Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jsames

Evidences of buried loads in the base of the crust of Borborema Plateau (NE Brazil)
from Bouguer admittance estimates
Roberto Gusmo de Oliveira a, Walter Eugnio de Medeiros b, c, *,1
a
CPRM - Servio Geolgico do Brasil, Av. Sul, 2291, Afogados, Recife/PE, CEP 50770-011, Brazil
b
Departamento de Geofsica, Centro de Cincias Exatas e da Terra, UFRN - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitrio, Natal/RN, CEP 59072-900, Brazil
c
INCT-GP, Instituto Nacional de Geofsica do Petrleo (CNPq), Brazil

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: In the Borborema Province (BP) e northeastern Brazil e two important Cenozoic events occurred at the
Received 23 April 2011 surface: the Macau magmatism and the Borborema Plateau epeirogenesis. To obtain appropriated-scale
Accepted 21 February 2012 geophysical data to explain the deep origins of these two events, different gravimetric/elevation data-
bases were integrated with new surveys. Bouguer admittance estimates reveal that isostatic condition of
Keywords: the BP, especially in the Borborema Plateau, can be explained using elastic models to the lithosphere only
Brazil
if surface and buried loadings are combined. If the buried load is applied in the base of the crust, the ratio
Borborema Province
between buried and surface weights is circa 15 for a lithosphere with effective elastic thickness around
Borborema Plateau
Bouguer admittance
15 km and crust thickness around 33 km. From an interpretative viewpoint of the buried load, it is
Combined surface and buried loadings assumed that the lower crust under the Borborema Plateau might have an anomalous high value of
Magmatic underplating density. Magmatic underplating might explain this fact as well as the observed surface magmatism and
epeirogenesis. Crustal thickening of about 4 km under the Borborema Plateau and intracrustal seismic
velocity discontinuity with high Vp/Vs ratio are geophysical facts consistent with magmatic underplating.
However, the surface magmatism presents low volume and mainly alkaline composition e facts that are
not entirely consistent with the hypothesis of magmatic underplating. Regardless the validity of this
hypothesis, Cenozoic-to-present events in BP might be somewhat associated with imbalances in
lithosphere-asthenospheric mantle and/or crust-lithospheric mantle systems. The existence of free-air
anomalies showing no null integral over area and of an expressive positive geoid anomaly are
geophysical evidences of these imbalances. Possibly, the Borborema Plateau is still suffering epeiro-
genesis. Post-depositional deformation found in Barreiras Formation strata, Late Quaternay fault
reactivations, and AFT thermochronology analysis suggesting the existence of a cooling stage between
20 and 0 Ma might be geologic evidences of the continued action of epeirogenesis until the present. In
addition, the relatively high level of the present intraplate seismicity recorded in several regions of the
BP is another unequivocal geophysical evidence that the crust of the province is still submitted to
accommodation processes.
2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
The Borborema Province is a geologic and structural domain
located in northeastern Brazil. It is limited to the south by the So
Francisco Craton, to the west, by the Parnaba Basin, and to the
* Corresponding author. Departamento de Geofsica, Centro de Cincias Exatas e
da Terra, UFRN - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Uni-
versitrio, Natal/RN, CEP 59072-900, Brazil. Tel.: 55 84 33422502; fax: 55 84
33422503.
E-mail addresses: roberto.gusmao@cprm.gov.br (R.G. de Oliveira), walter@
geosica.ufrn.br (W.E. de Medeiros).
1
http://www.cnpq.br/.
north and east, by the coastal margin (Fig. 1) (Almeida et al., 1981;
Santos and Brito Neves, 1984). It has a complex Precambrian
geologic evolution, culminating with the Gondwanaland assembly
in the Late Neoproterozoic - Early Paleozoic (Brito Neves and
Cordani, 1991; Trompette, 1994). In the Cenozoic, after the Pangea
breackup and the onset of continental drift (Matos, 1992), there
were events of magmatism (Mizusaki et al., 2002), sedimentation
(Mabesoone et al., 1972; Alheiros and Lima Filho, 1991), deforma-
tion (Morais Neto and Alkmim, 2001; Rossetti et al., 2011), and
epeirogenesis of the Borborema Plateau (Jardim de S et al., 2005;
Morais Neto et al., 2009).
The Borborema Plateau shows an elliptical shape elongated in
the NNE-SSW direction (Fig. 2). The areas of higher altitudes

0895-9811/$ e see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2012.02.004
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76 61

Fig. 1. Simplied tectonic-geological framework of the Borborema Province. Positions and ages of the Cenozoic magmatic events are based on Sial (1976), Sial et al. (1981), Fodor
et al. (1983), Asmus (1984), Fodor and McKee (1986), Fodor et al. (1998), Mizusaki et al. (2002), and Knesel et al. (2011).

