Gravity Modeling for the Rifted Crust at the Arabian Shield Margin – Further Insight into Red Sea Spreading

Abstract

A large variation in elevation and gravity anomaly prevails from the Red Sea coast to the interior of the Arabian Shield (AS) across the Asir Igneous Province (AIP); T he Asir Mountain (AM) is developed on AIP. Here the elevation varies from 45 - 2700 m, corresponding changes in F.A. are from –30 to + 220 mgal and B.A. from +22 to –175 mgal. Regression relationships between elevation and gravity anomalies demonstrate significant changes in trend at about 400 m threshold of elevation across the pediment west of AM, at about 45 km inland of the shoreline, flanking the Hizaz-Asir Escarpment (HAE). Gravity anomaly variation along a traverse taken across HAE and AIP is interpreted here in terms of anomalous masses in crust as well as due to deeper crustal configuration. 2D gravity interpretation is, in part, constrained by surface geology, available geologic cross-sections for crust, interpretations from the IRIS Deep-Seismic Refraction Line, and to a lesser extent by the available gross results from shear-wave splitting and receiver function analysis. The gravity model provides probable solutions for the first time on geometric configuration and geophysical identification: a) for the seaward margin of the mid-Tertiary Mafic Crust (TMC) below sediment cover of the Asir pediment that coincides with the 400 m threshold elevation. This signifies an anomalous uplift at the rifting phase. Moho below TMC extends from 10 - 22 km depth across HAE and west margin of AIP, b). T hinned continental crust below the Asir margin whose upper layer coincides with a seismic reflector is at about 22 km depth, c). Rift-margin characteristic detachment fault associated with basaltic flows on top surface of TMC at its inner margin, d). Two geologically mapped low-angle normal faults dipping to the east developed between the basic rocks intruding the AIP and e). felsic pluton farther east within AS. Large scale igneous activity followed by intense deformation affecting AIP clearly owes their origin to the rifting architecture of the AS at the Red Sea extensional margin.