Regional differences in crustal structure of the North China Craton from receiver functions

Moho depth and crustal average Poisson's ratio for 823 stations are obtained by H-? stacking of receiver functions. These, together with topography and receiver function amplitude information, were used to study the crustal structure beneath the North China Craton(NCC). The results suggest that modified and preserved crust coexist beneath the craton with generally Airy-type isostatic equilibrium. The equilibrium is relatively low in the eastern NCC and some local areas in the central and western NCC, which correlates well with regional geology and tectonic features. Major differences in the crust were observed beneath the eastern, central, and western NCC, with average Moho depths of 33, 37, and 42 km and average Poisson's ratios of 0.268, 0.267 and 0.264, respectively. Abnormal Moho depths and Poisson's ratios are mainly present in the rift zones, the northern and southern edges of the central NCC, and tectonic boundaries. The crust beneath Ordos retains the characteristics of typical craton. Poisson's ratio increases roughly linearly as Moho depth decreases in all three parts of the NCC with different slopes. Receiver function amplitudes are relatively large in the northern edge of the eastern and central NCC, and small in and near the rifts. The Yanshan Mountains and southern part of the Shanxi rift show small-scale variations in the receiver-function amplitudes. These observations suggest that overall modification and thinning in the crust occurred in the eastern NCC, and local crustal modification occurred in the central and western NCC. Different crustal structures in the eastern, central, and western NCC suggest different modification processes and mechanisms. The overall destruction of the crustal structure in the eastern NCC is probably due to the westward subduction of the Pacific Plate during the Meso-Cenozoic time; the local modifications of the crust in the central and western NCC may be due to repeated reactivations at zones with a heterogeneous structure by successive thermal-tectonic events during the long-term evolution of the NCC.     

利用共转换点叠加方法研究华北地区地壳结构

利用华北地震台阵L测线的35个台站记录的895个远震数据进行了接收函数的计算,并利用H-κ叠加方法得到华北克拉通西部陆块东侧和中部陆块内基岩台站下方的地壳结构.利用得到的基岩台站下方的地壳结构和通过波形模拟方法得到的渤海湾盆地的沉积层结构作为背景模型对测线进行共转换点(CCP)叠加成像.在渤海湾盆地,通过增大CCP叠加...     

华北克拉通地壳结构及动力学机制分析

本文对布设在华北克拉通三个陆块的199个宽频带台站记录的远震数据进行了接收函数计算.利用H-κ迭代方法获得了该区域基岩地区的地壳结构,平滑处理后作为背景结构模型中的基岩地区地壳结构;利用相邻算法对沉积层地区的接收函数进行了波形拟合计算,获得了沉积层结构,平滑后作为背景结构模型中的沉积层结构;结合前人的研究成果,完善了研究区域的背景结构模型.以此模型为基础,对接收函数进行了CCP（Common Conversion Point,共转换点）叠加成像,获得了Moho面成像结果,对比沉积层的成像结果发现：西部陆块中鄂尔多斯块体东部地区地壳厚度较大,约为42 km,泊松比较低,小于0.24,为长英质含量较多的地壳层;位于中部陆块的山西地堑地壳厚度小于鄂尔多斯块体,且变化较大,西侧地壳厚度约为40 km,东侧重力梯度带附近地壳厚度迅速减薄至36 km左右,张家口-怀来-大同一带出现了地壳的局部抬升,地壳厚度等值线基本以北北东方向为主,与构造带方向基本一致,地堑内泊松比约为0.26~0.28,前人对此区域的层析成像研究结果表明太行山隆起和阴山隆起存在壳内低速层,推测为地壳部分熔融以及上地幔物质上涌造成的;东部陆块中渤海湾盆地的地壳厚度较薄,约为32 km,部分地区小于30 km,其中冀中坳陷带地壳厚度最薄,约为28 km,沉积层基底分布与Moho面分布呈镜像对称趋势,沉积层较厚地区的地壳较薄,推测东部陆块在太平洋板块俯冲作用下,存在北西-南东向的拉张作用,使其内发育了大量断陷盆地.     

