Gravity modelling of the lower crust in Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

In this paper an example is given of an application of statistical techniques to the Bouguer anomalies analysis in order to design a simple crustal model using few a priori assumptions. All gravity measurements carried out in Sardinia have been collected and processed. The Bouguer anomalies have been calculated according to local density estimates. Spectral analysis of the Bouguer anomalies has been carried out along selected profiles in order to estimate the mean depth of the Moho discontinuity and that of an infracrustal discontinuity. The use of this technique inferred the presence of a discontinuity at a mean depth of ~ 28 km, interpreted as Moho and the likely presence of an infracrustal discontinuity at a mean depth of ~18 km, interpreted as the upper-lower crust transition. In order to roughly reconstruct the shape of these interfaces, 2D inversion techniques were applied to the large wavelength components of the Bouguer anomalies, relative to profiles oriented along the E-W direction, extracted from low-pass filtered Bouguer anomaly maps. The density model obtained is compatible with some velocity models achieved from the interpretation of the seismic refraction profiles carried out within the European Geotraverse project.