U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Research on Conjugate Margins of Argentina and Antarctica

该奖项支持由哥伦比亚大学拉蒙特-多尔蒂地质观测站的约翰·拉布雷克和阿根廷布宜诺斯艾利斯南极研究所的玛尔塔·吉德拉进行的关于阿根廷和南极边缘地球物理学的合作研究。这项工作将扩展南极威德尔盆地和南美洲南部边缘共轭边缘的前侏罗纪重建研究。该程序将比较非洲和南美洲南大西洋两岸的磁和重力异常，以确定原始大陆的重建。目前的资料表明，威德尔和南美边缘是共轭裂谷边缘，但缺乏有关威德尔一侧的资料。这项研究将有助于通过倾斜地震反射器测量提供这类数据，这些数据可以指示火山增厚的海洋地壳的厚堆积。这些将与高振幅磁异常相关联。这一结果将进一步阐明冈瓦纳超大陆分裂的理论。在这项研究中，美国方面将受益于阿根廷的后勤支持，获得新的数据集，以及地球物理科学的总体进步。他们带来了先进的科学计算和改进的仪器，作为合作的额外好处。其结果将是扩大南大洋这一区域的数据库，并鼓励美国和阿根廷在南极研究方面的联合地球物理努力。

This award supports cooperative research on the geophysics of Argentine and Antarctic margins to be conducted by John LaBrecque of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory at Columbia University and Marta Ghidella of the Antarctic Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This work will extend studies of the pre-Jurassic reconstructions of the conjugate margins of the Antarctic Weddell basin and the southern edge of South America. The procedure will be to compare magnetic and gravitational anomalies on both sides of the South Atlantic in Africa and South America to define the reconstruction of the prerift continent. Current information suggests that the Weddell and South American margins are conjugate rift margins but data is lacking for the Weddell side. This study will help provide such data through dipping seismic reflector measurements which can indicate thick accumulations of volcanically thickened oceanic crust. These will be correlated with high amplitude magnetic anomalies. The results will be shed further light on the theory of the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana. In this study, the U.S. side will benefit from logistic support in Argentina, access to new data sets, and general advancement of geophysical science. They bring advanced scientific computing and improved instrumentation as additional benefits to the collaboration. The result will be an expanded data base for this sector of the southern oceans and encouragement for the U.S.-Argentine joint geophysical effort in Antarctic research.