(1,000 me1,200 m) are located in the central and western anks of
the plateau. The fact that an uplift occurred is ensured by the
presence of small mesas which are covered by sedimentary rocks
belonging to the Serra dos Martins Formation (Fig. 2), that was
deposited between 64 and 25 Ma (Morais Neto et al., 2008). Thus,
a constraint of minimum age of about 25 Ma can be posed for the
plateau uplift. On the other hand, sediments of the Barreiras
Formation (Lima, 2008) dated from 22 to 18 Ma were deposited at
the foot of the plateau along the continental margin. These sedi-
ments are locally associated to the pedimentation of the newly
uplifted relief (Jardim de S et al., 2005; Morais Neto et al., 2008).
Between 57 and 6.4 Ma, the Macau magmatic event occurred
(Sial, 1976; Mizusaki et al., 2002; Silveira, 2006; Knesel et al.,
2011). The volume of basaltic rocks associated with this event is
small; its largest portion intruded in the crust between 30 Ma and
20 Ma (Silveira, 2006). According to Jardim de S et al. (2005),
there is a signicant temporal correlation between the Macau
magmatism and the Borborema Plateau uplift. So, it is assumed
that the Borborema Plateau uplift occurred in the transition from
the Paleogene to the Neogene. However, the causes of this uplift
are not explained.
Epeirogenesis is a phenomenon whose causes must be investi-
gated taking into account both shallow and deep features of the
lithosphere because the relief can evolve due to the effects of loads
both on the top and/or on the base of the crust (Watts, 2001).
Discriminating between these sources is frequently a difcult task
because the causes are usually interrelated. Therefore, to study an
epeirogenesis it is necessary to use both surface and sub-surface
information. This manuscript intends to be a contribution in this
direction by adding geophysical data to the analysis.
62 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
Fig. 2. Topography of the Borborema Province and bathymetry of the adjacent ocean oor area. Shaded-relief map (Inc 35 and Dec 315 Az). The boundary of the Borborema
Province is indicated in solid black line.
Advances in understanding the tectonic history of the Borbor-
ema Province have been limited due to the lack of geophysical data
in an appropriated scale to infer information of its deep geology.
Previous geophysical studies either analyzed small portions of the
Borborema Province (e.g. Castro et al., 1998) or studied it in the
context of the entire South American Plate (e.g. Ussami et al., 1993;
S et al., 1993; Feng et al., 2004; Mantovani et al., 2005; Tassara
et al., 2007; Perez-Gussinye et al., 2007). In this work, we inte-
grate available gravimetric databases with new measurements in
order to perform a regional analysis of the isostatic properties of
the Borborema Province. Empirical Bouguer admittances and
coherences were obtained by using spectral techniques (Watts,
2001). The used methods are current in the literature and were
successfully applied to study similar geotectonic problems (e.g.
Lewis and Dorman, 1970; Banks and Swain, 1978; McNutt, 1980;
Forsyth, 1985; Zuber et al., 1989; Ebinger et al., 1989; Bechtel et al.,
1990; Ussami et al., 1993; Mantovani et al., 1995). The obtained
results allow us to evidence that the isostatic condition of the
Borborema Province (particularly in its northern portion under the
Borborema Plateau) cannot be explained, by using elastic models,
unless a combination of topographic and buried loads are used.
From an interpretational point of view of this fact, we suggest that
the lower crust under the Borborema Plateau has a relatively high
anomalous density, in accordance with the interpretation of seis-
mological data (Novo Barbosa, 2008).
The manuscript begins with a synthetic review of the geologic
evolution of the province, focusing on the Cenozoic events that
occurred after the Pangea fragmentation. Then we briey describe
the geophysical data and the methodologies used. After, the
obtained empirical Bouguer admittances and coherences are
compared with elastic isostatic response functions, in order to
show that both topographic and buried loads are necessary to
explain the isostatic condition of the lithosphere. Finally, we
discuss the hypothesis that magmatic underplating could be
a single explanation to the isostatic condition of the province,
Borborema Plateau uplift, Macau magmatism, and interpreted
presence of a lower crust having a relatively high density under the
Borborema Plateau.
2. Geological setting
The Borborema Province is located at the intersection of the
Equatorial and South Atlantic rift systems (Fig. 1). The opening of
the South Atlantic branch evolved basically from south to north
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
beginning in the Neocomian-Barremian (Szatmari et al., 1987). On
the other hand, the opening of the Equatorial branch evolved
basically from west to east beginning later in the Aptian-Albian
(Szatmari et al., 1987; Franolin and Szatmari, 1987). As result the
Borborema Province was part of the last portion of the South
American Plate to separate from the African Plate.
After the continental breakup, the Mecejana and Macau
magmatic events occurred in the Cenozoic (Almeida et al., 1988;
Mizusaki et al., 2002) (Figs. 1 and 2). The Mecejana magmatism is
restricted to an area near the Fortaleza city and consists of various
necks and dikes of alkaline rocks (Vandoros and Oliveira, 1968). Its
origin is attributed to a lined up magmatic event, which progressed
from west to east along the Fernando de Noronha Chain, which
would represent the path of the South American Plate over a hot
spot (Almeida et al., 1988; Mizusaki et al., 2002).
The Macau magmatism appears as recurrent episodes along the
Cenozoic (Sial, 1976), presenting ages between 57.0 and 6.4 Ma
(Sial, 1976; Almeida et al., 1988; Silveira, 2006; Mizusaki et al.,
2002; Souza et al., 2005; Knesel et al., 2011). Nonetheless its
small volume, it is spread over a wide region (Figs. 1 and 2),
including oceanic areas (Asmus, 1984). Most of this (small) volume
was intruded in the crust between 30 and 20 Ma (Silveira, 2006), in
the transition from the Paleogene to the Neogene. It is mainly
composed of ankaratrites, basanites and olivine basalts with
basanitic or tholeiitic afnity, occurring as plugs, necks, lava ows
and dikes which cut the Precambrian basement and Cretaceous
sediments (Sial, 1976). These rocks outcrop as an approximately N-S
range in the northern portion of the Borborema Plateau (Fig. 1 e 2).
According to Sial (1976), the alkali-basaltic magma was formed by
partial melting of a spinel-lherzolite mantle at a pressure of 20 kbar.
In necks and plugs are found xenocrysts of olivine, spinel and
spinel-lherzolite nodules, besides harzburgites, which were
derived from a depth around 64 km. According to Silveira (2006),
the basaltic rocks were chemically separated into two different
magma series: i) tholeiitic and transitional silica-satured basalts
with lower total alkalis, and ii) alkaline to strongly alkaline silica-
undersaturated olivine basalts.
The temporal coincidence of the Cenozoic magmatism and of
a distensional deformation regime in the northern part of the
Borborema Province led Jardim de S et al. (1999) to suggest the
existence, in the Cenozoic, of a large topographic dome-like
structure that was thermally sustained. A mantle plume would
have generated this thermal activation, which would have been the
ultimate cause of both the Borborema Plateau epeirogenesis and
the generation of basaltic magmas (Jardim de S et al., 1999).
However, as can be observed in Fig. 1, there is no spatialetemporal
correlation of the magmatic pulses, as there would be in the case
that this magmatism would represent the path of the South
American Plate over a plume or a hot spot. Because of the overall
direction of its outcrops and the absence of spatialetemporal
correlation of the events, Almeida et al. (1988) concluded that
a mantle plume could not have generated the Macau magmatism.
Previously, Sial (1976) attributed the origin of this magmatism to
pressure reliefs associated to internal adjustments of stress inside
the South American Plate during its drift. From the interpretation of
geochemical data of the Macau magmatism, Silveira (2006) sug-
gested that the existence of a mantle plume and of a high heat ow
are not required to explain this magmatism. Alternatively, it can be
explained by metasomatic processes that occurred in the lower
lithosphere, followed by partial melting triggered by extensional
tectonic events, which also would have favored the rise of magma
in the crust. Knesel et al. (2011) attributed to an edge-driven
convection mechanism the generation of the young continental
plugs (9-7 Ma). So, this young magmatism would have a different
origin than the young magmatism (12-2 Ma) occurring in the
63
Fernando de Noronha Island (Figs. 1 and 2), that has been attributed
to mantle plume (Fodor et al., 1998; Mizusaki et al., 2002). Edge-
driven convection is an instability that occurs at the boundary
between thick stable lithosphere and thinner lithosphere (King and
Anderson, 1998; King and Ritsema, 2000). Edge-driven convection
would explain both the absence of spatialetemporal correlation of
the magmatic events and their maintenance for a long period of
time in the same area.
The Serra dos Martins and Barreiras formations constitute the
continental Cenozoic sedimentary units overlying the Precambrian
basement or the Mesozoic sediments of the province (Figs. 1 and 2).
The Serra dos Martins Formation consists of uvial immature
sediments without fossils; these sediments mainly constitute
sandstones and conglomerates (Mabesoone, 1966; Menezes, 1999).
Their remnants are preserved on the top of mesas with elevation
between approximately 500 and 900 m (Fig. 2). AFT thermochro-
nology analysis in the crystalline rocks of the uplifted areas led
Morais Neto et al. (2008) to infer that this formation was deposited
between 64 and 25 Ma. That is, this formation cannot be older than
the Paleogene.
The widespread occurrence of residual deposits of the Serra dos
Martins Formation indicates that the original basin that received
these deposits occupied a large area in the northern Borborema
Province (Fig. 2). This basin must have been installed in a large
topographic depression. So, the fact that its sediments are now
forming mesas implies that a regional uplift occurred. In addition, it
is possible to impose the constraint that the topographic uplift
cannot be older than the younger age of deposition (25 Ma).
Kinematic and paleostress analysis revealed that, during the
Cenozoic, a compression stress oriented in the NW-SE direction
produced in the Serra dos Martins Formation pairs of conjugate
joints, reverse faults, dextral low angle intrastratal faults, besides
intrastratal displacement zones (Morais Neto and Alkmim, 2001).
The temporal coincidence of this deformation and of the plateau
uplift is suggestive that the epeirogenesis caused the stratal
deformation.
The Barreiras Formation consists of sandy-clay to sand or even
conglomeratic uvial sediments, which may present cross or plane-
parallel stratication (Mabesoone et al., 1972; Alheiros and Lima
Filho, 1991). In the province, these rocks occur in low elevation
areas along the continental margin, sometimes forming sea cliffs.
Weathering geochronology of these sediments revealed a deposi-
tion in the Early Miocene between 22 and 18 Ma (Lima, 2008).
In the Barreiras Formation, Jardim de S et al. (1999) identied
deformation records of an extensional tectonic regime produced
by a stress eld with relative N-S compression and E-W extension.
Nogueira et al. (2006) also identied stratal deformation in the
Barreiras Formation. In this case, faulting and block tilting led to
the identication of a change in the tectonic regime: the
maximum compression axis changed from N-S to E-W direction.
According to Jardim de S et al. (2005), the Barreiras Formation
deposition occurred under the action of a vigorous erosion regime,
being this deposition an evidence of the Borborema Plateau
pedimentation. In addition, the post-depositional deformation
found in Barreiras Formation strata (Jardim de S et al., 2005) can
be interpreted as evidence that isostatic instability of the plateau is
still occurring, the seismic activity of the Borborema Province (e.g.
Ferreira et al., 1998, 2008; Bezerra and Vita-Finzi, 2000;
Vasconcelos et al., 2010) being possibly associated with this
instability. The fact that many Late Quaternay fault reactivations
were found in the region (Bezerra et al., 2008, 2011; Nogueira
et al., 2010) is in accordance with this interpretation. Finally, this
interpretation is also corroborated by AFT thermochronology
analysis suggesting the existence of a cooling stage between 20
and 0 Ma (Morais Neto et al., 2009).
64 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76

According to Morais Neto et al. (2009), another possibly
contributing factor to the relief shaping of the Borborema Plateau
was a global climate change that occurred in the Neogene when
a humid climate regime acted. It produced high rates of erosion; as
result signicant input of siliciclastic sediments were deposited in
the adjacent coastal basins.
3. Data and methods
3.1. Geophysical data
Fig. 2 shows the elevation map for the Borborema Province and
adjacent areas. To obtain this map we integrated available elevation
grids both of onshore and offshore regions. Onshore, we used
a 90 m square grid available from USGS/Eros Data Center, which
results from measurements of the SRTM - Shuttle Radar Topo-
graphic Mission (NIMA - National Imagery and Mapping Agency
and NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
Offshore, we used the same bathymetric grid described below in
association with the gravity data.
Fig. 3 shows the geographic distribution of the used gravity/
elevation stations. Onshore, this database results from the
integration of the gravimetric/elevation databases of UFRN (Federal
University of Rio Grande do Norte) and CPRM (the Brazilian
Geological Survey) (black points in Fig. 3), besides circa 1,000 new
gravimetric/elevation stations (red points in Fig. 3) by us measured
to complement the remaining large spatial voids (Oliveira, 2008).
Offshore, we used a 20 square grid of gravity/bathymetry, which is
derived from satellite geodesic data (Scripps Institution of Ocean-
ography, University of California San Diego) measured with GEOSAT
and ERS-1 satellites (Sandwell and Smith, 1997). Onshore, most of
the elevation data result from DGPS or theodolite measurements
but a small portion of these measurements was still done with
barometers. Due to the type of associated elevation measurement,
onshore most of the gravity data have error smaller than 0.2 mGal
(DGPS or theodolite) or smaller than 0.5 mGal (barometers).
Offshore the error in the gravity data is around 5 mGal (Sandwell
and Smith, 1997).
The geographic coordinates of all points were referred in a pol-
yconic projection using latitude and longitude of the natural origin
equal to 0 and 50 , respectively, and false easting and north
equal to 5,000,000 m and 10,000,000 m, respectively. All gravi-
metric data were referred to the IGSN 71 system. The Bouguer
anomaly was calculated by using the simple Bouguer slab

