MCS Profiles Research Articles

Velocity Structure Revealing a Likely Mud Volcano off the Dongsha Island, the Northern South China Sea

The Dongsha Island (DS) is located in the mid-northern South China Sea continental margin. The waters around it are underlain by the Chaoshan Depression, a relict Mesozoic sedimentary basin, blanketed by thin Cenozoic sediments but populated with numerous submarine hills with yet less-known nature. A large hill, H110, 300 m high, 10 km wide, appearing in the southeast to the Dongsha Island, is crossed by an ocean bottom seismic and multiple channel seismic surveying lines. The first arrival tomography, using ocean bottom seismic data, showed two obvious phenomena below it: (1) a low-velocity (3.3 to 4 km/s) zone, with size of 20 × 3 km2, centering at ~4.5 km depth and (2) an underlying high-velocity (5.5 to 6.3 km/s) zone of comparable size at ~7 km depth. MCS profiles show much-fragmented Cenozoic sequences, covering a wide chaotic reflection zone within the Mesozoic strata below hill H110. The low-velocity zone corresponds to the chaotic reflection zone and can be interpreted as of highly-fractured and fluid-rich Mesozoic layers. Samples dredged from H110 comprised of illite-bearing authigenic carbonate nodules and rich, deep-water organisms are indicative of hydrocarbon seepage from deep source. Therefore, H110 can be inferred as a mud volcano. The high-velocity zone is interpreted as of magma intrusion, considering that young magmatism was found enhanced over the southern CSD. Furthermore, the origin of H110 can be speculated as thermodynamically driven, i.e., magma from the depths intrudes into the thick Mesozoic strata and promotes petroleum generation, thus, driving mud volcanism. Mud volcanism at H110 and the occurrence of a low-velocity zone below it likely indicates the existence of Mesozoic hydrocarbon reservoir, which is in favor of the petroleum exploration.

Deep Structure of the North Natal Valley (Mozambique) Using Combined Wide‐Angle and Reflection Seismic Data

AbstractThe North Natal Valley (NNV) and the Mozambique Coastal Plain (MCP) are key areas for the understanding of the SW Indian Ocean history since the Gondwana break‐up. Nevertheless, the deep structures and the nature of the NNV and MCP remain discussed in the absence of deep geophysical data. In 2016, the NNV, MCP and Limpopo margin (LM) have been investigated along seven wide‐angle and MCS profiles. The combined wide‐angle and reflection seismic interpretation along the N‐S MZ7 profile reveals an upper sedimentary sequence characterized by low velocities generally not exceeding 3 km/s, with thicknesses varying from 0.150 km in the central part to ∼2.8 km in the south. The underlying sequence is formed of a 2.53.0 km thick volcano‐sedimentary sequence which presents important lateral and with depth changes and presence of high velocity lenses, indicating inter‐bedded volcanic sills and recurrent magmatic episodes. The south of the NNV including the Naude Ridge (NR) presents a disturbed sedimentary cover with structural highs and southward‐dipping reflectors and sub‐basins. The crust, reaching 35–40 km onshore below the MCP, gently thins below the continental shelf to a regular thickness of ∼29 km below the NNV. Crustal velocities reveal low velocity gradients, with atypical high velocities. South the ND, the crust thins to 15 km. We interpret the velocity architecture combined with the evidences of volcanism at shallower depths as indicating an intensively intruded continental crust. Contrary to what is proposed in most geodynamic models, the Mozambique Coastal plain and the Natal Valley are both of continental nature, with an abrupt necking zone located south of NR. The Antarctica plate was therefore situated at the eastern limit of these two domains before the Gondwana breakup.

