JOURNALO' GOPHYSlC.L RSE.RCH VOLUME 64, No.

1 JANUARY, 1959

Rapid Gravity Computationsfor Two-DimensionalBodieswith

Application to the MendocinoSubmarine Fracture Zone*

MANIXTALWANI,
J. LAMAR-WORZEL,
ANDMARKLANDISMAN
Lamont GeologicalObservatory,
(Columbia University)
Palisades, New York

Abstract--Expressions
are derivedfor the vertical and horizontalcomponentsof the gravita-
tional attraction due to a two-dimensional body of arbitrary shape by approximating it to an
n-sidedpolygon.Theseexpressions are put in forms suitablefor solutionby a high-speeddigital
computer.As an exampleof the applicationof this method,the crustalsectionacrossthe Mendocino
fracture zone is deducedfrom the gravity anomalies.Assumingthe crust to consistof a single
homogeneous layer, overlain by water and sediment,it is found to be about three km thicker
to the north of the fracture zone than to the south of it.

Many geologicalstructuresare approximately individual contributionsat distant points are

linear, and the problemsconnectedwith them neglectedeven though the total sum of their
can be solved with two-dimensionalforms of small contributions is appreciable. This may
analysis. For gravity computations, Nettleton causeconsiderableerror in computations.
[1940] has determinedthe criteria for making an The periphery of any two-dimensionalbody
adequatetwo-dimensionalcomputation.Various can be approximated closely by a polygon, by
methodsexistfor the computationof the gravita- making the number of sides of this polygon
tional attraction causedby irregularly shaped sufficiently large. Analytical expressionscan be
two-dimensional bodies. These methods can be obtained for both the vertical and horizontal
divided into two categories.In th.efirst category componentsof the gravitational attraction due
lie those that involve the use of graticules,dot to this polygonat any givenpoint. Theseexpres-
charts, or other suchgraphicalcomputingaids. sions,then, can be usedwithout any limitations
While in theory thesemethodscan be made as to the size or positionof the body. The present
precise
as onepleases,
merelyby increasing
the methodinvolvesthe use of theseexpressions.
scale to which the graticule is constructed,in The accuracydependsonly on how closelythe
actual practice this may be difficult, if not polygonfits the givenbody, and can be increased
impossible. by increasingthe numberof sidesof the polygon.
In the secondcategorylie thosemethodsthat It will be recognizedthat an irregularly shaped
involvebreakinguptheirregularlyshapedbodies two-dimensionalbody can be more easily
into severalsmallerbodiesof differentsizesbut approximatedby a polygonthan by rectangular
of shapesthat are regular and for which the blocks. The computationsinvolved in solving
gravitationalattractioncan be easilycomputed. the expressionsto obtain the componentsof
A convenientform of regularbody to useis the gravitationalattractionare lengthyand tedious,
rectangularblock, as proposedby Vening but beingiterativeare readilyprogrammed
for
Meineszand others[1934].Here againthe method solutionby a digitalcomputer.A programfor use
can be madeas preciseas onepleasesby usinga with the IBM 650 has been made, and. the
sufficientlylarge number of small blocks [see, machine time required for obtaining both the
for example,Shutbetand others,1956].However, vertical and horizontal componentsof grayira-
the computations become increasingly more tional attraction for an n-sided polygon at a
tediousas the number of blocksis increased. single point is approximatelyequal to 2.5n
Further, the blocksmay be so small that their seconds.
* Lamont
Geological
Observatory
ContributionLet ABGDEF(Fig.1) be a givenpolygon
No. 318 with n sidesand let P be the point at whichthe
49
50 TALWANI, WORZEL, AND LANDISMAN

or

fc zdO
--f tan
aitan
--O
tan
tan i
0 dO
_--
Zi,
Similarly it can be shownthat

fsc xdO
- fr tana'tan
--
tan 0 dO----
X.
The verticalcomponentof gravitationalattrac-
tion V andthe horizontal
component
H, dueto
the wholepolygon,are then givenrespectivelyby

z V- 2Gp"Z i--1
Fro. 1--Geometrical elements involved in the
and
gravitational attraction of an n-sided polygon

H = 2Gp

attraction due to this polygonhas to be deter-
mined. Imagine P to be the origin of an xz the summationsbeing made over the n sidesof
system of coordinates,where the polygon also the polygon.
lies in the xz plane. Let z be defined positive It now remainsto solvethe integralsinvolved
downwards(vertical) and let 0 be measuredfrom in the expressions
for Zi and X.
the positivex axis towardsthe positivez axis. In the most general caseit can be shown that
It has been shownby Hubbert[1948] that the
vertical component of gravitational attraction
due to such a two-dimensionalbody is, at the Z=asinai
cos;IO- Oi+l
origin, equal to

2Gp
f zdO,
q-tan
logcos
cos O(tan
O+(tanO ----tan
0+ )b)]
tan

the line integral beingtaken alongits periphery,

where G is the universal constantof gravitation
X=asin
bcos
b[tan b(O+ --03
and p is the volume densityof the body. It can be
shown by a method similar to Hubbert's that cos Og(tan
q- log
O, --tanb,) ]'
the correspondingexpressionfor the horizontal where
component of gravitational attraction is given
by 2Gpf x dO. Oi= tan- z__
,
Let us evaluate the two integralsf z dOand
f x dOfor the above polygon.The contribution -1 Zi + -- Zi
to f z dOfrom, say, the sideBC of the polygon tan
i+ -- Xi
can be first computed.ProduceCB to meet the
x axis at Q at an angle. Let PQ = a. Now
Oi+= tan- Zi+l
Xi+l
z = x tan 0 (1)
and
for any arbitrary point R on BC. Also
i+1 -- i
z = (x -- a,) tan (2) ai = i+1 + Zi+l '
Zi -- Zi+
From (1) and (2)
Also seeFigure 1.
a tan 0 tan i The expressions for Z and X reduceto simpler
Z --
tan -- tan 0' expressionsin the followingcases:
 GRAVITY COMPUTATIONS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL BODIES 51

CaseA--If x -- 0 z's, we are able to obtain expressionsfor both

V and H solely in terms of the x's and the z's.
Z : --a sin cos This is especiallyadvantageous,sinceone of the
2
simplest ways of defining the periphery of a
body is to specify the coordinatesof adjacent
+ og, { 0,+,(tan 0,+, - points at the verticesof the body. These are the
coordinatesx's and z's usedin the computation.
In addition, of course,it is necessaryto specify
X = a sin
tan
cos the density of the body and the positionof the
pointsat which the attraction is to be calculated.
-- loge{cos 8+,(tan 8+,
tan
b)}
]. This method is illustrated by the following
example in which the crustal structure along a
CaseB--If x+, -- 0 profile in the Pacific crossing the Mendocino
fracture zone has been deduced.
The Mendocino fracture zone has been de-
gi=aSin
qb;cos b
Io--7r 2 scribed by Menard and Dietz [1952] and by
Menard [1955]. The map in Figure 2 showsthe

tanb,loge {cosO,(tan
0--tan
--asin,cos [tan()i[i--
log {cos8,(tan0--tan
CaseC--if zi = Zi+l
b)}
] positionof the Mendocinoescarpmentand the
submarinegravity stationsin the area made on
USS Redfish in 1952 [Worzel and others, 1955]
and on the USS Rasher and USS Raton in 1954
[Harrison and others, 1957]. The gravity values
at the Redfish stations and at those of the
Harrison stations that were used in this study
are listed in Table 1.

= -
TABLE lqGravity stations
sin +
X = zi log o

Cruise Free-air
sin 8
anomaly
Case D--If x =
mgal
Redfish --29
cos 8 (first --44
Zi -- Xi ]og
cos cruise) --17
--46
--38
Xi -- - --12
--15
Case E--If 0 =
--19
--22
Zi=O --19
+1
-]-11
--44
Case F--If x = Z=0 --19

Zi = 0 Harrison +13
and +19
others +4
[19571 --79

Case
G--If xi+= z+,= 0 --63
--45
--17
Zi=O

X=O. a For other stations in this area see Harrison and others
[1957].
Noting
that8,8+,,b,anda canall be Based on soundings from U.S.C.G.S. Chart 9000.
explicitlyexpressed
in terms of the x's and the Based on soundings from U.S.C.G.S. Chart 5002.
52 TALWANI, WORZEL, AND LANDISMAN

o145 ' t':'":

, U.S.S.REDFISH 1952 os? " /!'.'".':'
o H(rrisn----hers(1957)
_ /. '
,,.... MENDOCI
NO Ol44 J' OREGON 44 .

I/lI' ESCARPMENT o 6.'

GORDA
ESCARPMENT
,2-8 '.. :'..:

/:-'::.
k_:........ 42

I ol46
o,, % :....':
1 O. :'ALI
FORNIA
ol7 , u, '....:'
I 62 2 N''%3 "'!':'
CAPE
I 'O'l&lI I111IIIIIlII(?'MENDOCINO
IqlIIIlll[ '""'"" I 65 40
I/I l I 15e 66 ol48 79 0
I '

38
134 1320. 130 128 126 124 122

Fzo. 2iposition of Mendocinoand Gordaescarpments

(modifiedfrom Menardand Dietz [1952];)gravity
stationswithin the box are used in this study

While there are three N-S Harrison profiles ticns 12 to 21) lies north of the escarpmentin
in this area, only the westernmostone (Stations comparativelysmooth topography.But it runs
61 to 67 and 85 to 90) can be considered
a typical in a NW-SE direction,crossingthe E-W trending
gravity profileacrossthe Mendocinoescarpment. escarpmentat an acute angle. This, again, is
Of the remainingtwo profiles,one crossesthe not very suitable for a two-dimensionalgravity
Mendocino escarpmentat its extreme eastern analysis. A compromisewas effected by 'pro-
edge,and the othercrosses the Gordaescarpment jecting' the Redfishgravity profile on to a
rather than the Mendocino escarpment (see line (130W).The topographicprofilealongthis
Fig. 2). Even the first profile, north of the line was also made up from Redfishsoundings.
escarpment,soon passesinto the "Ridge and The minimumdepthat the top of the escarpment
Trough Province" [Menard and Dietz, 1951], a is 3100m (1700fm), and the maximumdepthat
provinceof very roughtopography.The situation the foot of the escarpmentis 4900 m (2700 fm).
is complicatedby the fact that while the topo- The averageslopeof the escarpmentis about 6.
graphyin this area seemsto trend in an approxi- These figuresare in reasonableagreementwith
mately SW-NE direction [Menard and Dietz, thosegiven by Menard and Dietz [1952]for their
1952],the tectonictrendsas describedby Heezen profiles along the latitudes (128 12'W and
(personal communication) run in a NW-SE 131W). The Harrison stationsand the Redfish
direction. A deduction of structure based on a stations from the profile that containsStations
two-dimensionalgravity analysis,using gravity 143 to 149 were also'.projectedon to the same
values obtained in such an area, would be profile. However, the Harrison Stations 61 and
inadequate. 62 and the RedfishStations 146 and 147 are at
However, some distance to the west of the considerablydifferent depthsthan those corre-
Harrison profile, the main Redfishprofile (Sta- spondingto their respectivepositionsalong the
 GRAVITY COMPUTATIONS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL BODIES 53

profile.Thereforeit was decidednot to usethese layer. These are listed in Table 2. It shouldbe
stations in making up the compositeprofile. noticed that in this particular instance the
They are discussed separately. coordinatesof most of the pointsare determined
Theecompositeprofile was terminated on the by the actual corrected soundings and the
north at 42N. The main Redfishprofile north positionsat which thesesoundingswere made.
of here divergesconsiderablyfrom the line of Thesedata are punchedon cardsand fed into
projection,and the Harrisonprofile,asmentioned the IBM 650. It remainsto assigna density to
earlier, entersthe very roughRidge and Trough this layer. It is found convenientto subtract
Province.Stationseast of 127W were also not the densitiesof all the layers from a constant
usedin the composite profile.It wasfelt that the densityof 2.84 gm/co. (This reducesthe density
proximity of the continentaledge significantly of the crustal layer to zero, and one doesnot,
affectedthe gravity valuesat thesestations. then, have to make any calculationsfor it.)
In the following calculations,the crust is Assumingan actual density of 1.03 gin/co for
assumedto consistof the water layer underlain sea water, the reduced density assignedto the
by a single homogeneous layer of density 2.84 layer abcdis 2.84 -- 1.03 -- 1.81 gm/cc.
gm/cc, but of variable thickness.Beneath the This value and the coordinatesof the points
crust,the mantleis assumed to havea density. of at which the attraction is to be computed are
3.27 gm/cc. The crust is taken as the layer also punchedon cards. These latter are points
bounded at the bottom by the Mohorovicic taken at small intervals along the length of the
discontinuity.The problem,then, is to compute profile.The computedcurveis plotted in Figure
the attraction of the water layer and subtract 3c. This is the correctioncurvefor the water layer.
this from the observed anomalies. The differences The residualanomaliesplotted in Figure 3d are
can be treated as 'residual anomahes' and can be obtained by adding the correctioncurve to the
ascribed to variations in the thickness of the crust. observedfree-air anomalies.Figure 3d may now
Figure 3a showsthe observedfree-air anom- be used to obtain the variations in crustal
alies; Figure 3b showsthe topography.The first thickness.
step is to computethe attraction due to the water To the north of the section it is assumed that
layer abcd.To do this, one has to specify the the water depth is constantat 3.8 km and that
coordinatesof pointswhich,whenjoinedtogether the free-air anomaliesare constantat --20 regal.
consecutively,will define the boundary of this This would require a depth to the Mohorovicic
discontinuityof 17.0 kin, to be in accordwith
TABLE 2--List o! coordinatesusedin the deduction the standard section of Worzel and Shutbet
the gravitationaleffecto! the water layer [1955]. Using this as a fixed level, an approxi-
mate estimate of thickness is made along the
Distance Depth entire sectionby the sin x/x method developed
by Tsuboiand Fuchida [1938] and Tomodaand
kra kra Aki [1955]. (In the sin x/x method the gravity
Xl -- o z 0.00 anomalies chosen along a profile at constant
-]- o z. 0.00
intervals are directly attributed to a mass
-]- o z8 4.40
330 z4 4.40 distributionat a fixed depth. The massdistribu-
x 274 z 4.48 tion is interpretedas beingdueto the undulations
219 z6 4.74 of a surface,whichin this caseis the Mohorovicic
202 z7 4.90 discontinuity). The IBM 650 is used for this
198 zs 4.64
calculation also. The estimated depths to the
189 zg 3.64
1o 184 z0 3.10 Mohorovicic discontinuity as determined by
174 z, 3.32 Tsuboi's method are shown as the dashed curve
12 145 z 3.77 in Figure 3e.
102 z 3.75 The gravity effect of this estimated crustal
14 54 zu 3.86
0 z, 3.80
thicknesswas evaluatedby the polygonmethod
;z16 -- o z, 3.80 and comparedwith the residualanomalies.It was
317 -- o.....
i .Z" 0.00 found that there was some disagreement. The
depthsalongthe discontinuitywerethenmodified
54 TALWANI,WORZEL,AND LANDISMAN

PROJECTED
' D/STANCE
/N KILOMETERS
ALONG
/50W
0 /00 200 500 400
i i i i i i i I i I i i i i i i i i i i i ,

(o} FREE - AIR ANOMALIES

O-

ee
e

50 , USS REDFISH 1952 -50

Harm'sonand oIhrs
/00 I09

TOPOGRAPHY
.........

800
VERTICALEXAGGERATION
20 I

......... ........
74oo
(c) C O RREG T/ON FOR WATER LAYER

550
500 1550
00

250 250

(d} R E S I D U A L A NO MA L Y OOMPU TED A NOMALY

550

550
500
1
250 c
.

() DEPTH TO MOHO RO VI O I O DISCONTINUITY

_ -

..... FIRST ESTIMATE TSUBOI'S METHOD

FINAL MODIFIED CURVE

.......
c _ -o...
-o--
....
\\ I
VERTICAL EXAGGERATION I0 I

, 42 , , , , a/o , , , , , 401 I I I , .l, I I

FIG.3--Various
steps
involved
in thededuction
of thedepthto theMohorovicic
discontinuity
fromthe
free-air anomalies
 GRAVITY COMPUTATIONS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL BODIES 55

,
42 41 40 59

, , . .
DISTANCE I KM ...........
ALONG IJO W
o IOO 200 300 4.00
! ...... i , , , i , , , , I

Ft-- A I t A NOMA IS

O
- mly
-50 _

Computed
oho
ObserVed
anomaly
Udfish1952
Obseed anomaly
' -'0
- - 50

Harrison
andothers
957)

0 ......... 0

P=I.03

5- .....
, ,
-5
= 2.84
IO - - IO

15-

2o- P =3.27 .
Vecel Exoggerefion: I0 I
g5 , ,
' .... , ....

DEDUCED S TtUC TUtOr- 5'EC TION (a)

(with no sedimentary layer)
Fro. 4--Free-air anomalies and the deduced crustal structure (a) under the Mendocino fracture zone
(with no sedimentarylayer)

in such a way as to reduce the disagreement. latter is obtained by subtractingthe water layer
Alterations of crustal thickness were continued correction curve from the final curve computed
until the computed curve fitted the residual to fit the residualanomaly.
anomalies as well as was desired. The final The Harrison Stations 61 and 62 and the
modified crustal thickness is shown as the solid Redfish Stations 146 and 147, which were not
curve in Figure 3e. The computed residual usedin the profile, can be considerednext. The
anomaly curve correspondingto this is shownin soundingfor the Harrison Station 61 is 3330 m,
Figure3d andis seento fit mostof the pointsfairly and the free-air anomaly is -13 regal. The
well. (No attempt was made to fit the gravity positionof this stationalongthe projectedprofile
valueat RedfishStation 13, becausethe unusually would be at 137 km south of 42N. I-Iere the
large negativeanomaly here seemsto be of local depth read off from the topographicprofile is
origin.) It is emphasizedhere that while Tsuboi's 3750 m, which gives a differenceof 420 m. In
method is very usefulin making an approximate order to make a rough allowancefor this depth
estimateof the crustalthickness, it is by no difference,we can imagine a uniform plate of
means essentialto the solution of the problem. water 420 m thick and of infinite areal extent.
It is quite feasible to guessat an approximate The gravity effect of this layer (computedin the
crustalthicknessand proceedfrom there. same way as the simple Bouguer correction),
Figure 4 showsthe final deducedstructure (a) using a density defect of 1.81 gm/cc, is 32 mgal.
and the computedfree-air anomalycurve. The This has to be subtracted from the value of the
56 TALWANI, WORZEL, AND LANDISMAN

correctiondue to the water layer at 137 km. Thein the previouscase, the only differencebeing
latter can be read in Figure 3c as 286 mgal. that the sedimentarylayer as well as the water
Then the approximateresidualanomalyat the layer had to be removed. Figure 5 showsthe
Harrison Station 61 is 13-]- 286- 32 = 267 deducedcrustal section (b) with the assumed
regal. (The samenumbercan be obtainedfrom sedimentarylayer taken into account.
the value given for the Bougueranomaly by It can be seenthat in this case,as in the case
Harrison and others [1957] at Station 61 after without the sedimentarylayer, the crust is
allowing for the fact that they have used a thickerto the north of the scarpthan to the south
different crustal density in making their com- of it by about three kin. The absolutethickness
putations.)This number differs by only --5 of the crust may be subject to someuncertainty
mgal from the value of the computedcurveat because the values chosen for the densities and
137kin. Similarly,the differences
fortheHarrison the layer thicknessesare based on a standard
Station 62 and the RedfishStations146 and 147 oceanicsectionrather than on any seismicdeter-
are-]-1, --13, and --8 mgal respectively.The minations in the area. It is of some interest,
comparativelylarge differencefor Station 146 therefore, to compare the crustal thickness
can be attributed to an actual difference in struc- obtained here with those obtained at the closest
ture, whichis expectedsincethe stationis at seismicrefraction stations, even though these
sucha greatdistancefromthe main Redfishline. are at a considerabledistancefrom the gravity
This alsopointsto the infeasibilityof usingboth profile. The only published determinations
the Redfishand the Harrison stations further available to the authors were Raitt's Stations
north in a singlecompositeprofile. M and M2 [Raitt, 1956]. The free-air anomalies
If additional data were available about further in the vicinity of both these stationsare of the
layers(asfor examplea sedimentary layer),the order of --20 mgal (unpublished Lamont
gravity effectof suchlayerscouldbe 'removed' Observatory data). Thus a direct comparison
in the sameway as the water layer was removed with either end of the gravity profileis in order.
in the above example.It shouldbe noted that At Station M (27 24' N, 121 35'W), which
the presenceof such layers could alter the lies in Menard and Dietz's Baja California sea
deduced section considerably.For instance, a mount province, Raitt finds the following
1-km thicknessof sedimentof density2.1 gm/cc structure beneath the water layer: A first layer
wouldrequirethe crustto be thinnerby about of thickness 0.26 km and of assumed seismic
1.7 km in order to reconcile the computed velocity2.15 km/sec, a secondlayer of thickness
gravity curvewith the observedpoints. 0.93 km and velocity 5.88 kin/see, and a third
While, in the absenceof any seismicdeter- layer of thickness 6.24 km and velocity 6.96
minationsof depth and velocity in this region, kin/sec. Below the Mohorovicicdiscontinuitythe
it was not possibleto introduceany complex velocity is 8.41 kin/sec. Assumingdensitiesof
modificationsto the deduced structure, it was 2.1, 2.6, 2.84 gm/cc for the three layers respec-
felt that an assumptionof a sedimentarylayer tively, and of 3.27 gm/cc for the materialbelow
would make the section geologically more the Mohorovicicdiscontinuity,and noting that
probable. Accordingly,the computationswere the water depth hereis 4.18 kin, onecanconsider
re-doneafter a sedimentarylayer of density2.1 the isostatic balance of this sectionagainst the
gm/ccwasaddedto the sectionat the baseof the sectionat the south end of the gravity profile.
waterlayer.This wasan averagevalueof density, There the water depth is 4.40 kin, and a simple
chosenon the basisof curvesgiven by Nafe and calculation shows that a balance with the
Drake [1957] which relate the compressional seismicallydeterminedsectionat M requiresa
velocityanddensityof oceansediments. (A value depth to the Mohorovicicdiscontinuityof 11.65
of 2.15 km/sec for the compressionalvelocity km consideringa singlecrustallayer of density
was assumedafter Raitt [1956].) The thickness 2.84gm/cc. If allowanceis madefor an additional
of this sedimentary layer wasassumed to be sedimentary layer of density 2.1 gm/cc and
km overareasof smallrelief,somewhat greater thickness kin, the depthto the discontinuityis
thankm at the footof the scarp,andnegligible reducedto 10.8 kin. A discrepancyis apparent
on the scarpitself.The depthsto the Mohorovicic between these crustal thicknesses and those
discontinuitywere obtainedin the sameway as deduced in the gravitysections"
(a) and (b), the
 GRAVITY COMPUTATIONS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL BODIES

N S
42' 41' 40' 39'

o! , ,
ioo
! , ,
200
! ....
5oo
i .... !

Ft -- A l t A NO MA I I-S

O- -0

_ -5o - -5o
J ---- Computed ano

-I00
-
Observed
anomaly
USS
edfish
1952
Observed anomaly//
Harrison o nd others(1957) - -I00
,,

0 .... 0
?=1.03

5- '......... --"
-P: 2.2 I--"'
--' 5
P:2.84
IO- -

20- P :5.27 .
Vertical Exaggeration = I0 I
2.5 . 25 ,.
' , .... ,& .... .... ,5o.... ,
* 41 . 40*
,.
.

DEDUCED STRUCTURE SECTION (b)

(with ossurned sedimentary Ioyer )

(with assumedsedimentarylayer)

latter giving depths of 15.5 km and 14.65 km oceanstations,this might suggestthat it is not
respectively. This discrepancy has also been the deepstructureunder the abyssalplain that is
pointed out by Menard [1955]. (His choice of unusual,as has been proposedby Menard, but
densitiesand the different water depthsin the that it is the deep structure under the Baja
areas for which he has made the comparison California sea mount province that might be
leadshim to an even greater discrepancy.)How- consideredso, especiallyas one approachesthe
ever, if the comparisonis made with Raitt's continental edge. More seismic work in both
Station M. rather than M, the situation is areasis neededbeforethis point can be definitely
somewhatimproved.Proceedingas before,it can settled.
be shownthat the sectionat M is 'equivalent' The crustal thickness determination under the
to a section at the south end of the gravity Mendocinoscarp itself is also of interest. We
profile having a total crustal thicknessof 13.6 note that, as determined from the gravity
km in the absenceof a sedimentarylayer, and of computations, the Mohorovicic discontinuity
12.8 km in the presenceof one. here seemsto have a very steepslopejust south
The southend of the gravity profileliesin the of the scarp. Some of this may possiblybe a
abyssalplain. (Menard terms this the "Deep spuriouseffect arising out of the attempt to
Plains Province.") Sincethe crustalthicknessas explaina gravity anomalyof shalloworigin by
deducedhere would be in even better agreement deeperstructure. If a volcaniclayer of density
with Raitt's seismicdeterminationsat the deep 2.60 gm/cc and a prismatic shape should be
58 TALWANI, WORZEL, AND LANDISMAN
interposedin the section (with the narrow edge
of the prism outcropping at the scarp and the
base about 100 km wide extending down to the
Mohorovicic discontinuity), this would obviate
the necessityof thickening the crust under the
escarpment,and wouldreducethe southernslope
of the discontinuity. In any event, it is clear
that a massdeficiencyexistsunder the Mendocino
escarpment,and it seemsprobablethat the depth
at which this deficiencyexistsis not greater than
the depth to the Mohorovicicdiscontinuity.This
should be taken into consideration in any
theoriesexplainingthe origin of the Mendocino
escarpment.Also, it should be noted that the
mass deficiencyor 'root' is somewhatdisplaced
from the theoretical'root' whichcan be computed
from the topography on the Airy hypothesis.
Undoubtedly, this is the cause of the large
isostatic anomalies computed for Stations 64
and 65 by Harrison and others [1957].
So far we have assumed that the anomalies
across the Mendocino escarpment have their
origin in the crust. It would be of someinterest
to seeif variationsof densityin the mantle could
account for these anomaliesequally well.
At the two endsof the profilethere is a differ-
ence of 44 mgal in the residual anomaly (see
N 42 4/
i i I i
P/OJEC?ED DISTANCE
o I00
Fe/dual 4nornal/
Cornpuled 4nornaly
o
0 0
42 41
Fro. 6--Attempt to fit the residual anomaliesacrossthe Mendocino scarp by a changeof density in the
mantle (extendingto a depth of 200 km)
Fig. 3). Let us assumethat a constantchangeof
density in the mantle occursacrossa vertical
interface directly below the Mendocino scarp
and extendsfrom a depth of 20 km to 200 kin.
A simple calculation can then be made to show
that a density difference of 0.00583 gm/cc is
requiredto accountfor the differenceof residual
anomaly at large distanceson either side. Using
this density contrast, the gravity curve was
computed for the mantle configurationoutlined
above (Fig. 6). We notice that it fails to fit the
anomaliesby large amountsin the vicinity of the
Mendocino scarp. This further showsthat these
anomalies must have a shallow origin. While
complexmodificationof the crust,in addition to
the density changein the mantle, can probably
be made to fit the residualanomalycurve, it is
clear that a change of density in the mantle
alone cannot account for the observed anomalies.
The actual running time for the computations
made in this problem on the IBM 650 was three
hours. On a faster computer, the IBM 704, for
instance,the runningtime would be reducedby
a factor of at least 30. Of course,a more corn-
plicated problem, one involving more layers, for
instance, would require correspondinglymore
time.
40 J
S
I i i
IN HILOMETE/S LONG 130
200 300 4oo
( Var/a//on of densi/y /n Manile)
350
2 0 4O0
40 3.9
 GRAVITY COMPUTATIONS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL BODIES

In conclusion,one must point out that a geology of the Gulf of Alaska, Geol. Soc. A mer.
limitation of this method Bul., 52, 1263-1285, 1951.
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MSNARD, H. W., AND R. S. DIE?Z, Mendocino
dimensionaltry.Though this is not a serious submarine escarpment, J. Geol., 50, 266-278,
problemfor a large numberof structuressuchas 1952.
continentalmargins,oceantrenches,or mountain NErLE?ON, L. L., Geophysicalprospecting[or oil,
ranges,it might be a handicapfor small scale McGraw-Mill, 444 pp., 1940.
NAFE, JOHNE., AND CHARLESL. DRAKE, Variation
work. A similar method for rapid calculationof with depth in shallow and deep water marine
the gravitational attraction of three-dimensional sediments of porosity, density and the velocities
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523-552, 1957.
Acknowledgments--Theauthors wish to thank RAITT, RUSSELW., Seismic-refractionstudiesof the
Charles L. Drake, Maurice Ewing, J. E. N afe, Pacific Ocean basin, part I, Crustal thickness of
Jack Oliver, and GeorgeSutton for critically reading the central equatorial Pacific, Geol. Soc. Amer.
the manuscript and making many valuable sug- Bul., 57, 1623-1639, 1956.
gestions. Bruce Heezen interested himself keenly SHURBET, G. LYNN, J. LAMAR WORZEL, AND
in the paper and the authors are indebted to him MAURICE EWING, Gravity measurements in the
for many profitable discussions.The computations Virgin Islands, Geol. Soc. Amer. Bul., 57, 1529-
were made on an IBM 650, made available by the 1536, 1956.
Watson Scientific Computing Laboratory. For TOlVIODA,YOSHIBUlVII,AND KEIITI AKI, Use of the
that, as well as for the use of other facilities, thefunction sin x/x in gravity problems, Japan
authors wish to expresstheir grateful appreciation. Acad. Proc., 31, 443-448, 1955.
Elizabeth S. Skinner helped in making the computa- TSUBOI, C., AND T. iUCHIDA, Relations between
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drafted the illustrations. The researchwas supported terranean mass distribution (II), Earthq. Res.
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Navy, under Contract N6-Onr-271, Task Order 8. VENING MEINESZ, F. A., J. H. F. UMBGROVE,AND
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