Fig. 3. Gravity/elevation database. Onshore there are more than 227,000 stations (black and red dots). The red dots correspond to the data collected for this research. Offshore (light
blue dots) the data consist of a grid (20  20 ), available from Satellite Geodesy (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, http://topex.ucsd.edu/marine_
topo/). The boundary of the Borborema Province is indicated in solid blue line. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this gure legend, the reader is referred to the web
version of this article.)
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76 65

correction (Bullard A), without taking into account either curvature
(Bullard B) or terrain (Bullard C) corrections (LaFehr, 1991). Because
all elevation in the study region is smaller than 1,000 m, the
maximum value for the Bullard B correction to the Bouguer
anomaly is smaller than 1.2 mGal (LaFehr, 1991). On the other hand
terrain correction is usually smaller than 0.5 mGal for gentle
topography, as the topography in the study region. Onshore the
value 2,670 kg/m3 for the density of the topographic masses was
used and, offshore, the value 1,030 kg/m3 for the water density was
used.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the Bouguer and free-air gravity anomaly
maps, respectively, for the Borborema Province and adjacent areas.
These maps result from the interpolation in a 10 km square grid of
the database shown in Fig. 3. We used minimum curvature as the
interpolation criterion. The free-air anomaly evidences both the
effects of density and elevation variations whereas the Bouguer
anomaly evidences only the effects of density variation.
For the sake of clarity we observe that onshore two datasets of
elevation are available: the data measured in association with the
gravity survey (gravity stations shown in Fig. 3) and the elevation
grid used to produce Fig. 2. However, the gravity anomalies (Figs. 4
and 5) were calculated by using the associated elevation measures
at each gravity station.
3.2. Methods
The concept of Isostasy is related to the deformation of the lith-
osphere under stresses caused by the action of geologic loads, as for
example, a mountain range. Because loads and deformations might
be associated with density heterogeneities, they might generate
gravity anomalies. On the other hand, topography is inuenced by
the lithosphere exure. The amount and scale of the exure depends
on the mechanical behavior of the lithosphere (or the isostatic
compensation scheme). So, it is possible to obtain information about
the isostatic compensation scheme given that a relationship
between topography and gravity data is known. Dorman and Lewis
(1970) and Lewis and Dorman (1970) established that, in the
wavenumber domain (k), the Fourier transforms of the gravity
anomaly Dg(k) and topography (or elevation) H(k) are related by:
Dgk
Zk (1)
Hk

Fig. 4. Bouguer anomaly map. Shaded-relief map (Inc 35 and Dec 315 Az). This map results from the interpolation of the gravity database (Fig. 3) in a 10 km square grid by
using the minimum curvature method. Sets of proles A (P1 to P21) and B (P3, P4, and P5) used to calculate the empirical Bouguer admittances are shown. The boundaries of
Borborema Plateau and Borborema Province are indicated in solid white and black lines, respectively.
66 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76

Fig. 5. Free-air gravity anomaly map. Shaded-relief map (Inc 35 and Dec 315 Az). This map results from the interpolation of the gravity database (Fig. 3) in a 10 km square grid
by using the minimum curvature method. The boundaries of Borborema Plateau and Borborema Province are indicated in solid white and black lines, respectively.

Z(k) is called Bouguer admittance or free-air admittance, Estimating empirical admittances with Eq. (1) is usually an
depending on the type of the used gravity anomaly. Eq. (1) may be unstable numerical process because of the noise content both in
interpreted in the following way: the lithosphere behaves as gravity and topographic data. To reduce the noise effects McKenzie
a mechanical device that, under the input of the topography H(k), and Bowin (1976) proposed to substitute Eq. (1) by
furnishes as output the gravity anomaly Dg(k), being this
Cc k
mechanical behavior controlled by the admittance Z(k). In the Zk (2)
Et k
continent the Bouguer admittance is usually chosen (see Watts
(2001) for a discussion of the reasons). In this study we adopt where Cc is the cross-spectrum of the gravity anomaly and topog-
this choice. raphy, and Et is the power spectrum of the topography. Cc and Et are
Calculating empirical Bouguer admittances demands the given by
knowledge of the topography and of the Bouguer anomaly besides
some numerical cares to reduce noise effects. On the other hand, to 1 XN
*
calculate theoretical admittances (that is, isostatic response func- Cc Dgm kHm k (3)
N m1
tions) one must postulate an isostatic model of compensation for
the lithosphere. Thus, by comparing isostatic response functions
with empirical admittances one can test the validity or the 1 XN
*
Et Hm kHm k (4)
adequacy of isostatic compensation models for the studied area. N m1
This is the key objective of the present work. In addition, some
constrains can usually be obtained for the geometric or physical where the asterisk denotes the complex conjugate and N is the
parameters that dene the isostatic model of compensation. number of proles. By using Eq, (2) instead of Eq, (1), the effects on
Bellow, details are given on how to obtain empirical values of Z(k) estimates due to uncorrelated noises in topography and Bou-
admittance and calculate isostatic response functions. guer data are greatly reduced. Also as a strategy to reduce noise
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
effects, McKenzie and Bowin (1976) proposed to divide the same
prole into a number of segments and averaging the resulting
spectral estimates before applying Eq. (2).
To improve the efcacy of Eq. (2), Watts (1978) proposed a slight
modication in the McKenzie and Bowin (1976)s approach. This
modication consists in smoothing the admittance spectra along
different proles, taken over the same geological feature, rather
than dividing the same prole into a number of segments and
averaging the resulting spectral estimates. To obtain empirical
Bouguer admittances, we used here the approach of Watts (1978),
implementing the smoothing process on the proles through
a cubic spline interpolation (after a comparison test of this lter
with other simple smoothing lters, as low-pass and polynomial).
On the other hand, the isostatic response functions (theoretical
values of admittance) were calculated using three models of elastic
isostatic compensation for the lithosphere (Forsyth, 1985; Watts,
2001): (Model M1) surface loading only; (Model M2) buried (or
sub-surface) loading only, the load being applied in the base of the
crust; and (Model M3) a combination of surface and buried loads,
the buried load being also applied in the base of the crust. In all
models, the lithosphere is assumed to be a uniform elastic plate
oating over the asthenosphere, which is considered to be a non-
viscous uid. Bellow, we adopt the same mathematical symbols
used by Watts (2001) for the geometric and physical parameters
associated with the models.
Models M1, M2, and M3 share the same hypothesis that the
lithosphere presents elastic behavior. This behavior is controlled by
the key parameter Te e the effective elastic thickness: the greater is
Te the greater is the strength of the lithosphere. On the other hand,
the key parameter controlling the difference among the models is fl e
the ratio between the weight of the sub-surface load to the weight
of the surface load. Particularly, models M1 and M2 are end-
member cases of model M3 for fl 0 and fl approaching innity,
respectively. In addition, both models M1 and M2 have as an end-
member, for the case Te 0, the classic Airy model of compensation.
That is, the Airy model represents a lithosphere with null strength.
The fundamental difference in behavior between an elastic model
(like M1, M2, or M3), on one hand, and the Airy model, on the other
hand, is that in the rst one the loads are regionally compensated,
whereas in the latter they are locally compensated. That is, in the
Airy model all loads are fully compensated, regardless of their
wavelength, whereas in the elastic models, there is an attenuated
regional distribution of the lithosphere exure depending on the
load wavelength. So, in the elastic models, there is a transition from
one limiting case, where very long wavelength loads are fully
compensated, to the other limiting case, where very short wave-
length loads have no compensation.
The other parameters necessary to specify the elastic models are
Zt (mean thickness of the crust), ZL (mean depth of the upward-
acting force in M3 model), rc (crust density), and rm (mantle
density). Mathematical details concerning all described isostatic
response functions are given by Watts (2001).
It is also useful to estimate the empirical coherence of the
admittance. According to Munk and Cartwright (1966; apud
Bechtel et al., 1987) it is given by
N g20 k  1
g2 k
N1
where
Cc kCc* k
g20 k ; (6)
EDg kEt k
EDg being the power spectrum of the gravity anomaly (the other
parameters were already dened). g2 k provides a measure of the
67
portion of the observed gravity anomaly that is caused by the
topography (Watts, 2001). To estimate the error deviation associ-
ated with the empirical coherence we adopt the denition of
Bendat and Piersol (1980, apud Bechtel et al., 1987) given by
!
  2g2 k 1=2
Dg k 1 
2
g20 k 0
(7)
n
where n is the number of independent Fourier coefcients in the
considered frequency band.
To compare empirical values of coherence with theoretical
functions of coherence associated with isostatic compensation
models we use just the Model M3. The theoretical functions of
coherence are also described in Watts (2001).
Bouguer anomaly (and topography) proles used to estimate
empirical admittances and coherences are located in Fig. 4. The
same procedure was applied to obtain topography and Bouguer
anomaly values along these proles. Firstly the grids used to
produce Figs. 2 and 4 were re-interpolated in new square grids with
the same origin and extent for both data. Then, by using a regular
spacing of 10 km, each value along the proles was obtained by
interpolating the respective neighboring values of the new grids.
For this kind of regional study, the methodology described in
Section 3.1 for correcting the gravity data is acceptable.
To give support to the study of the isostatic response of the
Borborema Province, it is very useful to have a map of crust
thickness estimates. The methodology used here to produce this
map is also based on the concept of isostasy. By using model M1, the
crust thickness was modeled or estimated from the isostatic
response of the lithosphere due to the topographic weights. The
lithosphere is assumed to be laterally uniform, the compensation
surface being the Mohorovicic discontinuity associated to the
crustemantle interface.
4. Results
4.1. Crustal thickness
Fig. 6 shows a map of crust thickness estimates for the Borbor-
ema Province and adjacent areas. In this map a strong smoothness
constraint is incorporated, as result of the used isostatic assump-
tions. To produce this map, the values 2,800 kg/m3, 3,200 kg/m3,
25 km, and 30 km for the crust density (rc), mantle density (rm),
effective elastic thickness (Te), and mean thickness of the crust (Zt),
respectively, were used. The chosen value for Te is consistent with
the estimates given by Tassara et al. (2007) and Perez-Gussinye
et al. (2007) for the entire province. On the other hand, Zt was
selected in order to approximately reproduce, in the points shown
in Fig. 6, known estimates of crust thickness. Red dots show esti-
mates obtained by Frana et al. (2006) based on the inversion of
teleseismic data. The blue dot in the Potiguar rift shows an estimate
obtained by Matos (1992) from the interpretation of seismic
reection data. Finally, the blue dot in the So Francisco Plate shows
an estimate obtained by Berrocal et al. (1989) from the interpre-
tation of seismic refraction data. Let us stress that the used
compensation depth is better suited for the Borborema Province.
(5)
So, the crust thickness is probably underestimated in the So
Francisco Plate and overestimated in the oceanic crust. However, as
a whole, the map gives a quite good vision of the crust thickness in
the area, at least from the point of view of providing inequality
relationships.
A crustal thickening under the Borborema Plateau (white line in
Fig. 6) of about 4 km relative to nearby areas was obtained as
a direct result of the used methodology. However, for the same
68 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76

