Gravity modeling in the Guapiara Lineament, south of São Paulo State

Abstract

The Guapiara Lineament is an important geological feature of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, associated with Mesozoic volcanism in the Paraná Basin. This paper aims at the interpretation and modeling of gravity data collected at a semi-detailed scale between Capão Bonito and Apiaí to identify the geometry of crustal partitioning along this lineament. Maps of Bouguer anomaly in the area show a remarkable positive gravimetric anomaly oriented NW-SE, which coincides with the orientation of the greater concentration of dikes associated with the Guapiara Lineament. The crustal model developed from anomalies shows a significant thinning of the crust in the area and corroborates previous studies. The crustal thinning was caused by mantle rise, reflecting the epirogenetic activity generated by the propagation of the divergent tectonic forces that occurred at the margin of the South American Plate during the Cretaceous.