Effect on Subduction of Deeply Buried Seamounts Offshore of Kodiak Island

AbstractSeamounts are ubiquitous on the oceanic plate; those situated near convergent margins will eventually undergo subduction. Using six prestack depth migrated MCS profiles transecting the Aleutian Trench, we investigate deeply buried seamounts offshore Kodiak Island, within 145–155°W and 55–58°N. A distinct sedimentary horizon exists in all six seismic profiles, at or above the average height of seamounts, which appears to be the preferred structural detachment zone. Where drilled, this horizon contains gravel‐sized debris interpreted to be ice rafted and marks the onset of intensification of Northern Hemisphere glaciation at ~2.7 Ma. Beneath this horizon, sediments prior to the Surveyor Fan development were deposited, all or the majority of these sediments will eventually be subducted. Despite the subducted seamounts being deeply buried, these features cause enhanced surface slope of the accretionary prism. Our observations lead us to propose a model for the stages of subduction for deeply buried seamounts. These stages include the following: (1) Prior to subduction, the protothrust zone undergoes enhanced shortening, (2) frontal thrust steepening and enhanced backthrusting occurs during subduction with a potential décollement step down seaward and a steeping outward of the deformation front to the limit of the protothrust zone, and (3) further subduction results in a pattern of uplift farther into the wedge resulting in enhanced out‐of‐sequence thrusting and persistence of the more seaward deformation front position. This pattern is distinct from the dominance of embayments and effective removal of prism material during seamount subduction described along margins with less deeply buried edifices.

Cenozoic sedimentation in the Mumbai Offshore Basin: Implications for tectonic evolution of the western continental margin of India

Interpretation of multichannel seismic reflection data along the Mumbai Offshore Basin (MOB) revealed the tectonic processes that led to the development of sedimentary basins during Cenozoic evolution. Structural interpretation along three selected MCS profiles from MOB revealed seven major sedimentary sequences (∼3.0 s TWT, thick) and the associated complex fault patterns. These stratigraphic sequences are interpreted to host detritus of syn- to post rift events during rift-drift process. The acoustic basement appeared to be faulted with interspaced intrusive bodies. The sections also depicted the presence of slumping of sediments, subsidence, marginal basins, rollover anticlines, mud diapirs etc accompanied by normal to thrust faults related to recent tectonics. Presence of upthrusts in the slope region marks the locations of local compression during collision. Forward gravity modeling constrained with results from seismic and drill results, revealed that the crustal structure beneath the MOB has undergone an extensional type tectonics intruded with intrusive bodies. Results from the seismo-gravity modeling in association with litholog data from drilled wells from the western continental margin of India (WCMI) are presented here.

New geophysical constraints on a failed subduction initiation: The structure and potential evolution of the Gagua Ridge and Huatung Basin

AbstractWe modeled the velocity structure of the Huatung Basin and Gagua Ridge using offshore wide‐angle seismic data along four ∼E‐W transects. These transects are accompanied by several multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) profiles that highlight the shallow deformation in this area east of Taiwan. Although it is agreed that the Gagua Ridge was the product of a transient compressional episode in the past, relatively few data have been collected that reveal the deeper structure resulting from this enigmatic process. The velocity models show evidence for normal, to thin, oceanic crustal thicknesses in the Huatung Basin and West Philippine Basin. Moho reflections from the associated MCS profiles confirm the thickness observed in the velocity models. The velocity models indicate significant crustal thickening associated with the Gagua Ridge, to 12–18 km along its entire length. Most importantly, the two central velocity models also show a significant asymmetry in the crustal thickening, suggesting a westward underthrusting of >20 km of WPB oceanic crust beneath that of the Huatung Basin. This geometry is extremely unexpected given interpretations that indicate the Huatung Basin could be significantly older than the West Philippine Basin (Early Cretaceous versus Eocene). Our observations, along with recent geophysical data concerning the age of the Huatung Basin, indicate that the Gagua Ridge was the result of a failed subduction event during the Miocene that may have existed simultaneously and for a short time, competed with the Manila subduction zone to the west in accommodating convergence between the Eurasia and Philippine Sea plates. In this scenario, the present‐day Gagua Ridge represents a snapshot of a failed subduction initiation preserved in the geologic record.

Temperatures and aerosol opacities of the Mars atmosphere at aphelion: Validation and inter-comparison of limb sounding profiles from MRO/MCS and MGS/TES

