宽频地震方法技术在地震探测工作中的应用

在江苏东海中国大陆科学钻探址区进行了方法试验工作。使用法国生产的便携式3分量地震台站54台，并将各台的3个分量的记录道与3个垂直检波器串(6Hz和10Hz)相连，形成一个150多道的地震排列，进行了180km的反射和折射探测，总花费比常规反射剖面节省一半，获得了与常规方法类似的成果，提高了广角地震探测的分辨率。采用二维空间变量分离速度成像方法，利用广角地震波反射的“动校正”，使解释结果更加直观，获得了测区地震浅部的地壳速度精细结构。利用纵、横波联合解释，建立了大陆钻址区超高压变质带地区的地壳波速结构与泊松比结构。方法试验是成功的。     

苏鲁地区航磁异常特征及其深部地质意义

以地震测深剖面提供的地壳结构为初始模型,结合大陆科学钻探岩芯和地表地质资料,对苏鲁地区40 000 km2的1∶10万航磁资料进行了处理.根据岩石磁性参量与岩性的相互关系,对该区3条断面进行了约束反演计算,获得了3条断面的岩层结构特征:5 km深度范围内主要为榴辉岩、大理岩和片麻岩,5～7 km为含柯石英榴辉岩的超高压变质岩片,7 km至上地壳底部为经历超高压变质的片麻岩或花岗闪长岩;中地壳(10～19 km)主要为高压变质片麻岩和后期侵入的花岗岩,下地壳(＞19 km)主要为酸性、基性麻粒岩.3条剖面上的超高压变质岩片向北倾斜至地表,说明它很可能是华北克拉通的俯冲和原路折返的结果.     

中国科学深钻选址地球物理调查与大别-苏鲁岩石圈

本文简要地讨论了大别-苏鲁超高压变质带大陆科学钻探选址新采集的地球物理调查剖面及相关地球物理成果。这些剖面以深反射地震及大地电磁测量为研究岩石圈构造的主要方法，结合地质资料和区域重磁平面图，分析大别—苏鲁地体的深部地质构造与岩石圈主要特征，以及大陆科学钻探靶区选择的地质地球物理依据。同时讨论了大陆科学钻探的靶区(江苏东海县)的地壳构造与地热研究结果，并将深度偏移地震剖面与先导孔岩心钻探结果进行了对比。     

康定—渡口南北向构造带爆破地震测深的研究

本文通过对康定-渡口地区的爆破地震测深资料的分析,将该区地壳结构划分为上地壳和下地壳,它们在横向上被若干断裂所切割,而呈断块结构。地壳厚度由北向南减薄,在康定为56km,西昌54km,渡口52km。莫氏面由北向南也逐渐抬升。地壳平均速度为6.2—6.25km/s,Pn速度为7.5—7.6km/s。上地幔顶部出现速度异常。西昌地区壳下存在一厚度为22—28km,层速度为7.5—7.6km/s的壳幔过渡带。区内某些地段近地表处存在有速度为6.1—6.3km/s的高速体。地壳中部9—14km处,存在5.7—5.8km/s的低速层。     

苏鲁大别造山带岩石圈三维P波速度结构特征

本文全面收集整理并解析了地学断面、地震测深、体波和面波层析成像资料,得到了苏鲁大别造山带及其邻区岩石圈1°×1°三维P波速度数据体。研究结果表明,苏鲁与大别造山带高压、超高压变质带的岩石圈速度结构具有上地壳明显高速且上凸;中地壳增厚;下地壳埋藏较深且下凹等相似的基本特征。苏鲁和大别超高压变质带下的莫霍面比其周围深2～4 km,深度分别达到32～33 km和34～38 km。在大别造山带,有地壳低速体从南向北俯冲到上地幔的迹象,可能显示了扬子地块地壳物质向华北地块俯冲,坠入上地幔的残留体。超高压变质带岩石圈底部的地幔,往往有明显高速层或高速体存在。苏鲁与大别地区的岩石圈速度结构不同特征及其成因在于苏鲁地区上地壳P波速度更高,但是,下地壳下凹没有大别地区明显,而且区域构造较为均一。这可能是受到郯庐断层左行平移的主控影响所致。郯庐断裂带的上、中地壳和上地幔表现为相对低速异常,郯庐断裂及其地下延伸部分将岩石圈地幔浅部低速层和深部高速层切为两段,其影响深达岩石圈底部约90 km处。     