Fig. 6. Crust thickness estimates for the Borborema Province and adjacent areas. Shaded-relief map (Inc 35 and Dec 315 Az). The boundary of the Borborema Province is
indicated in solid black line. Blue and red dots show points where estimates of the crust thickness are known.

area, Castro et al. (1997) obtained a similar crustal thickening from
the inversion of gravity data, in this case without using any
assumption associated with isostasy. Firstly Castro et al. (1997)
performed a regional-residual separation of the Bouguer anomaly
using the method of Beltro et al. (1991), the regional component
being selected in order to represent approximately the gravity
effect of the crustemantle interface. Then an inversion of this
regional component was performed by using the method of
Barbosa et al. (1997). Based on the fact that quite different meth-
odologies give the same picture for the area, we assume that the
crustal thickening under the Borborema Plateau is a fact.
Empirical Bouguer admittances for Set A are shown in Figs. 7
and 8. In these gures (and similar ones) each black dot repre-
sents a mean value and the associated size of vertical bar is
proportional to one standard deviation. In Fig. 7 families of isostatic
response functions calculated with models M1 (surface loading
only) and M2 (buried loading only, the load being applied in the
base of the crust) are also shown. The used values of geometric and
elastic parameters are specied in the gures or in their captions.
On the other hand, in Fig. 8 a family of isostatic response functions
calculated with Model M3 (combination of surface and buried
loads, the buried load being also applied in the base of the crust) is

4.2. Bouguer admittance

Table 1
Empirical Bouguer admittances were estimated for two sets A Elastic parameters used to calculate the theoretical isostatic response functions.
and B of gravity and topographic proles. Set A consists of 21 Unless explicitly stated, these values are common to all models.

proles (P1 to P21) regularly spaced on the Borborema Province Crustal density rc 2800 kg/m3
and Set B is a subset of A consisting of proles P3, P4, and P5 with Mantle density rm 3330 kg/m3
NW-SE direction (Fig. 4). Table 1 shows the values of elastic Youngs modulus 1011 Pa
Poissons ratio n 0.25
parameters used to calculate the isostatic response functions, Gravitational acceleration g 9.82 m/s2
which are common to all models.
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
Fig. 7. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (solid lines) Bouguer admittances for the
entire Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using Set of
proles A (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated with either surface
or buried loadings and varying the value of Te (effective elastic thickness). The error bar
represents one standard deviation. Zt mean thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth
of the upward-acting force; rc crust density; and rm mantle density.
also shown. The curves composing the families of isostatic response
functions are not tting curves to the empirical data e their rule is
just to support a comparative reasoning (done below), regarding
the adequacy of an elastic model and/or of a particular parameter
value in explaining the empirical data.
The empirical Bouguer admittances for Set A show very high
values of standard deviations (Fig. 7 or Fig. 8). A plausible expla-
nation to this fact is that both Te and fl might have high spatial
variation in the study area. This interpretation is consistent with
the shown variations for Te in this area given in the maps for the
entire South American Plate reported by Mantovani et al. (2005),
Tassara et al. (2007) and Perez-Gussinye et al. (2007). The presence
of intracrustal loads (Banks et al., 2001), might be a possible
contributing factor for the variation in fl. In fact, many intracrustal
loads e both positive and negative e are present in the Borborema
Province. The positive loads are associated with Archean nuclei,
Precambrian dense intrusive rocks and crustal domains possibly
related with terrain sutures. The negative loads are associated with
Fig. 8. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (lines) Bouguer admittances for the entire
Borborema Province. The empirical admittance was calculated using the Set of proles
A (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated with combined surface and
buried loadings and varying the value of Zt (mean thickness of the crust). The error bar
represents one standard deviation. Te effective elastic thickness; fl ratio of loading;
ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force; rc crust density; and rm mantle
density.
69
sedimentary basins (Fig. 1), for example. Both types of loads cause
strong effects in the Bouguer anomaly map (Fig. 4).
To obtain empirical Bouguer admittances with better statistical
quality we carefully chose a group of proles (Set B) restricted to
a relatively small area where intracrustal loads were avoided but
important topographic features were properly sampled. Thus we
would have sampled an area where both Te and fl might have small
spatial variation. Set B crosses the northern portion of Borborema
Plateau, besides the southern portion of the Macau magmatism
outcrop range (Figs. 2 and 4). Proles P1 and P2 were not included
in Set B because their gravity data are strongly inuenced by the
effect of crustal thinning, due to the proximity and parallelism of
the proles to the Equatorial Margin. In addition, gravity proles
located to the south of 7 S suffer strong inuence from sedimen-
tary basins (Fig. 4).
Empirical Bouguer admittances for Set B are shown in
Figs. 9e14. Following the same approach above used for Set A, in
Figs. 9 and 10 families of isostatic response functions calculated
with models M1 and M2 were superposed. On the other hand, in
Figs. 11e14 families of isostatic response functions calculated with
Model M3 were superposed. The empirical Bouguer admittances
for Set B show acceptable values of standard deviation. So, in the
covered area certainly both Te and fl have small spatial variations.
Firstly, let us analyze the results for Sets A and B jointly. Despite
the huge difference in statistical quality, the empirical admittances
agree in a striking aspect: they do not show monotonically
decreasing behavior of admittance with wavenumber. Observe that
both groups of empirical data show a peak in the vicinity of
wavenumber 0.07 cycle/km (l z 90 km). The isostatic response
functions generated with the elastic plate model and using just
surface loading cannot explain this behavior (Figs. 7 and 9, for
example). On the other hand, the isostatic response functions
generated with an elastic plate model and using just sub-surface
loading can show this behavior. However, as evidenced by Figs. 7
and 9, in the present case it is not possible to explain simulta-
neously peak amplitude and peak position of the empirical
admittances with acceptable values for the elastic and geometric
parameters of model M2. To satisfy this demand it is necessary to
use both surface and buried loadings. This is the key conclusion
derived from the comparative analysis of the empirical data for Sets
A and B with the families of isostatic response functions.
Fig. 9. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (solid lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using either
surface or buried loadings, varying the value of Te (effective elastic thickness), and with
xed Zt ZL 30 km. The error bar represents one standard deviation. Zt mean
thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force; rc crust density;
and rm mantle density.
70 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
Fig. 10. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (solid lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using either
surface or buried loadings, varying the value of Te (effective elastic thickness), and with
xed Zt ZL 20 km. The error bar represents one standard deviation. Zt mean
thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force; rc crust density;
and rm mantle density.
Let us make now a more detailed analysis of Figs. 9 and 10. To
generate Fig. 9, we used the value 30 km for the crust thickness
(Fig. 6), the same value used to produce Fig. 7. Clearly, no isostatic
response function superposes the empirical data (Fig. 9). In
particular, the Airy model gives values systematically smaller than
the empirical values. The theoretical curve associated with model
M2 and Te 7 km shows a slight resemblance to the empirical data
but at shifted values of wavenumber: that is, the peak amplitude in
the theoretical curve is approximately equal to the peak amplitude
in the empirical data shifted toward lower values of wavelength.
Because Set B is near the Equatorial margin, the crust thickness in
this region is smaller than the mean value for the entire province
(Fig. 6). Thus, in Fig. 10, we used a smaller value for the crustal
thickness (20 km). Again, no isostatic response function shows
a good superposition to the empirical data for the entire wave-
length interval. For l > 100 km, there is a good superposition of the
empirical data with the theoretical function generated with
Te 7 km; however, the theoretical peak amplitude is unacceptable
Fig. 11. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using
combined surface and buried loadings and varying the value of fl (ratio of loading). The
error bar represents one standard deviation. Te effective elastic thickness; Zt mean
thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force; rc crust density;
and rm mantle density.
Fig. 12. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using
combined surface and buried loadings and varying the value of Te (effective elastic
thickness). The error bar represents one standard deviation. fl ratio of loading;
Zt mean thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force;
rc crust density; and rm mantle density.
as an explanation for the empirical peak amplitude. On the other
hand, the peak amplitude of the function generated with Te 5 km
is approximately equal to the empirical peak amplitude but the
peak positions are shifted. So the main conclusion derived from the
analysis of Figs. 9 and 10 is again the necessity of using both surface
and buried loads to explain the empirical Bouguer admittances.
Let us now analyze Figs. 11e14. In this analysis we address the
question about specifying reasonable values for parameters in
order to explain the empirical admittances of Set B. There are six
parameters associated with model M3: Te (the effective elastic
thickness), fl (the ratio between the weight of the sub-surface load
to the weight of the surface load), Zt (mean thickness of the crust),
ZL (mean depth of the upward-acting force), rc (crust density), and
rm (mantle density). We assume that ZL Zt and rm 3,330 kg/m3.
The rst assumption is in accordance with the geologic scenario
and the second expresses a widely accepted density value for the
mantle. In addition, for the crust region under the Borborema
Fig. 13. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using
combined surface and buried loadings and varying the value of rc (crust density). The
error bar represents one standard deviation. Te effective elastic thickness; fl ratio of
loading; Zt mean thickness of the crust; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force;
and rm mantle density.
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
Fig. 14. Empirical (black dots) and theoretical (lines) Bouguer admittances for the
northern Borborema Province. The empirical admittances were calculated using the
Set of proles B (Fig. 4). The isostatic response functions were calculated using
combined surface and buried loadings and varying the value of Zt (mean thickness of
the crust). The error bar represents one standard deviation. Te effective elastic
thickness; fl ratio of loading; ZL mean depth of the upward-acting force; rc crust
density; and rm mantle density.
Plateau we assume a mean value around 33 km for Zt (Fig. 6). For
the remaining three parameters, we assume 5 km < Te < 40 km
(Tassara et al., 2007; Perez-Gussinye et al., 2007), 2,600 kg/
m3 < rc < 3,000 kg/m3, and fl > 1 (Mantovani et al., 2005; Tassara
et al., 2007). In addition, we use 10 km and 2,800 kg/m3 as
preliminary values for Te and rc, respectively, in order to investigate
the isolated inuence of fl around these values (Fig. 11). This gure
shows that the isostatic response functions are quite sensible in
relation to fl. It is important to note that, the higher is fl the higher is
the peak amplitude and the higher is the shift of the peak position
toward smaller values of wavelength (remember that Te is xed).
Observe that low values of fl cannot explain the empirical data both
from the viewpoint of reproducing the peak amplitude and the
peak position. From the visual inspection of Fig. 11, we chose a value
around 15 for fl. Now, we will check the inuence on the isostatic
response functions of the others parameters around this value of fl.
In Fig. 12 the inuence of Te around the values 2,800 kg/m3,
33 km, and 15 for rc, Zt, and fl, respectively, is shown. The inuence
of Te is also quite high. The functions associated with Te > 10 km are
unacceptable both from the viewpoint of reproducing the peak
amplitude and the peak position. The reason for this fact is the
above reported behavior of the isostatic response functions with fl
for xed values of Te: it would be impossible to reproduce the
empirical data with xed values for Te equal either to 15 km or
20 km because, in order to diminish the peak amplitude, lower
values of fl would be necessary; however, diminishing fl would lead
to a shift of the peak position toward high values of wavelength that
is in the opposite direction demanded to superpose the empirical
data. So, Te must be maintained at about 10 km in order that the
isostatic response functions superpose approximately the empirical
data.
In Fig. 13 the inuence of rc around the values 33 km, 10 km, and
15 for Zt, Te, and fl, respectively, is shown. The mean value of the
crust density has very small inuence in the isostatic response
functions, particularly on the peak position. Any value for rc
between 2,600 and 2,900 kg/m3 could reasonably explain the
empirical data.
Finally, in Fig. 14 the inuence of Zt around the values 10 km, 15,
and 2,800 kg/m3 for Te, fl, and rc, respectively, is shown. The value of
Zt has a moderate inuence on the peak amplitude but a very small
inuence on the peak position. Values of Zt between 30 and 35 km
could reasonably explain the empirical data.
71
In synthesis, to explain the isostatic condition of the Borborema
Province using elastic models both surface and buried loadings are
necessary. In addition, to its northern portion (that is part of the
Borborema Plateau), isostatic response functions generated with an
elastic plate with Te around 10 km and combined surface and buried
loadings with fl around 15 shows a reasonable superposition of the
empirical data.
The results reported here are qualitatively consistent with the
results obtained by Mantovani et al. (2005) and Tassara et al. (2007)
that studied the elastic properties of the entire South American
Plate. For the Borborema Province, Tassara et al. (2007) obtained Te
estimates smaller than 15 km, being this province among the
regions of Brazil showing the lowest values of Te. Moreover e and
most importantly e Tassara et al. (2007) evidenced that in Bor-
borema Province the inuence of buried loads (relative to surface
loads) is relatively high. On the other hand, Mantovani et al. (2005)
obtained Te estimates around 30 km for the Borborema Province.
Despite these estimates are greater than the estimates reported by
Tassara et al. (2007), the results of Mantovani et al. (2005) also
show that Borborema Province is amongst the regions of Brazil
showing the smallest values of Te.
4.3. Coherence between topography and Bouguer anomaly
Fig. 15 shows empirical coherences between topography and
Bouguer anomaly for both sets of proles A and B. The superposed
theoretical coherence functions were generated with model M3
(both surface and buried loads). These functions are identied by
the value of Te. Observe that empirical coherences calculated with
Set A are in general too low, even inside the diagnostic waveband of
exure (between 50 and 500 km). This fact is consistent with
a plethora of reported results for regions where important varia-
tions of exural rigidity and loading process exist (e.g. Zuber et al.,
1989; Bechtel et al., 1990; Ussami et al., 1993; Hartley et al., 1996).
On the other hand, the estimates of coherence for Set B show
reasonably high values. In particular, inside the diagnostic wave-
band of exure the coherence is in general greater than 0.5, as
expected.
Analyzing now Fig. 15 from the viewpoint of estimating Te, we
observe that the estimates calculated with Set A do not allow any
diagnosis. However, by using Set B, we see that the transition from
high to low values of empirical coherence occurs around the
Fig. 15. Empirical and theoretical coherences between Bouguer anomaly and topog-
raphy. The empirical values were calculated both for the entire Borborema Province
(black dots) and for its northern portion (red triangles). The theoretical coherence
functions (black lines) were calculated using combined surface and buried loadings
and varying the value of Te (effective elastic thickness). The error deviation is shown as
a vertical bar (sometimes too small to appear) and was calculated using Eq. (7).
fl ratio of loading; Zt mean thickness of the crust ( ZL mean depth of the
upward-acting force). rc crust density; and rm mantle density. (For interpretation
of the references to colour in this gure legend, the reader is referred to the web
version of this article.)
72 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76