利用接收函数方法研究西秦岭构造带及其邻区地壳结构

根据西秦岭构造带及其周边地区117个宽频带地震台站的高质量波形数据, 利用远震P波接收函数的H-k叠加方法, 求得地壳厚度和平均波速比. 通过分析地壳厚度、 波速比及其关系和接收函数CCP叠加剖面, 研究了该区域的地壳结构特征. 结果表明, 研究区域内地壳结构差异大, 呈过渡带特征. 地壳厚度总体上呈北北西向分布, 自西南向东北逐渐减小. 羌塘块体地壳厚度为72 km, 渭河盆地附近为39 km. 西秦岭构造带的地壳厚度为42—56 km, 南北向莫霍界面平坦. 研究区域P波与S波波速比平均为1.74, 其中西秦岭构造带平均为1.72. 较低的波速比主要分布在西秦岭构造带、 祁连山块体、 松潘—甘孜地块北部以及香山—天景山断裂区域, 这可能是由于含长英质酸性岩组分的上地壳叠置增厚而导致的. 该区域缺少超高波速比, 表明这一区域发生岩浆底侵或上地壳熔融的可能性很小. 综合分析表明, 西秦岭构造带及邻区的地壳结构主要是由于青藏高原隆升并在向东北向扩张中受到周边块体的阻挡而引起的地壳构造变形所致. 西秦岭构造带的莫霍界面变化和波速比分布与该构造带经历碰撞地壳增厚后的伸展走滑运动有关.      

南海西南次海盆与南沙地块的OBS探测和地壳结构

跨越南海西南次海盆南部陆缘和南沙地块中部的OBS973-1测线是南海南部首次采集的海底地震仪(OBS)广角反射与折射深地震测线,本文通过震相分析和走时正演拟合,获得了沿测线的二维纵波速度结构模型.模拟结果显示表层沉积物速度2.5～4.5 km/s,厚度1000～3000m,局部基底面起伏较大.结晶基底的速度从顶部的4....     

帕米尔东北侧地壳结构研究

1998年在帕米尔东北侧伽师及其周边地区完成了两条深地震宽角反射/折射剖面. 结果表明,西昆仑、塔里木和天山在地壳速度结构、构造特征上显示出较大差异. 塔里木块体具有稳定地块的地壳结构特征,地壳平均速度较高(6.5km/s). 向南进入西昆仑,地壳明显增厚,厚度可达0km左右,且地壳平均速度偏低(6.0-6.2km/s),偏低的地壳平均速度主要来源于相对低速度的下地壳结构,反映了西昆仑褶皱系下地壳介质的特征. 向北进入天山后,地壳同样明显增厚,但增厚的程度低于西昆仑下,约为50-55km. 天山地壳同样具有明显低的平均速度(6.2km/s),显示了天山地壳相对"软"的特征,但天山地壳偏低的平均速度来源于广泛分布于中地壳的低速度层和速度偏低的下地壳. 在印度块体向北强烈推挤的作用下,该区地壳遭受强烈的不均匀变形,塔里木块体向南插入西昆仑下,向北插入天山下,形成了该区强烈地震频繁发生的深部构造环境.     