We exploit the relative stability and repeatability of the Mars atmosphere at aphelion for an inter-comparison of Mars Global Surveyor/Thermal Emission Spectrometer (MGS/TES) and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter/Mars Climate Sounder (MRO/MCS) nighttime temperature profiles and aerosol opacity profiles in Mars years 25, 26, 29, 30, and 31. Cross-calibration of these datasets is important, as they together provide an extended climatology for this planetary atmosphere. As a standard of comparison we employ temperature profiles obtained by radio occultation methods during the MGS mission in Mars years 24, 25, and 26. We first compare both zonal mean TES limb sounding profiles and zonal mean MCS limb sounding profiles with zonal means of radio occultation temperature profiles for the same season (Ls=70–80°) and latitudes (55–70°N). We employ a statistical z test for quantifying the degree of agreement of temperature profiles by pressure level. For pressures less than 610Pa (altitudes>3km), the ensemble mean temperature difference between the radio occultation and TES limb sounding profiles found in these comparisons was 1.7±0.7K. The ensemble mean temperature difference between radio occultation and MCS profiles was 1.4±1.0K. These differences fall within the formal error estimates for both TES and MCS, validating the accuracy of the instruments and their respective retrieval algorithms. In the second phase of our investigation, we compare aphelion season zonal mean TES limb sounding temperature, water ice opacity, and dust opacity profiles with those obtained at the same latitudes in different years by MCS. The ensemble mean temperature difference found for three comparisons between TES and MCS zonal mean temperature profiles was 2.8±2.1K. MCS and TES temperatures between 610Pa and 5Pa from 55 to 70°N are largely in agreement (with differences<2K) when water ice aerosol opacities are comparable. Temperature differences increase when the opacities are dissimilar; TES profiles exhibit colder temperatures when TES water ice opacities are greater than those observed by MCS. Our comparisons reveal a possible systematic offset of TES and MCS temperatures at the highest altitudes resolved in the TES retrievals; TES temperatures are consistently colder than the corresponding MCS temperatures at pressures⩽1Pa (altitudes⩾58km). We otherwise find no evidence of systematic bias between TES limb sounding and MCS retrieved atmospheric quantities between 610Pa and 1Pa. Inter-annual variability is noted in comparisons of latitudinal temperature gradients from 55 to 70°N, in the amplitude of inversions linked with thermal tides in the middle atmosphere, and in the abundance and vertical distribution of water ice aerosols from 55 to 70°N during the aphelion season.

Distribution and characters of the mud diapirs and mud volcanoes off southwest Taiwan

In order to identify the mud diapirs and mud volcanoes off SW Taiwan, we have examined ∼1500km long MCS profiles and related marine geophysical data. Our results show ten quasi-linear mud diapirs, oriented NNE–SSW to N–S directions. Thirteen mud volcanoes are identified from the multibeam bathymetric data. These mud volcanoes generally occur on tops of the diapiric structures. Moreover, the active mud flow tracks out of mud volcanoes MV1, MV3 and MV6 are observed through the high backscatter intensity stripes on the sidescan sonar images. The heights of the cone-shaped mud volcanoes range from 65m to 345m, and the diameters at base from 680m to 4100m. These mud volcanoes have abrupt slopes between 5.3° and 13.6°, implying the mudflow is active and highly viscous. In contrast, the flat crests of mud volcanoes are due to relative lower-viscosity flows. The larger cone-shaped mud volcanoes located at deeper water depths could be related to a longer eruption history. The formation of mud diapirs and volcanoes in the study area are ascribed to the overpressure in sedimentary layers, compressional tectonic forces and gas-bearing fluids. Especially, the gas-bearing fluid plays an important role in enhancing the intrusion after the diapirism as a large amount of gas expulsions is observed. The morphology of the upper Kaoping Slope is mainly controlled by mud diapiric intrusions.

North Marmara Trough architecture of basin infill, basement and faults, from PSDM reflection and OBS refraction seismics

The reflection and refraction seismic data collected during the SEISMARMARA Leg 1 survey in the Sea of Marmara provide detailed imaging of sedimentary record and fault activity with deep penetration into its basement. First, a detailed analysis of pre-stack depth-migrated seismic lines crossing the Central Basin enable us to discuss the space and time relations of the large and smaller nested basins of the inner depression, as well as the diversity of style and rate of activity of motion at the diverse basin border faults. Second, forward modeling of OBS refraction arrival times reveals the effect of compaction on the sedimentary pile whereas its layering imaged by MCS as seismic reflectors rather recorded the tectonic evolution. Another major result of the refraction modeling is the identification of the crystalline basement. The latter is imaged about 1 or 2 km deeper than the base of the layered sedimentary sequence imaged on the coincident MCS profiles. This basement exhibits sharp topography across the Central High, the Kumburgaz Basin and the eastern tip of the Cinarcik–North Imrali Basin in an unexpected way with respect to the sea-bottom depressions. We furthermore imaged several large tilted basement blocks, which separate the deep basins as between the Cinarcik and Imrali basins. Despite the varying width of the NMT and the sizes of the tilted blocks, we propose that the imaged finite deformation results from a similar process of partitioning deformation over more than one or even two faults across the NMT that may have changed activity with time and space.

Moho, crustal architecture and deep deformation under the North Marmara Trough, from the SEISMARMARA Leg 1 offshore–onshore reflection–refraction survey

Understanding further the nature and evolution at lithospheric scale of the Sea of Marmara on the North Anatolian Fault needs constraints on the deep crustal and Moho spatial variation. This has been probed here with offshore–onshore and OBS, Ocean Bottom Seismometer refraction seismics, in addition to coincident MCS, marine multichannel reflection seismic profiles over the whole North Marmara Trough. The diverse strikes of MCS profiles in a dense grid allow to avoid misinterpretation of late echoes in the deep basin as Moho reflections and attribute them to sidesweeps. Moho is instead positively identified from reversed observations of first-arrival head and refracted waves at the top of the mantle obtained at large offset by land stations. A significant and sharp reduction in its depth, on the order of 5 km occurs beneath both the eastern and western rims of the North Marmara Trough, with a more progressive crustal thinning from the south. The wide-angle reflections on OBS and land stations document in addition to Moho the top of a lower crustal reflective layer, which is also sampled by MCS profiles, and appears to follow Moho topography. The dense grid of MCS profiles along the southwestern margin of the North Marmara Trough reveals a dipping reflector through the upper crust with tilted basement blocks on top. This low-angle fault is suggested as a normal sense detachment extending in depth towards the reflective lower crust. The upwarp of the Moho and lower crustal layer towards the North Marmara Trough suggests that crustal thinning occurs mostly in the upper crustal part, with lateral transport of the material towards WSW in the footwall of the detachment, and possibly other features to the south, in the motion of Anatolia with respect to stable Eurasia oblique to the North Marmara Trough. Thinning can be accommodated in an asymmetric partitioning of the displacement on several branching faults at lithospheric scale.

Miocene reversal of bottom water flow along the Pacific Margin of the Antarctic Peninsula: Stratigraphic evidence from a contourite sedimentary tail

A Fossil Mounded Sedimentary Body (MB) has been identified in the sedimentary record on the central continental rise west of Adelaide Island, on the Antarctic Peninsula Pacific margin. The growth patterns of the MB are defined through a detailed regional stratigraphic analysis using multichannel seismic reflection profiles. The MB has an elongated NE trend. It overlaps and continues to the NE of an extensive cluster of seamounts, and it developed between two non-depositional troughs. Nine seismic units have been identified: Unit 9 ( the pre-MB stage), Unit 8 ( MB growth stage), Units 7 and 6 ( MB maintenance stage), Units 5 and 4 ( transitional stage), and Units 3, 2 and 1 ( inactive stage). We interpret the MB as a patch drift plastered against the NE, lee side of an obstacle, as a long Contourite Sedimentary Tail (CST), within a deep current that flowed northeastward. This segment of the rise is, however, affected at present by a SW-flowing branch of the Lower Circumpolar Deep Water (LCDW) from the Weddell Sea. The depositional patterns of the MB growth and maintenance stages, which are attributed an early Miocene age on the basis of regional correlation of MCS profiles with DSDP Site 325 and ODP Leg 178 drill sites, provide the first evidence that bottom currents on the central continental rise flowed towards the NE at that time, probably as part of the Lower Circumpolar Deep Water (LCDW) of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). We suggest that significant palaeocirculation and palaeoceanographic changes occurred in this area, and probably more widely, during the middle Miocene or at the Miocene/Pliocene boundary. Although these results do not modify the regional stratigraphy of the major sediment drifts found on the continental rise of the Antarctic Peninsula's Pacific margin, they do indicate that the bottom current regime controlling the development of contourite deposits may have changed over time and also that more than one water mass has probably affected their distribution.