theoretical coherence functions calculated with Te in the interval
10e20 km. This improvement in the coherence values e when
tectonic sub-domains are separately investigated e is well known
in the literature (e.g. Zuber et al., 1989; Bechtel et al., 1990; Hartley
et al., 1996).
5. Discussion
The isostatic status of the northern Borborema Province, espe-
cially in the Borborema Plateau, can be explained only with the
isostatic response model combining both surface and buried
loadings. The ratio of surface to buried weights is around 15,
whereas Te is circa 10 km. Possible non-excluding explanations for
these buried loadings are the existence of a shallower crustal level
of isostatic compensation or/and the existence of a compensation
zone rather than a compensation surface usually associated to the
Moho. The latter possibility would correspond to a transition-
density zone between a light crust and a dense mantle. In any case,
the lower crust in the region under he Borborema Plateau would
have an anomalous high value of density.
It is a difcult task to propose a sequence of Cenozoic geologic
events e consistent with the present geologic knowledge both of
the province and of the Earth e that is capable of: (i) modify the
original structure of the crust, (ii) generate an isostatic condition
associated with combined loadings, (iii) generate epeirogenesis,
(iv) generate magmatism, and (v) produce a lower crust with an
anomalous high value of density. Because magmatic underplating is
a possible single explanation for all these events, we discuss now
the pros and cons aspects of this hypothesis.

Fig. 16. Schematic gure illustrating the hypothesis of magmatic underplating under the Borborema Plateau. An initial activation of the lithospheric mantle (1) could have acted as
a source for the Cenozoic magmatism. As a consequence, the negative density contrast between the underplated magmatic rocks and the surrounding mantle would have produced
a buoyant force that would have deformed the crust and uplifted the region, thus forming the Borborema Plateau (2).
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76 73

An initial activation of the lithospheric mantle e not necessarily
of thermal origin e could have acted as a source for the Cenozoic
magmatism (Fig. 16). A possible starting mechanism could be edge-
driven convection, as proposed by Knesel et al. (2011) to explain the
young continental plugs of magmatism (9-7 Ma) generated in the
province. However, the largest portion of this magmatism would
have been retained at the base of the crust, forming magmatic
underplating, and/or intruded in the original lower crust, while
a minor portion would have reached the Earth surface. In this
context, the crustal thickening under the Borborema Plateau (Fig. 6)
could be attributed to the added material at the base of the crust.
The relatively high density of the added material, thus propor-
tioning a low negative density contrast with the surrounding
mantle, would be consistent with the fact that the produced Bou-
guer anomaly under the Borborema Plateau is not vey large (Fig. 4).
In addition, the portion of the magmatic material that would have
intruded in the original lower crust would have increased its
density. The overall consequence would be that the negative
density contrast between the underplated magmatic rocks and the
surrounding mantle would have produced a buoyant force that
would have deformed the crust and uplifted the region, thus
forming the Borborema Plateau (Fig. 16).
Two facts are consistent with the hypothesis of magmatic
underplating. The rst is the above reported crustal thickening of
about 4 km below the Borborema Plateau that was detected both
with gravity (Castro et al., 1997, 1998) and seismological (Novo
Barbosa, 2008) data inversion. The second fact results from a crus-
tal seismologic study using receiver function done by Novo Barbosa
(2008); she evidenced the existence of an important discontinuity
in the intracrustal seismic velocity associated with high Vp/Vs ratio.
According to Musacchio et al. (1997), high Vp/Vs ratios are clues of
basic composition for the crust.
The relationship between magmatic underplating and epeiro-
genesis is also supported by the literature. According to Watts
(2001), magmatic underplating causes both deformation and
topographic uplift. In addition, Furlong and Fountain (1986)
showed that crustal masses derived from the mantle might add
more than 10 km to the crust thickness. According to the gravi-
metric modeling done by Singh et al. (2004), a high dense crustal
layer with thickness around 10e15 km was added to the base of the
crust in the Rajmahal Traps region in India.
However there are at least two aspects of the geologic knowl-
edge of the Borborema Province that are not entirely consistent
with the hypothesis of magmatic underplating. The rst is the fact