华北克拉通东部地壳与地幔盖层结构——长观测距深地震测深剖面结果

利用文登—阿拉善左旗长观测距地震宽角反射/折射剖面东段资料,辩识出4组地壳震相和3组地幔盖层震相.采用二维射线追踪走时反演和正演拟合交替计算方法,得到了包括鲁东隆起和华北裂陷盆地在内的地壳和地幔盖层二维速度结构.研究结果表明:华北裂陷盆地基底深达6km以上,研究区壳内界面C1埋深约15km,C2界面深约25km,Moho面平均埋深约35km.上地壳速度6.0~6.1km·s-1,且横向变化较大;中地壳速度相对均匀约为6.2~6.4km·s-1;下地壳速度为6.5~7.0km·s-1,速度梯度较大.地壳平均速度与隆起和坳陷构造相关.研究区岩石圈底界面一般为75~80km,西端接近太行隆起构造时深至90km左右,向西呈明显加深趋势,地壳厚度呈现相同的增厚特征.地幔盖层上部速度8.0~8.2km·s-1,具明显正梯度特征.岩石圈平均速度在郯庐断裂带附近显著偏低.PmP和PLP震相存在不同程度的复杂性,意味着在本地区Moho界面和岩石圈界面有较为复杂的结构,可能具有一定厚度或过渡带性质.结合其他研究结果认为,地幔盖层和下地壳速度梯度、界面性质差异与华北克拉通破坏相关,意味着破坏是一个渐变、缓慢和不均匀的过程.郯庐断裂带附近的低速应是其为软弱带的证据.     

中国东部地区的壳-幔过渡带结构

莫霍面是地壳和上地幔的边界,但莫霍面并不是一个简单的"面",而是一个反映地壳和地幔物质交换、相互作用等动力学意义的"过渡带".本文综合深地震反射、宽角地震折射和高温高压岩石物理实验结果,确定壳-幔过渡带的地震P波速度变化范围为6.8~7.5 km·s^-1.在克拉通等构造活动稳定地区壳-幔过渡带内的速度梯度强且壳-幔过渡带厚度薄,而在造山带等构造活动区域壳-幔过渡带内的速度梯度弱且壳-幔过渡带厚.中国东部地区的壳-幔过渡带的平均厚度约为5~10 km,在四川盆地下方最薄（<5 km）,而在华北克拉通中部造山带下方的壳-幔过渡带最厚（~30 km）.综合地球化学结果,华北中部巨厚壳-幔过渡带主要是幔源岩浆的底侵作用和堆晶作用而形成.     

华北克拉通岩石圈三维密度结构

显生宙以来华北克拉通岩石圈遭到破坏,这一现象的科学问题已受到世界地学家广泛关注.本文首先将地震层析成像反演得到的P波速度扰动转化为密度扰动,以此作为初始密度模型,然后利用布格重力异常反演得到了华北克拉通岩石圈高分辨三维密度结构.为了避开大型稀疏矩阵求逆计算,提高计算效率,我们将代数重构技术用于密度反演解算.反演结果表明:华北克拉通岩石圈密度在横向和纵向上均存在明显的不均匀性,密度分布形态与地表构造格局有很好的相关性;研究区地壳整体表现为低密度异常,地壳以下岩石圈部分则以高密度异常为主;鄂尔多斯块体地壳范围内以低密度异常为主,80~120 km深度上为呈南北两端集中分布的高密度异常,并分别与秦岭造山带和阴山造山带的高密度异常分布相连,这暗示了鄂尔多斯块体可能受到了来自其南北两端造山带深部动力学过程的影响;80~120 km深度上,华北克拉通东部地区呈现出显著的南北向非均匀的高密度异常,这表明遭到破坏后该地区上地幔物质分布具有强烈的南北向非均匀性.     

