RL (1978) Isostasy in Australia and the evolution of the compensation mechanism. Science 199:773ā€“775

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Munk WH, Cartwright DE (1966) Tidal spectroscopy and prediction. J Geophys Res 259:533ā€“581

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Nadai A (1963) Theory of flow and fracture of solids, vol 2. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Quinlan GM, Beaumont C (1984) Appalachian thrusting, lithospheric flexure and the Paleozoic stratigraphy of the eastern Interior of North America. Can J Earth Sci 21:973ā€“996

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Sleep NH, Snell NS (1976) Thermal contraction and flexure of mid-continent and Atlantic marginal basins. Geophys J R Astron Soc 45:125ā€“154

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Smith WHF, Sandwell DT (1994) Elastic lithosphere thickness estimated from dense satellite altimetry and sparse shipboard bathymetry. Suppl EOS Trans Am Geophys Union 75(44):154

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Talwani M, Worzel JL, Landisman M (1959) Rapid gravity computations for two-dimensional bodies with applications to the Mendocino submarine fracture zone. J Geophys Res 54:49ā€“59

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Walcott RI (1970) Flexural rigidity and viscosity of the lithosphere. J Geophys Res 75:3941ā€“3953

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Walcott RI (1976) Lithospheric flexure, analysis of gravity anomalies, and the propagation of seamount chains. In: Sutton GH, Manghnani MH, Moberly R (eds) The geophysics of the Pacific Ocean basin and its margins. Geophys Monogr Ser 19. Am Geophys Union. Washington, pp 431ā€“438

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB (1978) An analysis of isostasy in the worldā€™s oceans: 1. Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain. J Geophys Res 83:5989ā€“6004

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB (1983) The strength of the Earthā€™s crust. Marine Tech Soc J 17: 12ā€“17

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB (2001) Isostacy and flexure of the lithosphere. Cambridge University Press, New York, p 458

    Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB, ten Brink US (1989) Crustal structure, flexure and subsidence history of the Hawaiian Islands. J Geophys Res 94:10473ā€“10500

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB, Zhong S (2000) Observations of flexure and the rheology of oceanic lithosphere. Geophys J Int 142:855ā€“875

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Watts AB, Cochran JR, Patriat P, Doucoure M (1985) A bathymetry and altimetry profile of the Southwest Indian Ridge at 31Ā°S. Earth Planet Sci Lett 73:129ā€“139

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

  • Zhong S (1997) Dynamics of crustal compensation and its influences on crustal isostacy. J Geophys Res 102(B7):15287ā€“15299

    ArticleĀ  Google ScholarĀ 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

Ā© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Choudhuri, M., NemĨok, M. (2017). Elastic Properties of the Lithosphere. In: Mantle Plumes and Their Effects. SpringerBriefs in Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44239-6_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics