Geology of The Iberian Peninsula - Geophysical Measures

Geophysical Measures

The Crustal thickness is 30 to 35 km through most of Iberia, but thins to 28 km on the west coast. The force exerted by the ridge push from the Atlantic sea floor is 3.0 TN/m (1012 newtons per meter); 54 Ma the force was lower at 2 TN/m.

The Crustal depth in the Iberian Massif is 30 to 35 km. Western Betics have crust 39 km thick and in three layers. Eastern Betics have a crust of 23 km thick in two layers. Along the coast crust is 23 to 25 km. Betic lithosphere is 100 to 110 km thick. Under the Alboran Sea the crust is 16 km thick. Alboran lithosphere is 40 km thick.

The Tajo and Duero basins are elevated and yet show a negative Bouguer anomaly. This is likely due to a less dense crust. In the Ossa Moena zone and South Portuguese Zone there is a positive Bouguer anomaly, due to higher crustal density. Along the Mediterranean Coast there is a positive Bouguer anomaly due to lithosphere thinned to less than 75 km.

GPS stations measure the slow movements due to continental drift and tectonic movements:

Heat flow 60–70 mW/m2 on Iberian Massif and in the Betics with 100–120 mW/m2 in the Alboran Sea where the lithosphere is thinner. A low heat flow of 40 mW/m2 is in the far south of Portugal.