长江中下游成矿带及邻区地壳速度结构：来自利辛-宜兴宽角地震资料的约束

为了理解长江中下游地区在中生代成矿的深部动力学过程,Sinoprobe-03-02项目于2011年9月至10月,在跨宁芜矿集区和郯庐断裂带实施了从安徽利辛至江苏宜兴450km长的宽角反射/折射地震剖面。速度剖面结果显示,Moho面深度和地壳速度结构在郯庐断裂两侧东西方向存在明显的差异:(1)在东部扬子块体内部,地壳覆盖层厚3~5km,西部的合肥盆地下方,则达到4~7km。(2)剖面平均Moho面深度为30~32km左右,在郯庐断裂下方,Moho面深度在35km左右;在宁芜矿集区下方,Moho面整体深度偏浅,达30~31km左右,但局部范围内,Moho面深度至34km左右。(3)剖面的下地壳平均速度在6.5~6.6km/s左右,在宁芜矿集区下方,下地壳速度偏低,为6.4~6.5km/s左右。剖面上地幔顶部的速度结构平均在8.0~8.2km/s。在宁芜矿集区下方,速度偏低,为7.9~8.1km/s左右。(4)郯庐断裂带的下方,从地表开始,还存在20多千米长的低速异常带,一直延伸到Moho面附近。剖面的宁芜矿集区下方Moho面上隆、下地壳及上地幔的低速异常等壳幔结构特征,预示下地壳不以榴辉岩残体为主,支持燕山期地幔岩浆的上涌和侵入并成矿,是热上涌物质的源地。     

中国大陆科学钻已正式启动

20 0 1年 8月 4日预定深度为 5 0 0 0 m的中国科学第一钻在江苏省东海县毛北村举行了开钻典礼。国土资源部、江苏省以及中国地质大学的有关领导和专家出席了开工典礼。为了配合该钻孔的实施 ,1 997年 1 1月和 1 998年 1 2月在毛北地区分别开展了两口预先导孔 (CCSD- PP1 ,43 0 m;CCSD- PP2 ,1 0 0 0 m)的钻探 ,并取得了大量资料和丰硕成果。中国大别—苏鲁超高压变质带大陆科学钻探工程于 1 997年被国家科技领导小组批准为“九五”国家重大科学工程项目 ,1 998年被国际大陆科学钻探组织批准为国际大陆科学钻探项目。作为世界上规模最宏大的大别—苏鲁超高压变质带 ,中国大陆科学钻探工程旨在利用现代深部钻探高新技术 ,通过钻探、地球物理、分析测试和信息工程等多学科的综合研究 ,揭示大陆造山带的深部物质组成与结构和构造、地球动力学和壳—幔相互作用 ,重塑超高压变质带形成和折返机制 ,研究中国南、北两大板块会聚边缘的地壳行为 ,探索深部流体与生物圈 ,监视现代地壳运动 ,为资源、能源及地震发生机制提供新的科学依据 ,建成现代深部地质作用长期观测与实验基地和地壳深部物...     

中国大陆科学钻探主孔揭示的大陆地壳生热模型

本文对大陆科学钻探主孔149块岩心样品进行了系统的岩石放射性生热元素 U、Th 和 K 的含量测试,同时结合该井浅部井段前人的实测数据,揭示了上地壳5km 生热率的垂向分布。结果显示,以1650m 为界,上下两段生热率均随深度呈增加趋势,与正常地壳生热率特征不同,显示出超高压变质带独特的生热率垂向变化特征。结合地壳的岩性分布,建立了苏鲁超高压变质带地壳的生热模型。该模型中,地壳厚32km,其中上地壳0～10km,由超高压变质岩片组成,按岩性又详细分为8层,生热率变化在0.49～1.73μWm~(-3)。中地壳10～20km,由片麻岩组成,生热率为生热率1.51μWm~(-3)。下地壳20～32km为麻粒岩,生热率0.31μWm~(-3)。整个地壳热流约31mw/m~2,其中上地壳12mW/m~2。上地壳厚度和热流分别占整个地壳的31%和39%。与华北和下扬子地壳生热模型相比,上地壳热流整个地壳热流的比例最低。这表明,苏鲁超高压变质带,作为中朝与扬子板块俯冲-碰撞的产物,其地壳生率垂向分布与正常大陆地壳(华北、下扬子)相比,具有显著的不同。     

