The seismic structure of thinned continental crust in the northern Bay of Biscay

Summary. The stretching and thinning of the continental crust, which occurs during the formation of passive continental margins, may cause important changes in the velocity structure of such crust. Further, crust attenuated to a few kilometres' thickness, can be found underlying 'oceanic' water depths. This paper poses the question of whether thinned continental crust can be distinguished seismically from normal oceanic crust of about the same thickness. A single seismic refraction line shot over thinned continental crust as part of the North Biscay margin transect in 1979 was studied in detail. Tau— p inversion suggested that there are differences between oceanic and continental crust in the lower crustal structure. This was confirmed when synthetic seismograms were calculated. The thinned continental crust (β± 7.0) exhibits a two-gradient structure in the non-sedimentary crust with velocities between 5.9 and 7.4 km s⁻¹; an upper 0.8 s⁻¹ layer overlies a 0.4 s⁻¹ layer. No layer comparable to oceanic layer 3 was detected. The uppermost mantle also contains a low-velocity zone.     

Forward modelling receiver functions for crustal structure beneath station TBZ (Trabzon, Turkey)

We use teleseismic three-component digital data from the Trabzon, Turkey broadband seismic station TBZ to model the crustal structure by the receiver function method. The station is located at a structural transition from continental northeastern Anatolia to the oceanic Black Sea basin. Rocks in the region are of volcanic origin covered by young sediments. By forward modelling the radial receiver functions, we construct 1-D crustal shear velocity models that include a lower crustal low-velocity zone, indicating a partial melt mechanism which may be the source of surfacing magmatic rocks and regional volcanism. Within the top 5 km, velocities increase sharply from about 1.5 to 3.5 km s⁻¹. Such near-surface low velocities are caused by sedimentation, extending from the Black Sea basin. Velocities at around 20 km depth have mantle-like values (about 4.25 km s⁻¹ ), which easily correlate to magmatic rocks cropping out on the surface. At 25 km depth there is a thin low-velocity layer of about 4.0 km s⁻¹. The average Moho velocity is about 4.6 km s⁻¹, and its depth changes from 32 to 40 km. Arrivals on the tangential components indicate that the Moho discontinuity dips approximately southwards, in agreement with the crustal thickening to the south. We searched for the solution of receiver functions around the regional surface wave group velocity inversion results, which helped alleviate the multiple solution problem frequently encountered in receiver function modelling.
Station TBZ is a recently deployed broadband seismic station, and the aim of this study is to report on the analysis of new receiver function data. The analysis of new data in such a structurally complex region provides constraining starting models for future structural studies in the region.     

Palaeomagnetism of the continental sector of the Cameroon Volcanic Line, West Africa

Measurement of samples from 154 sites in the continental sector of the Cameroon Volcanic Line yielded six palaeomagnetic poles, at 243.6°E, 84.6°N, α ₉₅ = 6.8°; 224.3°E, 81.2°N, α ₉₅ = 8.4°; 176.1°E, 82.0°N, α ₉₅ = 8.5°; 164.3°E, 86.4°N, α ₉₅ = 3.4°; 169.4°E, 82.6°N, α ₉₅ = 4.6° and 174.7°E, 72.8°N, α ₉₅ = 9.5°, belonging to rocks which have been dated by the K–Ar method at 0.4–0.9  Ma, 2.6  Ma, 6.5–11  Ma, 12–17  Ma, 20–24  Ma and 28–31  Ma, respectively. The results are in general agreement with other palaeomagnetic poles from Oligocene to Recent formations in Africa.
  The first three poles for rocks formed between 0.4 and 11  Ma are not significantly different from the present geographical pole. Together with other African poles for the same period, this suggests that the African continent has moved very little relative to the pole since 11  Ma. The other three poles for rocks dated between 12 and 31  Ma are significantly different from the present geographical pole, showing a 5° polar deviation from the present pole in the Miocene and 13° in the Middle Oligocene.     