Deep structure of the North Tyrrhenian Sea from multi-channel seismic profiles and on land wide angle reflection/refraction seismic recording (LISA cruise): Geodynamical implications

We present a lithospheric section of the northern Tyrrhenian basin based on principal observations along a transect from Corsica Island to Tuscany margin. Offshore, crustal structure observations come from the LISA deep seismic cruise, composed by Multi-Channel Seismic profiles and wide angle reflection/refraction seismic data. Other parts of the section are constrained by published data, from different geophysical sources. A great detachment between Alpine Corsica and Hercynian Corsica constitutes the base of the Corsica basin. The end of this detachment is probably located below the Elba Island in the ductile lower crust where we observed an east dipping reflector interpreted as ductile shear zone. Similar detachments have been observed beneath the Punta-Ala basin on the Tuscany margin. Our section shows a thin crust below Corsican Basin (15 km thick) and a thicker crust below the Pianosa ridge (25 km). Between Elba Island and the Tuscany coast the Moho reflections shallow to (23 km/depth) as identified on the MCS profiles and from the modelling of the wide-angle reflection/refraction seismic date. An asthenospheric mantle uplift produces a significant heat flow below the Tuscany margin. The base of the lithosphere is located at 75 km depth below the Corsica margin, at 50 km below the Corsica basin and as shallow as 30 km below the Tuscany margin. The shift observed between the Corsica Basin and the Tuscany coast suggests an asymmetric lithospheric thinning which involves a detachment fault located at the base of the Corsican basin.

Origin of the northern Indus Fan and Murray Ridge, Northern Arabian Sea: interpretation from seismic and magnetic imaging

The nature and origin of the sediments and crust of the Murray Ridge System and northern Indus Fan are discussed. The uppermost unit consists of Middle Miocene to recent channel–levee complexes typical of submarine fans. This unit is underlain by a second unit composed of hemipelagic to pelagic sediments deposited during the drift phase after the break-up of India–Seychelles–Africa. A predrift sequence of assumed Mesozoic age occurring only as observed above basement ridges is composed of highly consolidated rocks. Different types of the acoustic basement were detected, which reflection seismic pattern, magnetic anomalies and gravity field modeling indicate to be of continental character. The continental crust is extremely thinned in the northern Indus Fan, lacking a typical block-faulted structure. The Indian continent–ocean transition is marked on single MCS profiles by sequences of seaward-dipping reflectors (SDR). In the northwestern Arabian Sea, the Indian plate margin is characterized by several phases of volcanism and deformation revealed from interpretation of multichannel seismic profiles and magnetic anomalies. From this study, thinned continental crust spreads between the northern Murray Ridge System and India underneath the northern Indus Fan.

Small ocean basin development along the Scotia–Antarctica plate boundary and in the northern Weddell Sea

The oceanic crust of the northern Weddell Sea and Scotia Sea contains the following principal morphostructural elements: (1) the South Scotia Ridge and the South Orkney Microcontinent, both with continental crust; (2) the oceanic Powell and Jane basins; and (3) Jane Bank, which belongs to an island arc. The analysis of MCS profiles and of gravimetric and magnetic data from Russian, Italian and Spanish cruises, supplemented with satellite gravimetric data, has enabled us to determine the relationship between these elements and to propose a model for the main stages of Cenozoic evolution in the area. During the early Cenozoic, the Weddell Sea oceanic crust was subducted under the southern margin of the South Orkney Microcontinent. The subduction probably ended westwards at the South Powell Ridge, a submarine extension of the Antarctic Peninsula. A major transcurrent fault zone is identified in the northwestern Weddell Sea, bounding oceanic crust of Mesozoic and Cenozoic ages. This fault zone was probably active at least to the Miocene. The drifting of the South Orkney Microcontinent from the Antarctic Peninsula during the late Eocene to early Miocene originated the Powell Basin. Jane Basin developed as a backarc, related to the subduction of the Weddell Sea oceanic crust below Jane Bank. The seismic stratigraphy of the depositional sequences in these two basins indicates that spreading in Jane Basin started simultaneously with the end of the opening in Powell Basin. The active spreading ridge of the Weddell Sea collided with the trench and was subducted below Jane Bank at 15–20 Ma. Drifting in Jane Basin and subduction below Jane Bank ended shortly thereafter, in the middle Miocene, and the boundary between the Antarctic/Scotia plates migrated north of the South Orkney Microcontinent, along the South Scotia Ridge. Present tectonic activity in the region is minor.

