Mafic and ultramafic rocks of the northwestern Brooks Range of Alaska produce nearly symmetric gravity anomalies
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
An arc of mafic and ultramafic rocks is mapped from Asik Mountain to Siniktanneyak Mountain in the northwestern Brooks Range of Alaska. Gravity data, although not very detailed, have been collected over the region and show some very conspicuous circular or oval gravity highs over portions of the mapped mafic-ultramafic bodies. Bodies which have large associated gravity anomalies are Asik Mountain (80 mGal), Avon Hills (20 mGal), Misheguk Mountain (30 mGal), and Siniktanneyak Mountain (20 mGal). Gabbros of the Siniktanneyak Mountain complex, where the gravity coverage is best, have densities of about 3.0 g/cm[sup 3] while the densities of the surrounding sedimentary rocks are about 2.6 g/cm[sup 3]. Volcanic rocks in the area have average densities of about 2.7 g/cm[sup 3]. Three-dimensional modeling indicates that the largest anomaly, on the southwestern part of the complex, could be caused by a polygonal prism of gabbro with vertical sides, about 6 km across and about 4.5 km deep. A smaller lobe of the anomaly on the northeast of the complex could be caused by another oblong polygonal prism about 4 km long and 2 km wide trending northeast and about 1.5 km deep. Modeling this anomaly with densities lower than gabbro would require greater thicknesses to produce the same anomaly. Modeling each anomaly along this arc in 2 1/2-dimensions shows many possible solutions using different body shapes and different density contrasts. There are several other gravity anomalies in this vicinity which could represent unexposed high density rocks. One such anomaly is in the Maiyumerak Mountains northeast of Asik Mountain (30 mGal). Another anomaly is to the northwest of Asik Mountain (20 mGal). There is also an anomaly at Uchugrak (20 mGal) east of Avan Hills. Although many of the anomalies in this region are poorly controlled, an attempt has been made to interpret the data to show possible solutions.
- OSTI ID:
- 5128910
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305259-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:5; Conference: 89. annual meeting of the Cordilleran Section and the 46th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Reno, NV (United States), 19-21 May 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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