Crustal structure of the Whipple Mountains, southeastern California: a refraction study across a region of large continental extension

Summary. Closely spaced refraction profiling across the Whipple Mountains metamorphic core complex in southeastern California yields a complex picture of crustal structure in this region of large continental extension. A NE-directed profile, parallel to the extension direction, reveals a high-velocity mid-crustal layer (6.6–6.8 km s⁻¹) at 16-18 km depth, bounded above and below by laterally discontinuous low-velocity zones (<6.0 km s⁻¹). In marked contrast, a NW-directed profile shows a more uniform 6.0 km s⁻¹ crust down to the crust-mantle boundary. The apparent contrast between these two perpendicular profiles may be related not only to a more complex geologic structure in the NW-SE direction, but also to velocity anisotropy associated with mid-crustal mylonites. Despite the differences between the two refraction profiles, both define a flat Moho at 26-27 km depth with an associated upper mantle-velocity of 7.8 km s⁻¹. This observation is significant as it suggests that, although the amount of extension has been highly variable regionally, the crust is no thinner beneath the Whipple Mountains (where extension has been extreme) than the surrounding mountain ranges. Such an observation requires either that the crust was considerably thicker prior to extension, or that lateral flow in the lower crust and/or inflation of the crust via magmatism occurred contemporaneous with extension.     

A three-dimensional radially anisotropic model of shear velocity in the whole mantle

We present a 3-D radially anisotropic S velocity model of the whole mantle (SAW642AN), obtained using a large three component surface and body waveform data set and an iterative inversion for structure and source parameters based on Non-linear Asymptotic Coupling Theory (NACT). The model is parametrized in level 4 spherical splines, which have a spacing of ∼ 8°. The model shows a link between mantle flow and anisotropy in a variety of depth ranges. In the uppermost mantle, we confirm observations of regions with   V_SH > V_SV   starting at ∼80 km under oceanic regions and ∼200 km under stable continental lithosphere, suggesting horizontal flow beneath the lithosphere. We also observe a   V_SV > V_SH   signature at ∼150–300 km depth beneath major ridge systems with amplitude correlated with spreading rate for fast-spreading segments. In the transition zone (400–700 km depth), regions of subducted slab material are associated with   V_SV > V_SH   , while the ridge signal decreases. While the mid-mantle has lower amplitude anisotropy (<1 per cent), we also confirm the observation of radially symmetric   V_SH > V_SV   in the lowermost 300 km, which appears to be a robust conclusion, despite an error in our previous paper which has been corrected here. The 3-D deviations from this signature are associated with the large-scale low-velocity superplumes under the central Pacific and Africa, suggesting that   V_SH > V_SV   is generated in the predominant horizontal flow of a mechanical boundary layer, with a change in signature related to transition to upwelling at the superplumes.     

An anomalous high-velocity layer at shallow crustal depths in the Narmada zone, India

The Narmada zone in central India is a zone of weakness that separates the region of Vindhyan (Meso-Neoproterozoic) deposition to the north from Gondwana (Permo-Carboniferous–lower Cretaceous) deposits to the south. The reinterpretation of analogue seismic refraction data, acquired during the early 1980s, using 2-D ray-tracing techniques reveals a basement (velocity 5.8–6.0 km s⁻¹ ) topography suggesting that the Narmada zone, bounded by the Narmada North and Narmada South faults is a region of basement uplift. A layer of anomalously high velocity (6.5–6.7 km s⁻¹ ) at depths between 1.5 and 9.0 km appears to be present in the entire region. Within the Narmada zone this layer occurs at shallower depths than outside the Narmada zone. At two places within the Narmada zone this layer is at a depth of about 1.5 km. This layer cannot be considered as the top of the lower crust because in this case it should have produced large positive gravity anomalies at the shallowest parts. Instead, these parts correspond to Bouguer gravity lows. Furthermore, lower crust at such shallow depths has not been reported from any other part of the Indian shield. Therefore, this layer is likely to represent the top of a high-velocity mafic body that has different thicknesses in different places.     

Ivrea seismic array: a study of continental crust and upper mantle

A seismic-array study of the continental crust and upper mantle in the Ivrea-Yerbano and Strona-Ceneri zones (northwestern Italy) is presented. A short-period network is used to define crustal P - and S -wave velocity models from earthquakes. The analysis of the seismic-refraction profile LOND of the CROP-ECORS project provided independent information and control on the array-data interpretation.
Apparent-velocity measurements from both local and regional earthquakes, and time-term analysis are used to estimate the velocity in the lower crust and in the upper mantle. The geometry of the upper-lower crust and Moho boundaries is determined from the station delay times.
We have obtained a three-layer crustal seismic model. The P -wave velocity in the upper crust, lower crust and upper mantle is 6.1±0.2 km s⁻¹, 6.5±0.3 km s⁻¹ and 7.8±0.3 km s⁻¹ respectively. Pronounced low-velocity zones in the upper and lower crust are not observed. A clear change in the velocity structure between the upper and lower crust is documented, constraining the petrological interpretation of the Ivrea-type reflective lower continental crust derived from small-scale petrophysical data. Moreover, we found a V _P/ V _S ratio of 1.69±0.04 for the upper crust and 1.82±0.08 for the lower crust and upper mantle. This is consistent with the structural and petrophysical differences between a compositionally uniform and seismically transparent upper crust and a layered and reflective lower crust. The thickness of the lower crust ranges from about 8 km in front of the Ivrea body (ARVO, Arvonio station) in the northern part of the array to a maximum of about 15 km in the southern part of the array. The lower crust reaches a minimum depth of 5 km below the PROV (Provola) station.     