Fig. 17. Geoid surface map. Source: IBGE e the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (http://www.ibge.gov.br/english/geociencias/geodesia/calculo_do_modelo.shtm).
Shaded-relief map (Inc 35 and Dec 315 Az). Positions of the Cenozoic magmatic events and of the set of proles B (P3, P4, and P5) used to calculate the empirical Bouguer
admittances are shown. The boundaries of Borborema Plateau and Borborema Province are indicated in solid white and black lines, respectively.
74 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
that the Cenozoic magmatism presents a low volume of rocks, at
least onshore. In the literature, the hypothesis of magmatic
underplating is in general proposed for regions where a volumi-
nous surface magmatism exists. As examples: (i) the Eifel volcanic
eld in Germany (Sachs and Hansteen, 2000), where there are
geophysical indications of a mantle plume (Ritter, 2007); (ii) the
large igneous provinces that are precursors of passive continental
margins, as in the case of the Mahanadi Delta (Behera et al., 2004)
and of the Rajmahal Traps (Singh et al., 2004), both in India; and
(iii) the Paran Basin, in Brazil for which it was proposed crustal
models where the emplacement of a voluminous basaltic mass was
associated to crustal magmatic underplating (Molina et al., 1988;
Vidotti et al., 1998; An, 2004). So, if magmatic underplating
occurred in the study region, the largest portion of this magmatism
would have necessarily been retained at the base of the crust and/
or intruded in the original lower crust, as stated above.
The second aspect of the geologic knowledge of the Borborema
Province that is not entirely consistent with the hypothesis of
magmatic underplating is the fact that this event is in general
associated with high rates of mantle melting, tholeiitic magmatism,
and production of felsic magmas due to crustal melting (Huppert
and Sparks, 1988; Fountain, 1989; Cox, 1993). These characteris-
tics are valid only for the portion of the Macau magmatism
constituted by tholeiitic and transitional basalts (Souza et al., 2005).
However, the dominant part of the Macau magmatism is composed
of alkaline basaltic rocks (Sial, 1976; Silveira, 2006), in general
associated with low rates of mantle melting.
Regardless the validity of the hypothesis of magmatic under-
plating, the concept of isostasy allows to infer that the Cenozoic-to
present tectonic events that occurred in the Borborema Province,
such as epeirogenesis and magmatism, might be in some way
associated with imbalances in the lithosphere-asthenospheric
mantle and/or crust-lithospheric mantle systems. There are at
least two geophysical evidences of these imbalances. The rst is the
positive geoid anomaly shown in Fig. 17, that is the most important
positive geoid anomaly in Brazil. Observe that both the east and
north anks of the geoid anomaly show good correlation with the
coastal margins (Fig. 17). In addition, it has an overall N-S direction
that is not concordant with the directions of the Precambrian
structures (compare Figs. 1 and 16). Moreover there is a reasonable
correlation of both south and west anks of Borborema Plateau and
geoid anomaly (Fig. 17). These shape features strongly suggest that
the event causing the geoid anomaly might have Cenozoic age. The
second geophysical evidence of imbalances is the fact that the
integral over area of the free-air anomaly map (Fig. 5) is clearly
positive. This fact attests isostatic imbalance (Bott, 1971) because if
a region is in isostatic equilibrium the integral over area of the free-
air anomaly must be null. Therefore it is possible that the province
is still in a state of isostatic imbalance and that portions of it
(Borborema Plateau) are still suffering epeirogenesis.
Several geologic facts are in accordance with this possible state
of isostatic imbalance, specially, the post-depositional deformation
found in Barreiras Formation strata (Jardim de S et al., 2005), Late
Quaternary fault reactivations (Bezerra et al., 2008, 2011; Nogueira
et al., 2010), and AFT thermochronology analysis suggesting the
existence of a cooling stage between 20 and 0 Ma (Morais Neto
et al., 2009). In particular, the northern portion of the Borborema
Province is its internal region most affected by recent tectonic and
magmatic events (Sial, 1976; Almeida el al., 1988; Jardim de S et al.,
1999; Jardim de S, 2001; Bezerra et al., 2001; Mizusaki et al., 2002;
Silveira, 2006), and where the highest internal levels of thermal
ux were measured (Carneiro et al., 1989; Hamza et al., 2005).
Finally, the relatively high level of the present intraplate seismicity
recorded in several regions of the Borborema Province (e.g. Ferreira
et al., 1998, 2008; Bezerra and Vita-Finzi, 2000; Vasconcelos et al.,
2010) is unequivocal geophysical evidence that the crust of the
province is still submitted to accommodation processes.
6. Conclusions
The isostatic status of the Borborema Province, especially in the
Borborema Plateau, can be explained by using elastic isostatic
response models for the lithosphere only if surface and buried
loadings are combined. To the Borborema Plateau area, isostatic
response functions generated with an effective elastic thickness
around 10 km and combined surface and buried loadings with ratio
between the weight of the sub-surface load to the weight of the
surface load around 15 shows a reasonable superposition of the
empirical data. From an interpretative point of view of this fact, we
propose that the lower crust in the Borborema Plateau region is
thickened and has an anomalous high value of density.
Magmatic underplating might be a single explanation for the:
(1) existence of a crust with anomalous high value of density in the
lower crust under the Borborema Plateau, (2) Macau magmatism,
and (3) Borborema Plateau uplift. Facts that are consistent with the
hypothesis of magmatic underplating are the crustal thickening
below the Borborema Plateau and the existence of an important
discontinuity in the intracrustal seismic velocity associated with
high Vp/Vs ratio. On the other hand, facts that are not entirely
consistent with the hypothesis of magmatic underplating are the
existence of a low rock volume of the Cenozoic magmatism and the
nature of this magmatism that is constituted mainly of alkaline
rocks.
Regardless the validity of the hypothesis of magmatic under-
plating, the concept of isostasy allows to infer that the Cenozoic-to-
present tectonic events that occurred in the Borborema Province
might be in some way associated with imbalances in the
lithosphere-asthenospheric mantle and/or crust-lithospheric
mantle systems. The existence of a positive geoid anomaly and of
a free-air anomaly showing no-null integral over area are
geophysical evidences of these imbalances.
Finally the Borborema Plateau is possibly still suffering epeiro-
genesis. Post-depositional deformation found in Barreiras Forma-
tion strata, Late Quaternary fault reactivations, and AFT
thermochronology analysis suggesting the existence of a cooling
stage between 20 and 0 Ma might be geological evidences of the
epeirogenesis continued action. Moreover, the relatively high level
of the present intraplate seismicity recorded in several regions of
the Borborema Province is unequivocal geophysical evidence that
the crust of the province is still submitted to accommodation
processes.
Acknowledgments
The gravimetric/elevation database of Federal University of Rio
Grande do Norte (UFRN) is derived from surveys done by UFRN
itself and by surveys done by Federal University of Par (UFPA),
Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), So Paulo University
(USP), Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP), National Observa-
tory (ON), and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
The gravimetric/elevation database of the Brazilian Geological
Survey (CPRM) is composed of data from the Brazilian Oil & Gas
Agency (ANP) database and from surveys done by CPRM itself,
usually in association with the Brazilian National Department of
Mineral Production (DNPM) and/or ON. The new gravimetric/
elevation measurements complementing these two databases
result from surveys nanced by the Brazilian National Council for
Scientic and Technological Development (CNPq) via Projeto Lito-
borborema (No. 501940/2003-0). W.E. Medeiros thanks CNPq for
the research fellowship and the associated Grant (No. 301568/
 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
2008-1). R.G. Oliveira thanks CNPq for the PhD fellowship and
CPRM for the database concession. The Regional Editor e Prof.
Reinhardt A. Fuck e and two anonymous reviewers are thanked for
their thorough and comprehensive revision of the original manu-
script that greatly improved its internal coherence and quality. We
thank A. F. do Nascimento for his help with the English polish of the
original manuscript.
References
