New global marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1

This data collection is associated with the publication: Sandwell, D. T., Müller, R. D., Smith, W. H., Garcia, E., & Francis, R. (2014). New global marine gravity model from CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 reveals buried tectonic structure. Science, 346(6205), 65-67. doi: 10.1126/science.1258213Publication AbstractGravity models are powerful tools for mapping tectonic structures, especially in the deep ocean basins where the topography remains unmapped by ships or is buried by thick sediment. We combined new radar altimeter measurements from satellites CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 with existing data to construct a global marine gravity model that is two times more accurate than previous models. We found an extinct spreading ridge in the Gulf of Mexico, a major propagating rift in the South Atlantic Ocean, abyssal hill fabric on slow-spreading ridges, and thousands of previously uncharted seamounts. These discoveries allow us to understand regional tectonic processes and highlight the importance of satellite-derived gravity models as one of the primary tools for the investigation of remote ocean basins.Authors and InstitutionsDavid T. Sandwell - Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USAR. Dietmar Müller - EarthByte Research Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, Australia. ORCID: 0000-0002-3334-5764Walter H. F. Smith - Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USAEmmanuel Garcia - Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USARichard Francis - European Space Agency/European Space Research and Technology Centre, NetherlandsOverview of Resources ContainedThis collection contains gridded satellite-derived gravity, vertical gravity gradient, and gravity error data. These data are available as grids and KML overlays for Google Earth. The grids can also be visualised interactively online using the GPlates web portal.