Transitional continental–oceanic structure beneath the Norwegian Sea from inversion of surface wave group velocity data

We have analysed the fundamental mode of Love and Rayleigh waves generated by 12 earthquakes located in the mid-Atlantic ridge and Jan Mayen fracture zone. Using the multiple filter analysis technique, we isolated the Rayleigh and Love wave group velocities for periods between 10 and 50  s. The surface wave propagation paths were divided into five groups, and average group velocities calculated for each group. The average group velocities were inverted and produced shear wave velocity models that correspond to a quasi-continental oceanic structure in the Greenland–Norwegian Sea region. Although resolution is poor at shallow depth, we obtained crustal thickness values of about 18  km in the Norwegian Sea area and 9  km in the region between Svalbard and Iceland. The abnormally thick crust in the Norwegian Sea area is ascribed to magmatic underplating and the thermal blanketing effect of sedimentary layers. Maximum crustal shear velocities vary between 3.5 and 3.9  km  s⁻¹ for most paths. An average lithospheric thickness of 60  km was observed, which is lower than expected for oceanic-type structure of similar age. We also observed low shear wave velocities in the lower crust and upper mantle. We suggest that high heat flow extending to depths of about 30  km beneath the surface can account for the thin lithosphere and observed low velocities. Anisotropy coefficients of 1–5 per cent in the shallow layers and >7 per cent in the upper mantle point to the existence of polarization anisotropy in the region.     

The Agulhas Plateau: structure and evolution of a Large Igneous Province

Large Igneous Provinces (LIP) are of great interest due to their role in crustal generation, magmatic processes and environmental impact. The Agulhas Plateau in the southwest Indian Ocean off South Africa has played a controversial role in this discussion due to unclear evidence for its continental or oceanic crustal affinity. With new geophysical data from seismic refraction and reflection profiling, we are able to present improved evidence for its crustal structure and composition. The velocity–depth model reveals a mean crustal thickness of 20 km with a maximum of 24 km, where three major units can be identified in the crust. In our seismic reflection records, evidence for volcanic flows on the Agulhas Plateau can be observed. The middle crust is thickened by magmatic intrusions. The up to 10 km thick lower crustal body is characterized by high seismic velocities of 7.0–7.6 km s⁻¹. The velocity–depth distribution suggests that the plateau consists of overthickened oceanic crust similar to other oceanic LIPs such as the Ontong-Java Plateau or the northern Kerguelen Plateau. The total volume of the Agulhas Plateau was estimated to be 4 × 10⁶ km³ of which about 10 per cent consists of extruded igneous material. We use this information to obtain a first estimate on carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide emission caused by degassing from this material. The Agulhas Plateau was formed as part of a larger LIP consisting of the Agulhas Plateau itself, Northeast Georgia Rise and Maud Rise. The formation time of this LIP can be estimated between 100 and 94 (± 5) Ma.     

Waveform modelling of teleseismic S, Sp, SsPmP, and shear-coupled PL waves for crust- and upper-mantle velocity structure beneath Africa