Alheiros, M.M., Lima Filho, M.F., 1991. A Formao Barreiras. In: Mabesoone, J.M.
(Ed.), Reviso geolgica da Faixa Sedimentar Costeira de Pernambuco. Paraba e
Rio Grande do Norte, Estudos Geolgicos (Srie B Estudos e Pesquisas), vol. 10.
UFPE, Recife, pp. 77e88.
Almeida, F.F.M., Carneiro, C.D.R., Machado Jr., D.L., Dehira, L.K., 1988. Magmatismo
Ps-Paleozico no Nordeste Oriental do Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Geocincias
18 (4), 451e462.
Almeida, F.F.M., Hasui, Y., Brito Neves, B.B., Fuck, H.A., 1981. Brazilian structural
provinces: an introduction. Earth-Science Reviews 17 (1e2), 1e29.
An, M., 2004. Estrutura Crustal da Bacia do Paran com Inverso de Ondas de
Superfcie e Funes do Receptor. PhD. thesis, Universidade de So Paulo, So
Paulo, p. 129.
Asmus, H.E., 1984. Geologia da margem costeira brasileira. In: Schobbenhaus, C.
(Ed.), Geologia do Brasil: texto explicativo do mapa geolgico do Brasil e da rea
ocenica adjacente incluindo depsitos minerais, escala 1:2.500.000. DNPM,
Braslia, pp. 443e472.
Banks, R.J., Francis, S.C., Hipkin, R.G., 2001. Effects of loads in the upper crust on
estimates of the elastic thickness of the lithosphere. Geophysical Journal
International 145, 291e299.
Banks, R.J., Swain, C.J., 1978. The isostatic compensation of East Africa. Proceedings -
Royal Society of London 364, 331e352.
Barbosa, V.C.F., Silva, J.B.C., Medeiros, W.E., 1997. Gravity inversion of basement
relief using approximate equality constraints on depths. Geophysics 62,
1745e1757.
Bechtel, T.D., Forsyth, D.W., Sharpton, V.L., Grieve, R.A.F., 1990. Variations in
effective elastic thickness of the North American lithosphere. Nature 343,
636e638.
Bechtel, T.D., Forsyth, D.W., Swain, C.J., 1987. Mechanism of isostatic compensation
in the vicinity of East African Rifty, Kenya. Geophysical Journal of Royal Astro-
nomical Society 90, 445e465.
Behera, L., Sain, K., Reddy, P.R., 2004. Evidence of underplating from seismic and
gravity studies in the Mahanadi delta of eastern India and its tectonic signi-
cance. Journal of Geophysical Research 109, B12311. doi:10.1029/2003JB002764.
Beltro, J.F., Silva, J.B.C., Costa, J.C., 1991. Robust polynomial tting method for
regional gravity estimation. Geophysics 56, 80e89.
Berrocal, J., Alarcon, S., Pedreschi, E., 1989. Modelo preliminar da estrutura crustal
na regio prxima ao Reservatrio de Sobradinho (BA) atravs do mtodo de
refrao ssmica profunda. In: SBGf, Congresso da Sociedade Brasileira de
Geofsica, 1o, Rio de Janeiro. Resumos-Abstracts, 109.
Bezerra, F.H.R., Amaro, V.E., Vita-Finzi, C., Saadi, A., 2001. Pliocene-Quaternary fault
control of sedimentation and coastal plain morphology in NE Brazil. Journal of
South American Earth Sciences 14 (1), 61e75. doi:10.1016/S0895-9811(01)
00009-8.
Bezerra, F.H.R., Brito Neves, B.B., Correa, A.C.B., Barreto, A.M.F., Suguio, K., 2008. Late
Pleistocene tectonic-geomorphological development within a passive margin -
the Cariat trough, northeastern Brazil. Geomorphology 97, 555e582.
doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.09.008.
Bezerra, F.H.R., do Nascimento, A.F., Ferreira, J.M., Nogueira, F.C., Fuck, R.A.,
Brito Neves, B.B., Sousa, M.O.L., 2011. Review of active faults in the Bor-
borema Province, Intraplate South America integration of seismological and
paleoseismological data. Tectonophysics 510, 269e290. doi:10.1016/
j.tecto.2011.08.005.
Bezerra, F.H.R., Vita-Finzi, C., 2000. How active is a passive margin? Paleoseismicity
in northeastern Brazil. Geology 28 (7), 591e594.
Bott, M.H.P., 1971. The Interior of the Earth. Edward Arnold, London, p. 316.
Brito Neves, B.B., Cordani, U.G., 1991. Tectonic evolution of South America during the
Late Proterozoic. Precambrian Research 53 (191), 23e40.
Carneiro, C.D.R., Hamza, V.M., Almeida, F.F.M., 1989. Ativao tectnica, uxo geo-
trmico e sismicidade no Nordeste Oriental brasileiro. Revista Brasileira de
Geocincias 19 (3), 310e322.
Castro, D.L., Barbosa, V.C.F., Silva, J.B.C., e Medeiros, W.E., 1997. Relevo da interface
crosta-manto no Nordeste Setentrional do Brasil: comparao entre os vnculos
de isostasia e suavidade. In: Expanded Abstracts of 5th International Meeting of
the Brazilian Geophysical Society. So Paulo, vol. 1, pp. 682e685.
Castro, D.L., Medeiros, W.E., Jardim de S, E.F., Moreira, J.A.M., 1998. Gravity map of
part of Northeast Brazil and adjacent continental margin and its interpretation
based on the hypothesis of isostasy. Revista Brasileira de Geofsica 16 (2/3),
115e130.
Cox, K.G., 1993. Continental magmatic underplating. Philosophical Transactions of
the Royal Society A: Physical Sciences and Engineering, 155e166. doi:10.1098/
rsta.1993.0011.
75
Dorman, L.M., Lewis, B.T.R., 1970. Experimental Isostasy. 1. Theory of the determi-
nation of the Earths isostatic response to a concentrated load. Journal of
Geophysical Research 75, 3355e3365.
Ebinger, C.J., Bechtel, T.D., Forsyth, D.W., Bowin, C.O., 1989. Effective elastic plate
thickness beneath the east African and Afar plateaus and dynamic compensa-
tion of the uplifts. Journal of Geophysical Research 94 (B3), 2883e2901.
Feng, M., Assumpo, M.S., Van der Leeb, S., 2004. Group-velocity tomography and
lithospheric S-velocity structure of the South American continent. Physics of
the Earth and Planetary Interiors 147, 315e331.
Ferreira, J.M., Bezerra, F.H.R., Sousa, M.O.L., Nascimento, A.F., S, J.M., Frana, G.S.,
2008. The role of Precambrian mylonitic belts and present-day stress eld in
the coseismic reactivation of the Pernambuco lineament, Brazil. Tectonophysics
456 (3e4), 111e126.
Ferreira, J.M., Oliveira, R.T., Takeya, M.K., Assumpo, M.S.,1998. Superposition of local
and regional stresses in northeast Brazil: evidence from focal mechanism around
the Potiguar marginal basin. Geophysical Journal International 134, 341e355.
Fodor, R.V., McKee, E.H., 1986. Tertiary basaltic rocks from offshore northeastern
Brazil: geochemistry and KeAr ages. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Cincias
58 (2), 233e241.
Fodor, R.V., McKee, E.H., Asmus, H.E., 1983. K/Ar ages and the opening of the South
Atlantic Ocean: basaltic rocks from the Brazilian margin. Marine Geology 54,
M1eM8.
Fodor, R.V., Musaka, S.B., Sial, A.N., 1998. Isotopic and trace-element indications of
lithospheric and astenospheric components in Terciary alkalic basalts, north-
eastern Brazil. Lithos 43 (4), 197e217.
Forsyth, D.W., 1985. Subsurface loading and estimates of the exural rigidity of
continental lithosphere. Journal of Geophysical Research 90 (B14),
12623e12632.
Fountain, D.M., 1989. Growth and modication of lower continental crust in
extended terrains: the role of extension and magmatic underplating. In:
Mereu, R.F., et al. (Eds.), Properties and Processes of Earths Lower Crust. Am.
Geophys. Union Mon., vol. 51, pp. 287e299.
Frana, G.S., Assumpo, M., Ferreira, J.M., 2006. O estudo da crosta no NE do Brasil,
usando Funo Receptor, in: SBGF, Simpsio Brasileiro de Geofsica, 2o, Natal,
Estudo da Crosta, Resumos Expandidos.
Franolin, J.B.L., Szatmari, P., 1987. Mecanismo de rifteamento da poro oriental da
margem norte brasileira. Revista Brasileira de Geocincias 17 (2), 196e207.
Furlong, K.P., Fountain, D.M., 1986. Continental crustal underplating: thermal
considerations and seismic-petrologic consequences. Journal of Geophysical
Research 91 (B8), 8285e8294.
Hamza, V.M., Silva Dias, F.J.S., Gomes, A.J.L., Delgadilho Terceros, Z.G., 2005.
Numerical and functional representations of regional heat ow in South
America. Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors 152, 223e256.
doi:10.1016/j.pepi.2005.04.009.
Hartley, R., Watts, A.B., Fairhead, J.D., 1996. Isostasy of Africa. Earth and Planetary
Science Letters 137, 1e18.
Huppert, H.E., Sparks, S.J., 1988. The generation of granitic magmas by intrusion of
basalt into continental crust. Journal of Petrology 29, 599e624.
Jardim de S, E.F., 2001. Tectnica cenozica na margem equatorial brasileira da
Provncia Borborema, Nordeste do Brasil (A contribuio da geologia estrutural
no continente). VIII Simpsio Nacional de Estudos Tectnicos, Soc. Bras. de
Geol., Recife, Brazil, Boletim de Resumos Expandidos, pp. 25e28.
Jardim de S, E.F., Matos, R.M.D., Morais Neto, J.M., Saadi, A., 1999. Epirogenia
cenozica na Provncia Borborema: sntese e discusso sobre os modelos de
deformao associados. VII Simpsio Nacional de Estudos Tectnicos, Soc. Bras.
de Geol., Lenis, Brazil, Boletim de Resumos Expandidos, pp. 58e61.
Jardim de S, E.F., Vasconcelos, P.M., Saadi, A., Galindo, A.C., Lima, M.G., Oliveira,
M.J., 2005. Marcos temporais para a evoluo cenozica do Planalto da Bor-
borema. X Simpsio Nacional de Estudos Tectnicos, Soc. Bras. de Geol., Curi-
tiba, Brazil, Boletim de Resumos Expandidos, pp. 160e162.
King, S.D., Anderson, D.L., 1998. Edge-driven convection. Earth and Planetary
Science Letters 160, 289e296.
King, S.D., Ritsema, J., 2000. African hot spot volcanism: small-scale convection in