基于深地震测深的深部动力学研究方法和应用

深地震测深是探测壳幔岩石圈精细速度结构、探讨岩石圈变形和演化过程的一种有效方法,在青藏高原隆升、克拉通裂解等大陆动力学研究中已发挥了重要的作用。然而,地震测深方法与深部动力学研究的结合尚处于现象描述为主的状态。因此,本文对前人利用深地震测深资料进行深部动力学研究的相关方法进行了回顾与总结:宽角反射/折射地震震相特征具有明显的动力学响应,是进行动力学研究的基础;通过速度结构对比可以确定不同地壳速度结构模型所对应的构造单元及其演化过程,地壳厚度和泊松比等参数可以用于地壳变形模式的讨论,壳内高速和低速异常体反映了不同动力学过程对地壳的改造;人工地震S波资料与Pn波速度可以用于壳幔各向异性的研究,为动力学演化过程研究提供独立的观测证据;运用现代构造解析方法可以构建不同的地壳结构—动力型式,进而通过壳幔结构的解构恢复岩石圈演化过程;此外,地震测深资料可以约束地壳成分结构,为动力学数值模拟提供岩石流变参数等资料。本文对于充分挖掘深地震测深资料在动力学研究中的应用价值至关重要,对于加强地震测深同其他学科的交叉研究也具有重要意义。     

中国大陆科学探井岩性的VSP地震特征分析

中国大陆科学钻探(CCSD)井位于苏鲁超高压变质带南部,地处郯庐断裂东侧的东海县境内。VSP地震勘探为CCSD多学科研究内容之一,利用数字地震仪(HF300)和多级三分量数字检波器(GeoChain)对探井进行了VSP测量。结合VSP勘探结果和CCSD探井5000 m岩性资料,分析了井中岩性分段特征、超高压变质岩的地震响应特征和vp/vs比值特征,取得了若干具有科学意义的结论:(1)以榴辉岩的分布和组合特征进行的岩性分段比较合理,每段的VSP速度和测井密度等特征和岩性分布具有很好的一致性。(2)榴辉岩与片麻岩界面以及剪切带均可形成强反射,正/副片麻岩界面也可产生明显反射,透镜状和条带状岩体的反射同相轴呈现不同程度的弯曲,剪切带的反射同相轴连续性好。(3)榴辉岩以高波速(6.3 km/s)、低vp/vs值(1.2)和波组强而稀疏为特征,副片麻岩以较高波速(6.1 km/s)、高vp/vs值(1.8)和波组较稀疏为特征,正片麻岩以较低波速(5.8 km/s)、中等vp/vs值(1.5)和波组较密集为特征,而剪切带以强反射、vp/vs值最高(2.2)为特征,而且不论剪切带出现在哪种岩性中其vp/vs值都很高。该研究成果不但揭示了变质带的地震响应特征,同时为二维或三维地面地震解释提供科学依据,减少解释分析中的多解性和不确定性,能够有效地提高中国大陆科学钻探孔区地质构造解释的可信度,为其他学科研究提供依据。     

VRANCEA99—the crustal structure beneath the southeastern Carpathians and the Moesian Platform from a seismic refraction profile in Romania

The VRANCEA99 seismic refraction experiment is part of an international and multidisciplinary project to study the intermediate depth earthquakes of the Eastern Carpathians in Romania. As part of the seismic experiment, a 300-km-long refraction profile was recorded between the cities of Bacau and Bucharest, traversing the Vrancea epicentral region in NNE–SSW direction.

The results deduced using forward and inverse ray trace modelling indicate a multi-layered crust. The sedimentary succession comprises two to four seismic layers of variable thickness and with velocities ranging from 2.0 to 5.8 km/s. The seismic basement coincides with a velocity step up to 5.9 km/s. Velocities in the upper crystalline crust are 5.9–6.2 km/s. An intra-crustal discontinuity at 18–31 km divides the crust into an upper and a lower layer. Velocities within the lower crust are 6.7–7.0 km/s. Strong wide-angle PmP reflections indicate the existence of a first-order Moho at a depth of 30 km near the southern end of the line and 41 km near the centre. Constraints on upper mantle seismic velocities (7.9 km/s) are provided by Pn arrival times from two shot points only. Within the upper mantle a low velocity zone is interpreted. Travel times of a PLP reflection define the bottom of this low velocity layer at a depth of 55 km. The velocity beneath this interface must be at least 8.5 km/s.

