ANALYSIS OF ISOSTASY IN THE WORLDS OCEANS .3. ASEISMIC RIDGES

Cross-spectral techniques have been used to analyze the relationship between gravity and bathymetry on 26 profiles across the Walvis and Ninetyeast ridges. The resulting filters or transfer functions have been used to study the state of isostasy at these ridges. The observations are consistent with the formation of aseismic ridges near spreading centers on lithosphere that is young, thin, and relatively weak. These observations suggest that the isostatic parameters determined for these aseismic ridges were 'frozen in' at the time of their formation at or near a spreading center and have not significantly changed through time. -from Authors