Mechanical Strength of Extended Lithosphere: Application tothe Exmouth Plateau, Northwest Australia

目前，与伸展盆地和被动大陆边缘有关的伸展大陆岩石圈是否具有机械强度(或弯曲刚性)存在着重大争议。这项工作将：(1)对以前的研究中使用的假设和方法进行批判性检验，这些假设和方法得出的结论是，伸展的岩石圈的强度可以忽略不计；(2)调查重力异常对伸展以来弯曲刚性变化的敏感性；以及(3)确定澳大利亚西北部埃克斯茅斯高原边缘的机械强度。

A major controversy presently exists over whether extended continental lithosphere, associated with extensional basins and passive continental margins, possesses mechanical strength (or flexural rigidity). This work will: (1) provide a critical examination of the assumptions and methods used in previous studies that concluded that extended lithosphere has negligible strength, (2) investigate the sensitivity of gravity anomalies to variations of flexural rigidity as a function of time since extension, and (3) determine the mechanical strength of the Exmouth plateau margin of northwest Australia.