Geologic interpretation of the seismic data suggests that the Neogene tectonic convergence of the Eastern Carpathians resulted in thin-skinned shortening of the sedimentary cover and in thick-skinned shortening in the crystalline crust. On the autochthonous cover of the Moesian platform several blocks can be recognised which are characterised by different lithological compositions. This could indicate a pre-structuring of the platform at Mesozoic and/or Palaeozoic times with a probable active involvement of the Intramoesian and the Capidava–Ovidiu faults. Especially the Intramoesian fault is clearly recognisable on the refraction line. No clear indications of the important Trotus fault in the north of the profile could be found. In the central part of the seismic line a thinned lower crust and the low velocity zone in the uppermost mantle point to the possibility of crustal delamination and partial melting in the upper mantle.     

Deep seismic refraction experiment in northeast Brazil: New constraints for Borborema province evolution

The Borborema Province of northeastern Brazil is a major Proterozoic crustal province that, until now, has never been explored using deep crustal seismic methods. Here are reported the first results obtained from a high-quality seismic refraction/wide-angle reflection profile that has defined the internal seismic velocity structure and thickness of the crust in this region. Almost 400 recording stations were deployed in the Deep Seismic Refraction (DSR) experiment through an NW–SE ca. 900 km linear array and 19 shots were exploded at every 50 km along the line. Data from the 10 southeastern most shots of the seismic profile were processed in this work. The main features and geological structures crossed by the studied portion of the profile belong to the so-called Central Sub-province of the Borborema tectonic province. The crustal model obtained is compatible with a typical structure of extended crust. The model was essentially divided into three layers: upper crust, lower crust, and a half-space represented by the shallower portion of the mantle. The Moho is an irregular interface with depth ranging between 31.7 and 34.5 km, and beneath the Central Sub-province it varies from 31.5 to 33 km depth, where its limits are related to major crustal discontinuities. The distribution of velocities within the crust is heterogeneous, varying vertically from 5.7 to 6.3 km/s in the upper crust and from 6.45 to 6.9 km/s in the lower crust. From the average crustal velocity distribution it is evident that the Central Sub-province has seismic characteristics different from neighboring domains. The crust is relatively thin and crustal thickness variations in the profile are subtle due to stretching that occurred in the Cretaceous, during the fragmentation of Pangaea, opening of the South Atlantic Ocean and separation of South America from Africa.     

Main features of crustal structure in western and southern Europe based on data of explosion seismology

During the past two decades deep seismic sounding measurements have been carried out in western and southern Europe, mainly using the refraction method. These investigations were performed partly on a national basis but as well within international cooperative programs under the sponsorship of the European Seismological Commission.

In France, a systematic study has been executed to determine the main feature of deep structures under the Central Massif and the Paris Basin. In the Forez and Margeride regions, the sub-crustal velocity is lower (7.2 km/sec) than the normal value (8.0 km/sec) observed in the adjacent areas.

The central and southern part of Western Germany is covered by an extensive network of refraction profiles. The crustal thickness varies, similarly to France, from 25 to 35 km. A great amount of deep reflection data was obtained by commercial and special reflection work. The crust beneath the Rhinegraben area shows the typical “rift system” structure with a low subcrustal velocity (7.4–7.7 km/sec).

Very intensive refraction work has been carried out in the Alpine area. The maximum crustal thickness found near the axis of the negative gravity anomaly is about 55–60 km. Furthermore, a clear lowvelocity layer at a depth between 10 and 30 km has been detected. A key position with regard to the geotectonic structure of the Alps is held by the zone of Ivrea characterized by a pronounced gravity high. From the refraction work it may be concluded that there material of the lower crust and the upper mantle (7.2–7.5 km/sec) is overlying a layer of extremely low velocity (5.0 km/sec) which is interpreted as sialic crust.

Three years ago, a systematic study of crustal structure of the Italian peninsula has been started. Reversed profiles were observed on Sicily, in Calabria, and in Puglia. On Sicily, the structure is very complicated; the crust of the western part looks like a transition between a continental and oceanic structure whereas the eastern side shows a continental-type crust. In Calabria and Puglia, the crustal thickness has been determined to be about 25–35 km.     

Anomalous lithospheric structure of Northern Juan de Fuca plate — a consequence of oceanic rift propagation?