沿107.6°E南北向剖面鄂尔多斯地块及周缘地区地壳结构

鄂尔多斯地块紧邻青藏高原东北缘,位于华北克拉通的西部,在我国中生代、新生代以来东部地区的构造活动中起到了重要作用.对鄂尔多斯及其周缘地区的研究可以提供有关华北克拉通的形成、演化和破坏过程的重要信息.本文选取了纵贯鄂尔多斯的107.6°E附近南北剖面上的44个流动地震台站进行分析,采用接收函数方法,进行Kirchhoff偏移成像,并且结合在该区域内前人的地震面波频散进行联合反演,获得剖面下方的地壳内部精细结构.研究结果显示:(1)莫霍面在鄂尔多斯北部较平缓,约45km深;在鄂尔多斯南部有所加深,达到50km;其北边的河套盆地的地壳厚度约为50km;南边的渭河盆地到秦岭地区及四川盆地的地壳厚度从约为40km增厚到47～50km.(2)河套盆地下方存在大规模的低速异常,最深可达25km,反映了其显著的拉张构造和沉积历史.(3)秦岭造山带下方的低速异常对应于其主要为长英质的地壳组分,可能是由于中生代的拆沉作用导致的地壳下部基性岩石层的缺失.(4)以38°N为界的鄂尔多斯地块,南北部地壳速度结构存在差异,可能表明了这两部分经历的构造历史不同.     

Crustal structures of the Weihe graben and its surroundings from receiver functions

We use 15 seismic stations,crossing the Qinling orogen(QO),Weihe graben(WG)and Ordos block(OB),to study the crustal structures by receiver functions(RFs)methods.The results show quite a difference in crustal structures and materials of three tectonic units(orogenic belt,extentional basin and stable craton).The average crustal thickness in the northern QO is 37.8 km,and Poisson ratio is 0.247,which indicates the increase of felsic materials in QO.In the southern OB,the average crustal thickness is 39.2 km and Poisson ratio is 0.265.Comparatively high value of Poisson ratio is related with old crystallized base in the lower crust and shallow sediments.The artificial RFs reveal that low-velocity and thick sediments have a significant effect on phases of the Mohorovi i discontinuity(Moho).As a result,the Moho phases in WG are tangled.S-wave velocity(VS)inversion shows that there are shallow sediment layers with 4–8 km’s thickness and high velocity zones in the middle-lower crust in WG.Complex Moho structure and high velocity zone may have been induced by the activities of the Weihe faults series.     

华北克拉通北缘(怀来-苏尼特右旗)地壳结构

2009年,中国地质科学院地质研究所与美国俄克拉荷马大学合作实施了一条长453 km的深地震反射、宽角反射与折射、三分量反射地震联合探测剖面. 剖面南起怀来盆地,向北依次穿过燕山造山带西缘、内蒙地轴、白乃庙弧带、温都尔庙杂岩带,到达索伦缝合带. 其中,宽角反射与折射剖面采用8个0.5~1.5 t炸药震源激发,使用300套Texan单分量数字检波器接收,获得了高质量的地震资料. 通过资料分析和处理,识别出沉积层及结晶基底的折射波（Pg）、来自上地壳底界面的反射波（Pcp）,中地壳底界面的反射波（Plp）,莫霍界面的反射波（Pmp）及上地幔顶部的折射波（Pn）等5个震相. 分别采用Hole有限差分层析成像和Rayinvr算法对华北克拉通北缘及中亚造山带南部进行了上地壳P波速度结构成像和全地壳二维射线追踪反演成像. 结果显示：（1）中亚造山带地壳厚度~40 km,变化平缓,低于全球平均造山带地壳平均厚度,可能为造山后区域伸展的结果. 阴山-燕山带附近莫霍明显加深,推测其为燕山期造山过程形成的山根,但该山根很可能在后期被改造. （2）测线中部地壳上部速度较高,对应地表大面积花岗岩出露,而下地壳速度较低,速度梯度低,呈通道状,推测其可能曾为古亚洲洋向南俯冲消亡的主动陆缘,并在碰撞后演变为伸展环境下岩浆侵入的通道. （3）华北克拉通北缘与中亚造山带显示出不同速度变化特征,前者变化相对缓而后者则变化剧烈,二者的分界出现在赤峰-白云鄂博断裂附近.     

