Thermochemical structure of the Superior craton from multi-observable probabilistic inversion

Abstract:

The Superior craton forms the nucleus of the North American continent and has seen modification from processes of orogenesis at the edges, hotspot passage, rifting and magmatism, compressional reactivation, and failed rifting reflective of an intricate geodynamic evolution. In this study, we present results from a thermochemical model of the Superior craton region that will help constrain its thermal and compositional structure. Multi-observable thermochemical tomography is a fully nonlinear probabilistic inversion approach with an internally and thermodynamically consistent framework that is capable of simultaneously inverting surface-wave data, body-wave data, absolute elevation (local and dynamic), geoid height, surface heat flow data, gravity anomalies, along with petrological information. These results will further facilitate exploration workflows and an understanding of both the lithospheric architecture and the physical state of the underlying convective mantle.