Anomalous crustal and upper mantle structure of northern Juan de Fuca plate is revealed from wide-angle seismic and gravity modelling. A 2-D velocity model is produced for refraction line II of the 1980 Vancouver Island Seismic Project (VISP80). The refraction data were recorded on three ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) deployed at the ends and middle of a 110 km line oriented parallel to the North American continental margin. The velocity model is constructed via ray tracing and conforms to first-arrival amplitude observations and travel time picks of direct, converted and reflected phases. Between sub-sediment depths of 3 to 11 km, depths normally associated with the lower crust and upper oceanic mantle, the final model shows that compressional-wave velocities decrease significantly from southeast to northwest along the profile. At sub-sediment depths of 11 km at the northwestern end of the profile, P-wave velocities are as low as 7.2 km/s. A complementary 2-D gravity model using the geometry of the velocity model and velocity–density relationships characteristic of oceanic crust is produced. The high densities required to match the gravity field indicate the presence of peridotites containing 25–30% serpentine by volume, rather than excess gabbroic crust, within the deep low velocity zone. Anomalous travel time delays and unusual reflection characteristics observed from proximal seismic refraction and reflection experiments suggest a broader zone of partially serpentinized peridotites coincident with the trace of a pseudofault. We propose that partial serpentinization of the upper mantle is a consequence of slow spreading at the tip of a propagating rift.     

Seismological features of island arc crust as inferred from recent seismic expeditions in Japan

Crustal studies within the Japanese islands have provided important constraints on the physical properties and deformation styles of the island arc crust. The upper crust in the Japanese islands has a significant heterogeneity characterized by large velocity variation (5.5–6.1 km/s) and high seismic attenuation (Qp=100–400 for 5–15 Hz). The lateral velocity change sometimes occurs at major tectonic lines. In many cases of recent refraction/wide-angle reflection profiles, a “middle crust” with a velocity of 6.2–6.5 km/s is found in a depth range of 5–15 km. Most shallow microearthquakes are concentrated in the upper/middle crust. The velocity in the lower crust is estimated to be 6.6–7.0 km/s. The lower crust often involves a highly reflective zone with less seismicity, indicating its ductile rheology. The uppermost mantle is characterized by a low Pn velocity of 7.5–7.9 km/s. Several observations on PmP phase indicate that the Moho is not a sharp boundary with a distinct velocity contrast, but forms a transition zone from the upper mantle to the lower crust. Recent seismic reflection experiments revealed ongoing crustal deformations within the Japanese islands. A clear image of crustal delamination obtained for an arc–arc collision zone in central Hokkaido provides an important key for the evolution process from island arc to more felsic continental crust. In northern Honshu, a major fault system with listric geometry, which was formed by Miocene back arc spreading, was successfully mapped down to 12–15 km.     

Seismic imaging of the transitional crust across the northeastern margin of the South China Sea

Crustal structure across the passive continental margin of the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) is presented based on a deep seismic survey cooperated between Taiwan and China in August 2001. Reflection data collected from a 48-hydrophone streamer and the vertical component of refraction/reflection data recorded at 11 ocean-bottom seismometers along a NW–SE profile are integrated to image the upper (1.6–2.4 km/s), lower (2.5–2.9 km/s), and compacted (3–4.5 km/s) sediment, the upper (4.5–5.5 km/s), middle (5.5–6.5 km/s) and lower (6.5–7.5 km/s) crystalline crust successively. The velocity model shows that the thickness (0.5–3 km) and the basement of the compacted sediment are strongly varied due to intrusion of the magma and igneous rocks after seafloor spreading of the SCS. Furthermore, several volcanoes and igneous rocks in the upper/middle crust (7–10 km thick) and a high velocity layer (0–5 km thick) in the lower crust of the model are identified as the ocean–continent transition (OCT) below the lower slope in the northeastern margin of the SCS. A thin continent NW of the OCT and a thick oceanic crust SE of the OCT in the continental margin of the northeastern SCS are also imaged, but these transitional crusts cannot be classified as the OCT due to their crustal thickness and the limited amount of the volcano, the magma and the high velocity layer. The extended continent, next to the gravity low and a sag zone extended from the SW Taiwan Basin, may have resulted from subduction of the Eurasian Plate beneath the Manila Trench whereas the thick oceanic crust may have been due to the excess volcanism and the late magmatic underplating in the oceanic crust after seafloor spreading of the SCS.     

