A geophysical perspective on the lithosphere–asthenosphere system from Periadriatic to the Himalayan areas: the contribution of gravimetry

Abstract

The structure of the lithosphere–asthenosphere system as imaged from the complementary inversion of seismological and gravimetric data can provide significant clues to understand the processes of orogeny and cratonization and to better formulate the theory of plate tectonics within a sound geodynamic context. In this paper, we review some studies sharing a common synergic methodology that uses the geometry of cellular shear-wave velocity models of the crust and uppermost mantle to constrain a 3D density model obtained by means of linear inversion of gravimetric data. These studies, which were applied to selected areas along an ideal stream running from the Periadriatic region to the Himalayas, despite having different resolution, show some basic common features in the density distribution of the upper mantle whose unveiling may be precluded to gravity models achieved by assuming velocity–density relationships. In fact, one of the main conclusions of the discussed studies is that lithospheric slabs under the investigated orogenic belts, as identified by seismic wave velocity, are, as a rule, not marked by high density. This fact casts serious doubts about the effectiveness of slab-pull and confirms one of the key issues of polarized plate tectonics, mostly fuelled by tidal drag.