We describe a waveform modelling technique and demonstrate its application to determine the crust- and upper-mantle velocity structure beneath Africa. Our technique uses a parallelized reflectivity method to compute synthetic seismograms and fits the observed waveforms by a global optimization technique based on a Very Fast Simulated Annealing (VFSA). We match the S , Sp, SsPmP and shear-coupled PL phases in seismograms of deep (200–800 km), moderate-to-large magnitude (5.5–7.0) earthquakes recorded teleseismically at permanent broad-band seismic stations in Africa. Using our technique we produce P - and S -wave velocity models of crust and upper mantle beneath Africa. Additionally, our use of the shear-coupled PL phase, wherever observed, improves the constraints for lower crust- and upper-mantle velocity structure beneath the corresponding seismic stations. Our technique retains the advantages of receiver function methods, uses a different part of the seismogram, is sensitive to both P - and S -wave velocities directly, and obtains helpful constraints in model parameters in the vicinity of the Moho. The resulting range of crustal thicknesses beneath Africa (21–46 km) indicates that the crust is thicker in south Africa, thinner in east Africa and intermediate in north and west Africa. Crustal P - (4.7–8 km s⁻¹) and S -wave velocities (2.5–4.7  km s⁻¹) obtained in this study show that in some parts of the models, these are slower in east Africa and faster in north, west and south Africa. Anomalous crustal low-velocity zones are also observed in the models for seismic stations in the cratonic regions of north, west and south Africa. Overall, the results of our study are consistent with earlier models and regional tectonics of Africa.     

Calibration of the Yellowknife Seismic Array with First Zone Explosions

Summary Recordings from a crustal seismic experiment, which was conducted in the Yellowknife area in 1966, were used for calibration of the Yellow-knife seismic array. In the immediate vicinity of the array the crust is found to be very uniform. A superficial layer with an intercept time of 0–172 ± 0–012s and unknown velocity is underlain by a crust with a P wave velocity of 6.04 ± 0–01 km s^-1 near the top: assuming this velocity constant throughout the second layer, the total thickness of the crust is about 34 ± 2 km. The Mohorovicic discontinuity is horizontal under the array within the resolution of this experiment and the apparent P_n velocity is 8.15 km s^-1. At a distance of a few tens of kilometres the crustal uniformity breaks down. The distances are such that, for most teleseismic signals, the effect of these in homogeneities should be negligible.     

Crust and upper mantle structure of the central Iberian Meseta (Spain)

Summary. Quarry blasts recorded along three lines on the central Iberian Meseta are used in an attempt to interpret the crustal structure. The results of the interpretation of the data, together with published surface wave and earthquake data, suggest a layered structure of the crust having the following features: the basement, in some areas covered by up to 4 km of sediments, has a P -velocity of 6.1 km s⁻¹; a low-velocity layer, between 7 and 11 km depth, seems to exist on the basis of both P and S interpretation of seismic data; a thick middle crust of 12 km has a P -velocity of 6.4 km s⁻¹ and overlies a lower crust with a mean P -velocity of 6.9 km s⁻¹ and a possible slight negative gradient; the mean v _p/ v _s ratio for the crust is about 1.75; the Moho is reached at about 31 km depth and consists of a transition zone at least 1.5 km thick. The P -velocity of the upper mantle is close to 8.1 km s⁻¹ and the S -velocity about 4.5 km s⁻¹, which gives a v _p /v _s ratio of 1.8 for the uppermost mantle. A tentative petrological interpretation of the velocities and composition of the layers is given.     

Crustal structure of the Faeroe–Shetiand Channel

Summary. The deep structure of the Faeroe–Shetland Channel has been investigated as part of the North Atlantic Seismic Project. Shot lines were fired along and across the axis of the Channel, with recording stations both at sea and on adjacent land areas. At 61°N, 1.7 km of Tertiary sediments overlies a 3.9–4.5 km s^-1 basement interpreted as the top of early Tertiary volcanics. A main 6.0–6.6 km s^-1 crustal refractor interpreted as old oceanic crust occurs at about 9 km depth. The Moho (8.0 ° 0.2 km s^-1) is at about 15–17 km depth. There is evidence that P _n may be anisotropic beneath the Faeroe–Shetland Channel. Arrivals recorded at land stations show characteristics best explained by scattering at an intervening boundary which may be the continent–ocean crustal contact or the edge of the volcanics.
The Moho delay times at the shot points, determined by time-term analysis, show considerable variation along the axis of the Channel. They correlate with the basement topography, and the greatest delays occur over the buried extension of the Faeroe Ridge at about 60° 15'N, where they are nearly 1 s more than the delays at 61°N after correction for the sediments. The large delays are attributed to thickening of the early Tertiary volcanic layer with isostatic downsagging of the underlying crust and uppermost mantle in response to the load, rather than to thickening of the main crustal ayer.
The new evidence is consistent with deeply buried oceanic crust beneath the Faeroe–Shetland Channel, forming a northern extension of Rockall Trough. The seabed morphology has been grossly modified by the thick and laterally variable pile of early Tertiary volcanic rocks which swamped the region, accounting for the anomalous shallow bathymetry, the transverse ridges and the present narrowness of the Channel.     

