Shapefile showing the location of thinned lithosphere with thicknesses less than 100 km

This dataset is part of the LEAP-RE project collection. For more information visit https://www.leap-re.eu/

This dataset compiles geophysical models detailing the thickness of the Earth's outer layers, ranging from surface sedimentary basins down to the base of the lithosphere. The collection serves a dual purpose: it provides broad, global baseline data for sediment distribution, while also offering high-resolution, integrated regional models specifically focused on the African plate.

Dataset Contents:

I. Global Baselines

• Global Sediment Thickness (Laske & Masters, 2013): The global sediment thickness baseline extracted from the CRUST1.0 model. This provides broad, foundational coverage across both continental and oceanic domains. (Values expressed in km).
• Global Oceanic Sediment Thickness (Straume et al., 2019): A high-resolution, 5-arc-minute grid detailing total sediment thickness specifically for the world's oceans and marginal seas, compiled from extensive new data and previous work. (Values expressed in m).

II. African Regional Models

• Combined Sediment Thickness (Africa): A synthesized, optimized sedimentary thickness map for Africa and its surrounding regions. This layer intelligently merges the Laske & Masters (2013) and Straume et al. (2019) maps, prioritizing the Straume data wherever overlaps occur to maximize resolution. (Values expressed in m).
• Crustal Thickness (Globig et al., 2016): An Africa-specific crustal thickness map derived from the integrated modeling of elevation, geoid data, and rigorous thermal analysis. (Values expressed in km).
• Lithosphere Thickness (Globig et al., 2016): An Africa-specific lithospheric thickness map, complementing the crustal layer, derived using the same integrated elevation, geoid, and thermal modeling approach. (Values expressed in km).

These layers are part of the Geothermal Atlas for Africa developed within the LEAP-RE project

This dataset comprises three distinct layers delineating the boundaries of sedimentary basins across Africa. In particular

• Basins (greater than 2km): Boundaries of sedimentary basins in Africa with sedimentary thicknesses of at least 2 km. Contains geological information about the sedimentary basins such as basin name, class/type and age. Created by extracting data from open sources into a series of shapefiles and rasters containing information on culture, geology, geothermal and geophysical data.
• Basins Nyberg & Howell (2015): Boundaries active sedimentary basin/depositional centers of Africa categorised by basin structure and climate-zone.
• Basins Robertson (2019): Boundaries of sedimentary basins in Africa. Part of the Robertson new ventures product suite. Includes information on the name, geometry, type and the hydrocarbon exploration status of a given basin.
• Basins Evenick (2021): Boundaries of sedimentary basins in Africa compiled from previous work. The sedimentary basins have been revised to simplify the borders of sedimentary basins, as the definition of a basin (boundary) is often contested. Includes the name, geometry, type, age and evaporite content of a given basin.

These layers are part of the Geothermal Atlas for Africa developed within the LEAP-RE project