Crustal structure of Northwest Zagros (Kermanshah) and Central Iran (Yazd and Isfahan) using teleseismic Ps converted phases

Receiver functions are widely employed to detect P-to-S converted waves and are especially useful to image seismic discontinuities in the crust. In this study we used the P receiver function technique to investigate the velocity structure of the crust beneath the Northwest Zagros and Central Iran and map out the lateral variation of the Moho boundary within this area. Our dataset includes teleseismic data (M _b ≥ 5.5, epicentral distance from 30° to 95°) recorded at 12 three-component short-period stations of Kermanshah, Isfahan and Yazd telemetry seismic networks. Our results obtained from P receiver functions indicate clear Ps conversions at the Moho boundary. The Moho depths were firstly estimated from the delay time of the Moho converted phase relative to the direct P wave beneath each network. Then, we used the P receiver function inversion to find the properties of the Moho discontinuity such as depth and velocity contrast. Our results obtained from PRF are in good agreement with those obtained from the P receiver function modeling. We found an average Moho depth of about 42 km beneath the Northwest Zagros increasing toward the Sanandaj-Sirjan Metamorphic Zone and reaches 51 km, where two crusts (Zagros and Central Iran) are assumed to be superposed. The Moho depth decreases toward the Urmieh-Dokhtar Cenozoic volcanic belt and reaches 43 km beneath this area. We found a relatively flat Moho beneath the Central Iran where, the average crustal thickness is about 42 km. Our P receiver function modeling revealed a shear wave velocity of 3.6 km/s in the crust of Northwest Zagros and Central Iran increasing to 4.5 km/s beneath the Moho boundary. The average shear wave velocity in the crust of UDMA as SSZ is 3.6 km/s, which reaches to 4.0 km/s while in SSZ increases to 4.3 km/s beneath the Moho.     

中国大陆下扬子及邻区地壳结构基本特征：深地震测深研究综述

The Deep Seismic Sounding( DSS) projects carried out from the 1970 s in the lower Yangtze region and its neighboring area were reviewed in this paper,then the basic wave group features of those wide angle reflection / refraction record sections,and of the crustal structure are summarized. It shows that there were in total five clear wave groups on the record sections,which include the first arrival Pg,the reflection P1 from the bottom interface of the upper crust,the reflection P3 from the bottom interface of the middle crust,the strong reflection Pm from the Moho boundary,and the refraction Pn from uppermost mantle. In general,these phases are easily consistently traced and compared,despite some first arrivals being delayed or arriving earlier than normal due to the shallow sedimentary cover or bedrocks. In particular,in the Dabie Mountain region the seismic events of a few gathered shots always have weak reflection energy,are twisted,or exhibit disorganized waveforms, which could be attributed to the disruption variations of reflection depth,the broken Moho,and the discontinuity of the reflection boundary within crust. The regional crustal structures are composed of the upper,middle and lower crust,of which the middle and lower layers can be divided into two weak reflection ones. The crustal thickness of the North China and Yangtze platform are 30km- 36 km,and the Moho exhibits a flat geometry despite some local uplifts. The average pressure velocity in lower crust beneath this two tectonic area is 6. 7 ± 0. 3km / s. Nevertheless,beneath the Dabieshan area the crustal thickness is 32km- 41 km,the Moho bends down sharply andtakes an abrupt 4km- 7km dislocation in the vertical direction. The average pressure velocity in the lower crust beneath the Dabieshan area is 6. 8 ± 0. 2km / s.     

中国东北-华北地区地壳厚度与泊松比及其地质意义

本文通过收集和综合分析已有的接收函数H-k研究结果,给出了中国东北-华北地区的地壳厚度与波速比/泊松比分布图.本研究表明该区地壳最薄的地方出现在松辽盆地和华北平原地区（28~35 km）;大兴安岭、燕山-太行地区的地壳厚度介于36~45 km范围,其中燕山造山带地壳厚度由东向西逐渐增加;而最厚的地方则出现在鄂尔多斯盆地西南缘（~55 km）.研究区平均波速比为1.76±0.05,较全球大陆平均值明显偏高,这可能与中、新生代以来该区显著的岩石圈减薄与破坏过程相关.其中地壳波速比最高的地方出现在山西地堑、长白山、大同-张家口等新生代火山区,意味着这些地区可能具有较高的地壳温度或存在广泛的壳内部分熔融.本文研究显示,大兴安岭造山带地区地壳厚度与波速比/泊松比成负消长关系,推测大兴安岭在形成过程中,地壳的增厚以长英质上地壳增厚为主.与大兴安岭地区不同,松辽盆地及周边地区地壳厚度与泊松比没有明显的相关性,表明松辽盆地可能具有复杂的形成与演化过程.     