New seismic images of the Cascadia subduction zone from cruise SO108 — ORWELL

In April and May 1996, a geophysical study of the Cascadia continental margin off Oregon and Washington was conducted aboard the German R/V Sonne. This cooperative experiment by GEOMAR and the USGS acquired wide-angle reflection and refraction seismic data, using ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) and hydrophones (OBH), and multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) data. The main goal of this experiment was to investigate the internal structure and associated earthquake hazard of the Cascadia subduction zone and to image the downgoing plate. Coincident MCS and wide-angle profiles along two tracks are presented here. The plate boundary has been imaged precisely beneath the wide accretionary wedge close to shore at ca. 13 km depth. Thus, the downgoing plate dips more shallowly than previously assumed. The dip of the plate changes from 2° to 4° at the eastern boundary of the wedge on the northern profile, where approximately 3 km of sediment is entering the subduction zone. On the southern profile, where the incoming sedimentary section is about 2.2 km thick, the plate dips about 0.5° to 1.5° near the deformation front and increases to 3.5° further landwards. On both profiles, the deformation of the accretionary wedge has produced six ridges on the seafloor, three of which represent active faulting, as indicated by growth folding. The ridges are bordered by landward verging faults which reach as deep as the top of the oceanic basement. Thus the entire incoming sediment package is being accreted. At least two phases of accretion are evident, and the rocks of the older accretionary phase(s) forms the backstop for the younger phase, which started around 1.5 Ma ago. This documents that the 30 to 50 km wide frontal part of the accretionary wedge, which is characterized by landward vergent thrusts, is a Pleistocene feature which was formed in response to the high input of sediment building the fans during glacial periods. Velocities increase quite rapidly within the wedge, both landward and downward. At the toe of the deformation front, velocities are higher than 4.0 km/s, indicating extensive dewatering of deep, oceanic sediment. Further landward, considerable velocity variation is found, which indicates major breaks throughout the accretionary history.

Giant sediment drifts on the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula

Multichannel seismic reflection profiles from the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula between 63° and 69°S show the growth of eight very large mound-shaped sedimentary bodies. MCS profiles and long-range side-scan sonar (GLORIA) images show the sea floor between mounds is traversed by channels originating in a dendritic pattern near the base of the continental slope. The mounds are interpreted as sediment drifts, constructed mainly from the fine-grained components of turbidity currents originating on the continental slope, entrained in a nepheloid layer within the ambient southwesterly bottom currents and redeposited downcurrent.

Neogene tectonic evolution of the Alboran Sea from MCS data

The structural framework of the northern Alboran Sea is one of a series of grabens or half-grabens developed during various Miocene rifting stages. MCS profiles and well data reveal early to late Miocene seismo-stratigraphic units affected by rifting. Three rifting episodes—latest Aquitanian-Burdigalian, Langhian-Serravalian, and Tortonian-are postulated to have caused significant extension and crustal thinning beneath the Alboran Sea. The middle Miocene episode led to major depocenters and triggered mud diapirism. Post-Tortonian tectonics modified the architecture of the Miocene Alboran Basin and formed the present structure, seafloor morphology, and boundaries of the Alboran Sea.

Hatton Bank (northwest U.K.) continental margin structure

Summary. The continent-ocean transition near Hatton Bank was studied using a dense grid of single-ship and two-ship multichannel seismic (mcs) profiles. Extensive oceanward dipping reflectors in a sequence of igneous rocks are developed in the upper crust across the entire margin. At the landward (shallowest) end the dipping reflectors overlie continental crust, while at the seaward end they are formed above oceanic crust. Beneath the central and lower part of the margin is a mid-crustal layer approximately 5 km thick that could be either stretched and thinned continental crust or maybe newly formed igneous crust generated at the same time as the dipping reflector sequence. Beneath this mid-crustal layer and above a well defined seismic Moho which rises from 27 km (continental end) to 15 km (oceanic end) across the margin, the present lower crust comprises a 10-15 km thick lens of material with a seismic velocity of 7.3 to 7.4 kds. We interpret the present lower crustal lens as underplated igneous rocks left after extraction of the extruded basaltic lavas. A considerable quantity of new material has been added to the crust under the rifted margin. The present Moho is a new boundary formed during creation of the margin and cannot, therefore, be used to determine the amount of thinning.