the upper mantle beneath Cratons. Science 290, 1137e1139.
Knesel, K.M., Souza, Z.S., Vasconcelos, P.M., Cohen, B.E., Silveira, F.V., 2011. Young
volcanism in the Borborema Province, NE Brazil, shows no evidence for a trace
of the Fernando de Noronha plume on the continent. Earth and Planetary
Science Letters 302, 38e50.
LaFehr, T.R., 1991. An exact solution for the gravity curvature (Bullard B) correction.
Geophysics 56, 1179e1184. doi:10.1190/1.1443138.
Lewis, B.T.R., Dorman, L.M., 1970. Experimental Isostasy 2. An isostatic model for the
U.S.A. derived from gravity and topographic data. Journal of Geophysical
Research 75, 3367e3386.
Lima, M.G., 2008. A histria do intemperismo na Provncia Borborema Oriental,
Nordeste do Brasil: implicaes climticas e tectnicas. PhD. thesis, Uni-
versidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, p. 255.
Mabesoone, J.M., 1966. Relief of northeastern Brazil and its correlated sediments.
Extract Zeitschrift fr Geomorphologie NF10, 419e453.
Mabesoone, J.M., Campos e Silva, A., Beurlen, K., 1972. Estratigraa e origem do
Grupo Barreiras em Pernambuco, Paraba e Rio Grande do Norte. Revista Bra-
sileira de Geocincias 2 (3), 173e188.
Mantovani, M.S.M., Freitas, S.R.C., Shukowsky, W., 2005. Tidal gravity anomalies as
a tool to measure rheological properties of the continental lithosphere: appli-
cation to the South American Plate. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 14
(1), 1e14. doi:10.1016/S0895-9811(00)00061-4.
76 R.G. de Oliveira, W.E. de Medeiros / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 37 (2012) 60e76
Mantovani, M.S.M., Shukowsky, W., Hallinan, S.E., 1995. Anlise da Espessura
Elstica Efetiva no Segmento Litosfrico Rio de La Plata - Dom Feliciano. Anais
da Academia Brasileira de Cincias 67 (20), 199e220.
Matos, R.M.D., 1992. The Northeast Brazilian rift System. Tectonics 11 (4), 766e791.
McKenzie, D., Bowin, C., 1976. The relationship between bathymetry and gravity in
the Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research 81 (11), 1903e1915.
McNutt, M., 1980. Implications of regional gravity for state of stress in the Earths
crust and upper mantle. Journal of Geophysical Research 85 (B11), 6377e6396.
Menezes, M.R.F., 1999. Estudos sedimentolgicos e o contexto estrutural da For-
mao Serra dos Martins, nos plats de Portalegre, Martins e Santanta/RN. Msc.
dissertation, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, p. 174.
Mizusaki, A.M.P., Thomaz-Filho, A., Milani, P., Csero, P., 2002. Mesozoic and
Cenozoic igneous activity and its tectonic control in Northeastern Brazil. Journal
of South American Earth Sciences 15, 183e198.
Molina, E.C., Ussami, N., S, N.C., Blitzkow, D., Miranda Filho, O.F., 1988. Deep crustal
structure under the Paran Basin (Brazil) from gravity study. In: Piccirillo, E.M.,
Mel, A.J. (Eds.), The Mesozoic Flood Volcanism of the Paran Basin: Petroge-
netic and Geophysical Aspects. IAG-USP press, So Paulo, pp. 271e283.
Morais Neto, J.M., Alkmim, F.F., 2001. A deformao das coberturas tercirias do
Planalto da Borborema (PB-RN) e seu signicado tectnico. Revista Brasileira de
Geocincias 31 (1), 95e106.
Morais Neto, J.M., Green, P.F., Karner, G.D., Alkmim, F.F., 2008. Age of the Serra do
Martins Formation, Borborema Plateau, northeastern Brazil: constraints from
apatite and zircon ssion track analysis. Boletim de Geocincias da Petrobrs 16
(1), 23e52.
Morais Neto, J.M., Hegarty, K.A., Karner, G.D., Alkmim, F.F., 2009. Timing and mecha-
nisms for the generation and modication of anomalous topography of Borbor-
ema Province, northeastern Brazil. Marine and Petroleum Geology 26,1070e1086.
Musacchio, G., Mooney, W., Luetgert, J., Christensen, N., 1997. Composition of the
crust in the Grenville and Appalachian Provinces of North America inferred
from VP/VS ratios. Journal of Geophysical Research 102 (B7), 15225e15241.
Nogueira, F.C.C., Bezerra, F.H.R., Castro, D.L., 2006. Deformao Rptil em Depsitos
da Formao Barreiras na Poro Leste da Bacia Potiguar. Revista do Instituto de
Geocincias - USP 6 (2), 51e59.
Nogueira, F.C., Bezerra, F.H.R., Fuck, R.A., 2010. Quaternary fault kinematics and
chronology in intraplate northeastern Brazil. Journal of Geodynamics 49,
79e91. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2009.11.002.
Novo Barbosa, M.F., 2008. Estimativa da Espessura Crustal no NE Brasileiro uti-
lizando Funo do Receptor. Msc. dissertation, Universidade Federal do Rio
Grande do Norte, Natal, p. 57.
Oliveira, R.G., 2008. Arcabouo Geofsico, Isostasia e Causas do Magmatismo Cen-
ozico da Provncia Borborema e de Sua Margem Continental (Nordeste do
Brasil). PhD. thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, p. 411.
Prez-Gussiny, M., Lowry, A.R., Watts, A.B., 2007. Effective elastic thickness of
South America and its implications for intracontinental deformation.
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 8, Q05009. doi:10.1029/2006GC001511.
Ritter, J.R.R., 2007. The seismic signature of the Eifel plume. In: Ritter, J.R.R.,
Christensen, U.R. (Eds.), Mantle Plumes: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Springer
Berlin Heidelberg, New York, pp. 379e404.
Rossetti, D.F., Bezerra, F.H.R., Ges, A.M., Brito Neves, B.B., 2011. Sediment defor-
mation in Miocene and post-Miocene strata, Northeastern Brazil: evidence for
paleoseismicity in a passive margin. Sedimentary Geology 235 (3e4), 172e187.
S, N.C., Ussami, N., Molina, E.C., 1993. Gravity map of Brazil 1: representation of
free-air and Bouguer anomalies. Journal of Geophysical Research 98 (B2),
2187e2197.
Sachs, P.M., Hansteen, T.H., 2000. Pleistocene underplating and metasomatism of
the lower continental crust: a Xenolith study. Journal of Petrology 41 (3),
351e353.
Sandwell, D.T., Smith, W.H.F., 1997. Marine gravity from Geosat and ERS-1 satellite
Altimetry. Journal of Geophysical Research 102 (B5), 10039e10054.
Santos, E.J., Brito Neves, B.B., 1984. Provncia Borborema. In: Almeida, F.F.M.,
Hasui, Y. (Eds.), O Pr-Cambriano do Brasil. Edgar Blcher, So Paulo,
pp. 123e186.
Sial, A.N., 1976. The post-paleozoic volcanism of northeast Brazil and its tectonic
signicance. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Cincias 48, 299e311.
Sial, A.N., Long, L.E., Pessoa, D.A.R., Kawashita, K., 1981. Potasssium-argon ages and
strontium isotope geochemistry of Mesozoic and Tertiary basaltic rocks,
Northeastern Brazil. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Cincias 53 (1), 115e122.
Silveira, F.V., 2006. Magmatismo Cenozico da Poro Central do Rio Grande do
Norte, NE do Brasil. PhD. thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte,
Natal, p. 195.
Singh, A.P., Kumar, N., Singh, B., 2004. Magmatic underplating beneath the Rajmahal
Traps: gravity signature and derived 3-D conguration. Proceedings of the
Indian Academy of Sciences (Earth and Planetary Science) 113 (4), 759e769.
Souza, Z.S., Nascimento, M.A.L., Barbosa, R.V.N., Dias, L.G.S., 2005. Geology and
tectonics of the Boa Vista Basin (Paraba, Northeastern Brazil) and geochemistry
of associated Cenozoic tholeiitic magmatism. Journal of South American Earth
Sciences 18, 391e405.
Szatmari, P., Franolin, J.B.L., Zanoto, O., Woff, S., 1987. Evoluo tectnica damargem
equatorial brasileira. Revista Brasileira de Geocincias 17 (2), 180e188.
Tassara, A., Swain, C., Hackney, R., Kirby, J., 2007. Elastic thickness structure of South
America estimated using wavelets and satellite-derived gravity data. Earth and
Planetary Science Letters 253, 17e36.
Trompette, R., 1994. Geology of Western Gondwana (2000e500 Ma): Pan-African-
Brasiliano Aggregation of South America and Africa. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam,
Brookeld, p. 350.
Ussami, N., S, N.C., Molina, E.C., 1993. Gravity map of Brazil 2: regional and residual
isostatic anomalies and their correlation with major tectonic provinces. Journal
of Geophysical Research 98 (B2), 2199e2208.
Vandoros, P., Oliveira, M.A.F., 1968. Sobre o fonlito de Mecejana. Anais da Academia
Brasileira de Cincias 40 (2), 203e206.
Vasconcelos, A., Assumpo, M., Nascimento, A.F., Ferreira, J.M., Menezes, E.A.S.,
Barbosa, J.R., 2010. Intraplate earthquake swarm in Belo Jardim, NE Brazil:
reactivation of a major Neoproterozoic Shear zone (Pernambuco lineament).
Geophysical Journal International 180 (3), 1303e1312.
Vidotti, R.M., Ebinger, C.J., Fairhead, J.D., 1998. Gravity signature of the western
Paran basin, Brazil. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 159, 117e132.
Watts, A.B., 1978. An analysis of isostasy in the worlds oceans: 1. Hawaiian -
Emperor Seamount Chain. Journal of Geophysical Research 83, 5989e6004.
Watts, A.B., 2001. Isostasy and Flexure of the Lithosphere. Cambridge University
Press, New York, p. 457.
Zuber, M.T., Bechtel, T.D., Forsyth, D.W., 1989. Effective elastic thickness of the
lithosphere and mechanism of isostatic compensation in Australia. Journal of
Geophysical Research 94 (B7), 9353e9367.