High-resolution crustal velocity structure in the Shanxi rift zone and its tectonic implications

The Shanxi rift zone, located in the Trans-North China Orogen(TNCO) of the North China Craton(NCC), is wellknown for hosting large intraplate earthquakes in continental China. The TNCO is a suture zone formed by the amalgamation of the eastern and the western blocks of the NCC. After its formation, it was reactived and deformed by later tectonic activities,which result in complex lithospheric heterogeneities. Thus, the detailed crustal structure of the Shanxi rift zone is critical for understanding the tectonics and seismogenic mechanism in this area, which will shed new lights on the formation and dynamic evolution of the NCC. In this study, we applied ambient noise tomography based on 18 months continuous records from 108 seismic stations located in Shanxi and its surroundings, in order to constrain its detailed crustal structure. We measured 4437 Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves in the period of 5–45 s from the cross-correlation functions. Next, a surface wave direct inversion algorithm based on surface-wave ray tracing was used to resolve a 3-D S-wave velocity model in the upper 60 km with lateral resolution of ～50–80 km. The tomographic images show that the sedimentary thickness of the Taiyuan Basin is less than 5 km. At depth of 0–10 km, we observe a good correlation between the imaged structural variations with geological and topographic features at the surface. For example, the center of rift shows low-velocity anomalies and the uplifting areas on both sides are characterized by high velocity anomalies. The western and eastern boundaries of the slow materials coincide with the faults that control the basin. The slow material extends from the shallow surface to depth of about 15 km but it getting smaller in shape at deeper depth. For the Taiyuan Basin, Linfen Basin, and Yuncheng Basin in the central and southern parts, the structure is dominant by slow materials in the upper crust but changes to strong high-velocity anomalies in the lower crust and the uppermost mantle at depth deeper than 25 km. We interprete these high-velocity anomalies to be associated with the cold remnant of the underplated basalt in the lower crust that were formed in early Tertiary before the basin was stretched. We also observe the low-velocity anomaly beneath the Datong volcanic area, which extends from the uppermost mantle to a depth of20 km vertically and migrates from west to east laterally. It may reflect the upwelling channel of the magmatic material in Datong. Moreover, the strong low-velocity anomalies presented north of 38°N could be related to the heated crustal materials with paritial melting as a result of the intensive magmatic activities of the Datong Volcano since the Cenozoic. In our study region, seismicity mainly concentrates in the depth range of 5–20 km and we find that most earthquakes appear to occur in places where velocity changes from high to low rapidly, with slight higher concentration in the faster material areas. In summary, our high-resolution 3-D crustal velocity model provides important seismological constraints to understand the tectonic evolution and seismicity across the Shanxi rift zone.     

The crustal structure under Sanjiang and its dynamic implications: Revealed by seismic reflection/refraction profile between Zhefang and Binchuan,Yunnan

The Sanjiang area in southwest China is considered as a tectonic intersection belt between the Tethys-Alps and the western Pacific, and has endured three-phase evolution processes: Proto-Tethys,Paleo-Tethys and Meso-Tethys[1―4]. In this area, its tectonics and struc- ture are extremely complicated, and intensively extru-sive deformation and faults are widely developed[1―3]. For that, the area is considered as the ideal na- ture-laboratory to study the evolution of Paleo-Tethys and also …     

Crustal structure using receiver function in the east part of A＇nyemaqen suture belt

