Constraining Subglacial Geology with Geophysical Joint Inversion in Antarctica

Explore the latest findings on subglacial geology in Antarctica through geophysical joint inversion techniques. Delve into the complex relationship between subglacial geology and ice sheet dynamics, focusing on Victoria Land and the Wilkes Subglacial Basin in East Antarctica. Learn how airborne gravity and magnetic data, combined with petrological measurements, are used to infer crustal rock properties beneath the thick ice sheets. Discover the challenges of validating geophysical models against limited direct geological information and the importance of rock samples in interpreting inversion results. Examine the implications of a large intrusive body in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin and the tectonically complex transition zone at the margin of the Terre Adélie Craton. Discuss the potential impact of these geological features on local heat flow and subglacial lake formation. Compare high-resolution and regional-scale inversion models to assess the importance of resolution in constraining fine-scale geological structures. Gain insights into the utility of a new rock properties catalogue containing laboratory measurements from northern Victoria Land samples and its role in validating inverted density and susceptibility distributions. Understand the significance of incorporating local rock samples into geophysical studies for predicting rock types in unexplored areas of Antarctica.

Constraining subglacial geology with geophysical joint inversion in Antarctica. - Maximilian Lowe