Problem
A mountain belt is 4 km above the sea level and in Airy isostatic equilibrium. Assume the density as 2800 kg/m3 for the crust and 3300 kg/m3 for the mantle, and answer the two following questions.
i. Assume the normal crust is 35 km thick, what is the Moho depth under the mountain?
ii. During a period of erosion, a 2 km thickness of material is removed from the mountain belt. When the new isostatic equilibrium is achieved, how high is the mountain?
iii. How much material need to be eroded to bring the mountain eventually down to the sea level?