Twenty broadband seismographs were deployed along Hongyuan, Sichuan to Wuwei, Gansu. 81 teleseismic events were recorded in one year. We computed receiver functions from teleseismic waveform data and obtained S wave velocity structure beneath each station along the profile by using receiver function inversion method. The results revealed that the crustal structure is very complex and crustal average S wave velocity is to be on the low side. Low velocity structure generally exists in the depth range of 10～40 km in the crust between Aba arc fault and northern edge fault of Qinling earth＇s axis and it is a tectonic feature of complex geological process such as ancient A＇nyemaqen Tethys ocean from closing and side colliding to subducted plate exhumed or thrust rock slice lifted. The Moho is about 50 km depth along the profile and is slightly deeper in the south than in the north.     

南海北部珠江口—琼东南盆地地壳速度结构与几何分层

基于南海北部大陆边缘珠江口—琼东南盆地深水区实施的14条近垂直深反射地震探测叠加速度谱,利用Dix公式将叠加速度剖面转换为地壳层速度剖面,并利用时深转换方法构建了深度域地壳层速度模型,综合各地壳速度剖面分析了南海北部大陆边缘珠江口与琼东南盆地不同深度层次的P波速度变化趋势以及地壳几何分层特征.结果表明,琼东南盆地区可分为4～8 km沉积层（V_P为1.7～4.7 km/s）、4～10 km厚的上地壳层（V_P为5.2～6.3 km/s）、5 km〗左右的下地壳层（V_P为6.4～7.0 km/s）以及2～6 km厚的高速下地壳底层（V_P＞7.0 km/s）.V_P＞7.0 km/s下地壳高速层的存在被认为是岩石圈伸展、下地壳底部底辟构造或者是残存的原始华夏下地壳基性层的地震学指示;综合研究区地球物理探测成果构建了跨越华南大陆与南海北部陆坡区剖面莫霍和岩石圈底界图像,揭示出岩石圈上地幔在华南大陆与南海北部大陆边缘的减薄特征.     

Erratum to: Lithospheric structure of NW Iran from P and S receiver functions

We computed P and S receiver functions to investigate the lithospheric structure beneath the northwest Iran and compute the Vp/Vs ratio within the crust of this seismologically active area. Our results enabled us to map the lateral variations of the Moho as well as those of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) beneath this region. We selected data from teleseismic events (M_b > 5.5, epicentral distance between 30° and 95° for P receiver functions and M_b > 5.7, epicentral distance between 60° and 85° for S receiver functions) recorded from 1995 to 2008 at 8 three-component short-period stations of Tabriz Telemetry Seismic Network. Our results obtained from P receiver functions indicate clear conversions at the Moho boundary. The Moho depth was firstly estimated from the delay time of the Moho converted phase relative to the direct P wave. Then we used the H-Vp/Vs stacking algorithm of Zhu and Kanamori to estimate the crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio underneath the stations with clear Moho multiples. We found an average Moho depth of 48 km, which varies between 38.5 and 53 km. The Moho boundary showed a significant deepening towards east and north. This may reveal a crustal thickening towards northeast possibly due to the collision between the Central Iran and South Caspian plates. The obtained average Vp/Vs ratio was estimated to be 1.76, which varies between 1.73 and 1.82. The crustal structure was also determined by modeling of P receiver functions. We obtained a three-layered model for the crust beneath this area. The thickness of the layers is estimated to be 6–11, 18–35, and 38–53 km, respectively. The average of the shear wave velocity was calculated to be 3.4 km/s in the crust and reaches 4.3 km/s below the Moho discontinuity. The crustal thickness values obtained from P receiver functions are in good agreement with those derived by S receiver functions. In addition, clear conversions with negative polarity were observed at ~8.7 s in S receiver functions, which could be related to the conversion at the LAB. This may show a relatively thin continental lithosphere of about 85 km implying that the lithosphere was influenced by various geodynamical reworking processes in the past.