Thermal Correction for Moho Depth Estimations on West Philippine Basin: A Python Code to Calculate the Gravitational Effects of Lithospheric Cooling Under Oceanic Crust

Papua New Guinea Moho inversion based on XGM 2019e gravity field model

“…Alvey et al (2008) established multiple plate reconstruction models to estimate the age of the oceanic lithosphere, providing more methods for calculating lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly. After correcting the lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly, the inversion result will be more accurate and closer to the actual geological structure (Cowie and Kusznir, 2012;Constantino and Sacek, 2020).…”

“…In addition to topography and other common corrections, lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly correction is essential in Papua New Guinea. Seafloor spreading results in the extension and thinning of the oceanic lithosphere and adjacent rifted continental margin lithosphere, resulting in the geothermal rise and lithosphere lateral density change (Chappell and Kusznir, 2008), which generates significant lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly, reaching the maximum at the ocean ridge (Alvey et al, 2008). Chappell and Kusznir.…”

“…Seafloor spreading results in the extension and thinning of the oceanic lithosphere and adjacent rifted continental margin lithosphere, resulting in the geothermal rise and lithosphere lateral density change (Chappell and Kusznir, 2008), which generates significant lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly, reaching the maximum at the ocean ridge (Alvey et al, 2008). Chappell and Kusznir. (2008) obtained lithosphere thermal gravity anomaly through iterative calculation combined with the lithosphere thinning temperature field model proposed by McKenzie.…”