Structure of the Earth’s crust in the northern part of the Barents–Kara region along the 4-AR DSS profile

The 1370 km long 4-AR reference profile crosses the North Barents Basin, the northern end of the Novaya Zemlya Rise, and the North Kara Basin. Integrated geophysical studies including common deep point (CDP) survey and deep seismic sounding (DSS) were carried out along the profiles. The DSS was performed using autonomous bottom seismic stations (ABSS) spaced 10–20 km apart and a powerful air gun producing seismic signals with a step size of 250 m. As a result, detailed P- and S-wave velocity structures of the crust and upper mantle were studied. The basic method was ray-tracing modeling. The Earth’s crust along the entire profile is typically continental with compressional wave velocities of 5.8–7.2 km/s in the consolidated part. Crustal thickness increases from 30 km near the islands of Franz Josef Land to 35 km beneath the North Barents Basin, 50 km beneath the Novaya Zemlya Rise, and 40 km beneath the North Kara Basin. The North Barents Basin 15 km deep is characterized by unusually low velocities in the consolidated crust: The upper crust layer with velocities of 5.8–6.4 km/s has a thickness of about 15 km beneath the basin (usually, this layer wedges beneath deep sedimentary basins). Another special property of the crust in the North Barents Basin is the destroyed structure of the Moho.     

长江中下游成矿带岩石圈结构与成矿动力学模型——深部探测(SinoProbe)综述

岩石圈结构和深部过程对理解成矿带和大型矿集区的形成十分重要。岩石圈尺度的地球动力学过程将在地壳中留下各种结构的或物质的"痕迹",这些"痕迹"可以通过地球物理的手段去探测。为深入理解长江中下游成矿带形成的深部动力学过程,作者在国家深部探测专项(SinoProbe)和国家自然科学基金重点项目支持下,在长江中下游成矿带开展了综合地球物理探测。方法包括宽频地震、深地震反射、广角反射/折射和大地电磁测深。数据处理和反演结果取得一系列新发现:(1)成矿带上地幔顶部存在低速体,在中心深度300km处有一向SW倾斜的高速体;(2)S波接收函数证实成矿带岩石圈较薄,只有50~70km;横波分裂结果显示,成矿带上地幔各向异性方向和强度与邻区有较大区别,显示平行成矿带(NE-SW向)的上地幔变形和流动;(3)深反射地震揭示成矿带上地壳曾发生强烈挤压变形,以紧闭褶皱、逆冲和推覆为特征;在宁芜火山岩盆地、长江断裂带和郯庐断裂之下出现"鳄鱼嘴"构造,指示上下地壳在挤压变形过程中解耦;深反射地震证实发生过陆内俯冲和叠瓦,并认为是岩石圈增厚和拆沉的主导机制;(4)广角反射和大地电磁反演给出了跨成矿带地壳剖面的速度和电性结构,速度和电阻率分布总体上与构造单元相吻合。本文分析和解释了这些发现的地质意义,并结合近年在长江中下游地区的地球化学研究进展,提出了成矿带地球动力学模型。该模型认为:中、晚侏罗世陆内俯冲、岩石圈拆沉、幔源岩浆底侵和MASH过程造就了长江中下游世界级成矿带的形成。     

Crustal structure below the Polish Basin: Is it composed of proximal terranes derived from Baltica?

The large-scale seismic refraction and wide-angle reflection experiment POLONAISE'97 together with LT-7 and TTZ profiles carried out with the most modern techniques gave a high resolution of crustal structure of the Trans-European Suture Zone (TESZ) in NW and central Poland. The results of seismic investigations show the presence of relatively low velocity rocks (V_p < 6.1 km/s) down to a depth of 20 km beneath the Polish Basin (PB), and a high velocity lower crust (V_p = 6.8–7.3 km/s). The crustal thickness in the TESZ is intermediate between that of the East European Craton (EEC) to the northeast (40–45 km) and that of the Variscan crust (VB) to the southwest ( 30 km). Velocities in the uppermost mantle are relatively high (V_p = 8.25–8.45 km/s). The crust is three-layered with substantial differences in the velocities and thickness of individual layers. The area of the TESZ in NW and central Poland can be divided into at least two crustal blocks (terranes), called here Pomeranian Unit (PU, in the northwest) and Kuiavian Unit (KU, in the southeast). The postulated boundary between KU and PU is rather sharp at particular levels of the crust. Velocity distribution in the middle and lower crystalline crust in the TESZ area resemble values recognized in the EEC area, the fundamental difference being the much smaller thickness of both these layers. Our hypothesis/speculation is that the attenuated lower and middle crust of the TESZ belong to proximal terranes built of the EEC crust detached in the southeast and re-accreted to the EEC due to the process of anti-clockwise rotation of the Baltica paleocontinent during the Ordovician–Early Silurian.