Gravity Survey of Lakes Albert, George and Edward, East Africa (Uganda and Zaire)

在大陆裂谷地区，活跃伸展区域的侧翼通常是地形隆起的。岩石圈在伸展过程中对构造卸荷的弯曲反弹被认为是裂谷侧向地形形成的主要过程，尽管也有其他可能的解释。这个项目将试图通过使用东非裂谷中几个大型湖泊系统的重力数据复盖来严格检验这一假设。湖泊周围陆地上的重力数据足以模拟剖面，但湖泊的数据很稀少，但湖泊标志着系统中最大的凹陷。将与乌干达地质调查和矿业部以及卢本巴希扎伊尔大学合作，对阿尔伯特湖、乔治湖和爱德华湖进行重力调查，并将得到的数据用于该地区详细的三维模型。预计结果将确定构造卸荷在裂谷-侧翼地形发育中的作用。

In areas of continental rifting, the flanks of the actively extending areas are commonly topographically elevated. Flexural rebound of the lithosphere in response to tectonic unloading during extension has been proposed to be the dominant process by which rift flank topography is generated, although other explanations are possible. This project will attempt to rigorously test this hypothesis by using gravity data coverage of several large lake systems in the East Africa rift. Gravity data on land around the lakes is adequate to model the profiles, but data from the lakes are sparse, yet the lakes mark the greatest depressions of the system. In cooperation with the Ugandan Department of Geological Survey and Mines and the Zairian University of Lubumbashi, gravity surveys of Lakes Albert, George and Edward will be performed and resulting data used in detailed three-dimensional models of this area. Results are expected to determine the role of tectonic unloading in rift-flank topography development.