Aseismic fault movement before the 1995 Kobe earthquake detected by a GPS survey: implication for preseismic stress localization?

By inversion analysis of the baseline changes and horizontal displacements observed with GPS (Global Positioning System) during 1990–1994, a high-angle reverse fault was detected in the Shikoku-Kinki region, southwest Japan. The active blind fault is characterized by reverse dip-slip (0.7±0.2  m yr⁻¹ within a layer 17–26  km deep) with a length of 208±5  km, a (down-dip) width of 9±2  km, a dip-angle of 51°±2° and a strike direction of 40°±2° (NE). Evidence from the geological investigation of subfaults close to the southwestern portion of the fault, two historical earthquakes ( M _L=7.0, 1789 and 6.4, 1955) near the centre of the fault, and an additional inversion analysis of the baseline changes recorded by the nationwide permanent GPS array from 18 January to 31 December 1995 partially demonstrates the existence of the fault, and suggests that it might be a reactivation of a pre-existing fault in this region. The fact that hardly any earthquakes ( M _L>2.0) occurred at depth on the inferred fault plane suggests that the fault activity was largely aseismic. Based on the parameters of the blind fault estimated in this study, we evaluated stress changes in this region. It is found that shear stress concentrated and increased by up to 2.1 bar yr⁻¹ at a depth of about 20  km around the epicentral area of the 1995 January 17  Kobe earthquake ( M _L=7.2, Japan), and that the earthquake hypocentre received a Coulomb failure stress of about 5.6 bar yr⁻¹ during 1990–1994. The results suggest that the 1995  Kobe earthquake could have been induced or triggered by aseismic fault movement.     

Anisotropy of heterogeneity scale lengths in the lower mantle from PKIKP precursors

The anisotropy of heterogeneity scale lengths in the lower mantle is investigated by modelling its effect on the high-frequency precursors of PKIKP scattered by the heterogeneities. Although models having either an isotropic or an anisotropic distribution of scale lengths can fit the observed coda shapes of short-period precursors, the frequency content of broad-band PKIKP precursors favours a dominantly isotropic distribution of scale lengths. Precursor coda shapes are consistent with 1 per cent fluctuations in P velocity in the wavenumber band 0.05–0.5  km⁻¹ extending to 1000  km above the core–mantle boundary, and with a D" region open to circulation throughout the lower mantle. The level of excitation of PKIKP precursors observed in the frequency band 0.02–2  Hz requires a power spectrum of heterogeneity that is nearly white or slowly increasing with wavenumber. Anisotropy of scale lengths may exist in a D" layer having larger horizontal than vertical scale lengths and produce little or no detectable effects on PKIKP precursors for P -velocity perturbations as high as 3 per cent when averaged over a vertical scale of several kilometres, and much higher when averaged over scales of hundreds of metres or less.     

Thermochronometry and palaeomagnetism of the Archaean Nelshoogte Pluton, South Africa

²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb single-grain zircon, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar single-grain hornblende and biotite, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar bulk-sample muscovite and biotite ages from the Nelshoogte trondhjemite pluton located in eastern Transvaal, South Africa, show that this granitoid had a protracted thermal history spanning 3213±4  Ma to about 3000  Ma. Whole-rock ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages from cross-cutting dolerite dykes indicate that these were intruded at about 1900  Ma. There is no evidence of this or other, later events significantly affecting the argon systematics of the minerals from the pluton dated by the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar method.
  The pluton has a well-defined palaeomagnetic pole which is dated at 3179±18 (2 σ ) Ma by ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of hornblende. This pole (18°N, 310°E, A ₉₅=9°) yields a palaeolatitude of 0°, significantly different from other Archaean poles from the Kaapvaal Craton. The palaeolatitude difference implies that there was significant apparent polar wander during the Archaean. A second, overprinting magnetization seen in the pluton is also seen in the lower-Proterozoic dolerite dykes, and is consistent with other lower-Proterozoic (2150–1950  Ma) poles for southern Africa.     

Seismic refraction profiles between Cyprus and Israel and their interpretation

Summary. A long seismic refraction profile was carried out between southern Israel and Cyprus. The seismic energy was generated by 33 sea shots each of 0.8 t explosives and was recorded by land stations in Israel and Cyprus and by ocean bottom seismographs deployed along the profile.
The results showed that the continental crust of southern Israel thins towards the Mediterranean underneath a northward thickening sedimentary cover. Cyprus is underlain by a 35 km thick continental crust thinning south-wards and extending to Mt Eratosthenes. Between Mt Eratosthenes and the Israel continental shelf the crystalline crust is composed of high velocity (6.5 km s^-1)material and is about 8 km thick. It is covered by 12–14 km of sediments and may represent a fossil oceanic crust.     

