Abstract A new method to detect paleolakes via their gravity signal is presented (here with implications for geoscience and archaeology). The gravity aspects or descriptors (gravity anomalies/disturbances, second radial derivatives, strike angles and virtual deformations) were applied. They were computed from the gravity field model EIGEN 6C4 (European Improved Gravity model of the Earth by New techniques). The model consists of the best now available satellite and terrestrial data, including gradiometry from the GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite mission. EIGEN 6C4 has the ground resolution ∼10 km. From archaeological sources, the positions of archaeological sites of the Holocene occupations between 8500 and 5300 BCE (8.5–5.3 ky BC) in the Eastern Sahara, Western Desert, Egypt were taken. They were correlated with the features found from the gravity data; the correlation is good, assuming that the sites were mostly at paleolake borders or at rivers. Based on this finding, we suggest position, extent and shape of paleolake(s). We also reconsider the origin of Libyan Desert glass in the Great Sand Sea and support hypothesis about an older impact structure created there, repeatedly filled by water, which might be a part of some of the possible paleolake(s).

中文翻译：

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近期地球重力模型 EIGEN 6C4 的重力方面，用于埃及撒哈拉的地球科学和考古学

摘要 提出了一种通过重力信号检测古湖泊的新方法（此处对地球科学和考古学有影响）。应用了重力方面或描述符（重力异常/扰动、二阶径向导数、撞击角和虚拟变形）。它们是根据重力场模型 EIGEN 6C4（通过新技术改进地球的欧洲重力模型）计算得出的。该模型由目前可用的最佳卫星和地面数据组成，包括来自 GOCE（重力场和稳态海洋环流探测器）卫星任务的梯度测量。EIGEN 6C4 的地面分辨率约为 10 公里。从考古资料来看，埃及东部撒哈拉沙漠、西部沙漠、公元前 8500 年至公元前 5300 年（公元前 8.5-5.3 ky）的全新世职业考古遗址的位置已被采用。它们与从重力数据中发现的特征相关联；相关性很好，假设这些地点主要位于古湖泊边界或河流。基于这一发现，我们提出了古湖泊的位置、范围和形状。我们还重新考虑了大沙海中利比亚沙漠玻璃的起源，并支持在那里形成的更古老的撞击结构的假设，反复被水充满，这可能是一些可能的古湖的一部分。