Continental Residual Topography Estimates from Global Crustal Analysis

Stephenson et al. (2024) produced 4,120 new measurements of continental residual topography by correcting for crustal thickness and density variations. The data is derived from a global inventory of 26,725 crustal thickness estimates and a parametrization based on 1,136 laboratory measurements of seismic velocity and density. The repository includes the SeisCruST database, software for velocity-to-density conversion, and the final topography estimates.

Use Cases

• Model mantle convection patterns based on long-wavelength residual topography anomalies.
• Correlate lithospheric thickness variations with the distribution of intraplate magmatism.
• Validate geodynamic models by comparing residual topography with upper mantle seismic velocity anomalies.
• Analyze the relationship between residual topography and long-wavelength free-air gravity anomalies.

Strengths

• Derived from a substantial global inventory of 26,725 crustal thickness estimates.
• Parametrization for converting seismic velocity to density is based on 1,136 laboratory measurements.
• Provides 4,120 new, specific measurements of continental residual topography.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count for the final topography database is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Excludes Antarctica, limiting global continental coverage.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network, accompanying article by Stephenson et al. (2024) in Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

Collection Method

Assembled from local seismological datasets (wide-angle/refraction surveys, calibrated reflection profiles, receiver functions) and laboratory measurements.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-16 15:22:50.958850; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global continents, excluding Antarctica.