Subsurface mass redistributions at Mount Etna (Italy) during the 1995–1996 explosive activity detected by microgravity studies

Gravity changes are presented from a series of field microgravity surveys conducted at Mt Etna between August 1994 and November 1996, a period including the 1995–1996 explosive summit activity. Data were collected along a microgravity network of 69 stations at a monthly to annual sampling rate, depending on each subarray of the network.
  Results show that seasonal changes in water level within the volcano may induce gravity changes of up to 20  μgal on Etna's southern slope, and indicate that significant magma movement occurred within and below Etna's edifice between 1994 and 1996. In particular, between September 1994 and October 1995, a mass increase of 2 × 10¹⁰  kg occurred 2000  m beneath the summit craters. Between October 1995 and July 1996 this mass was lost, while another 2 × 10¹⁰  kg was injected at about 1000  m  a.s.l. into the 1989 fracture system. From the gravity data alone, it is not possible to distinguish whether the first shallow intrusion (1994–1995) was then injected laterally into the 1989 fracture, or summit activity was fed by the first shallow intrusion, while new magma entered the 1989 fracture system.
  While magma was being redistributed within the volcanic edifice, measurements along an E–W-trending profile on the southern slope of the volcano detected some 1.5 × 10¹¹  kg of magma accumulating 2–3  km below sea level between October 1995 and November 1996.     

Teleseismic delay-time tomography of the upper mantle beneath southeastern India: imprint of Indo–Antarctica rifting

A 3-D P -velocity map of the crust and upper mantle beneath the southeastern part of India has been reconstructed through the inversion of teleseismic traveltimes. Salient geological features in the study region include the Archean Dharwar Craton and Eastern Ghat metamorphic belt (EGMB), and the Proterozoic Cuddapah and Godavari basins. The Krishna–Godavari basin, on the eastern coastal margin, evolved in response to the Indo–Antarctica breakup. A 24-station temporary network provided 1161 traveltimes, which were used to model 3-D P -velocity variation. The velocity model accounts of 80 per cent of the observed data variance. The velocity picture to a depth of 120 km shows two patterns: a high velocity beneath the interior domain (Dharwar craton and Cuddapah basin), and a lower velocity beneath the eastern margin region (EGMB and coastal basin). Across the array velocity variations of 7–10 per cent in the crust (0–40 km) and 3–5 per cent in the uppermost mantle (40–120 km) are observed. At deeper levels (120–210 km) the upper-mantle velocity differences are insignificant among different geological units. The presence of such a low velocity along the eastern margin suggests significantly thin lithosphere (<100 km) beneath it compared to a thick lithosphere (>200 km) beneath the eastern Dharwar craton. Such lithospheric thinning could be a consequence of Indo–Antarctica break-up.     

Thrust faulting and crust—upper mantle structure in East Australia

Summary. The mid-crustal earthquake of 1973 March 9 (m_b= 5.5, h ≤ 20 km) located 60 km south-west of Sydney, Australia, provides unambiguous evidence of contemporary thrust faulting in South-eastern Australia — a region of high heat flow and Cenozoic basaltic volcanism. Aftershock locations suggest a steeply dipping fault in the depth range from 8 to 24 km with a lateral extent of about 8 km. The mechanism solution is consistent with a tectonic stress field that is dominated by east—west horizontal compression. A seismic moment of 5.7 ± 10²³± 20 per cent dyne-cm was computed from surface-wave amplitudes. Minimum values of slip and stress drop, 2 cm and 1 bar respectively, were estimated from the moment and a fault size taken' from aftershock locations.
Refinement modelling by a controlled Monte Carlo technique was used to provide unbiased models directly from multimode group velocities. The dispersion of fundamental and higher mode surface waves recorded at the digital high-gain station at Charters Towers, Queensland, and the WWSSN station at Adelaide, South Australia, is satisfied by crust- and upper-mantle models which have neither pronounced S-wave low-velocity zones nor thick high-velocity lids within 140 km of the Earth's surface. These models have subcrustal shear velocities of 4.20–4.32 km/s which are 0.4–0.5 km/s slower than Canadian shield shear velocities (CANSD).