Application of the homogeneous function and modeling methods for reconstruction of a Tibetan geological section from a travel-time inversion

New structures were revealed in Central Tibet after reinterpretation of the first arrivals of refracted seismic waves along the INDEPTH III profile. The method that was used for travel-time inversion is the numerical generalization of the Herglotz-Wiechert formula for the case of a 2D inhomogeneous medium (the homogeneous-function method). The new section shows that the Bangong-Nujiang Suture (BNS) is a contact in the upper crust, while its continuation in the middle crust is a listric thrust; at the top of the lower crust, which has risen to a 32-km depth in the northern part of the section, this thrust become gentler. Below the middle crust top, a layer with a lower velocity of seismic waves is found. The middle crust is deformed and forms oblique southward listric thrusts. In the upper crust south of the BNS, higher-velocity zones (probable zones of magmatism) are distinguished. North of the BNS, undisturbed outlines of the structures are observed.     

Crustal structure beneath the Faroe Islands and the Faroe–Iceland Ridge

We have mapped the transition from the continental Faroe block (the Faroe Islands and surrounding shelf) to the thickened oceanic crust of the Faroe–Iceland Ridge in the North Atlantic using the results of a detailed sea-to-land seismic profile with wide-angle to normal-incidence recordings of explosive and airgun shots fired at sea along the Faroe–Iceland Ridge. Interpretation of all available seismic and gravity data indicates that this aseismic ridge is composed of 30±3-km-thick oceanic crust, with a gradual transition to ancient continental crust from 100 to 40 km northwest of the Faroe Islands, close to the shelf edge. This confirms that the crust beneath the Faroe Islands, which may be up to 46 km thick, comprises continental material in agreement with previous seismic and geochemical results. Results suggest that the upper 5.2±0.7 km of the Faroe crust consists of Tertiary basalts generated during continental breakup, overlying the continental crust beneath. The lower crust, where seismic constraint is poor, may exhibit high seismic velocities (7.1–7.6 km s⁻¹) which we attribute to underplating or intrusion by mafic melts during continental breakup in the early Tertiary.     

The evolution of the layered lower crust and the Moho through geological time in Western Europe: contribution of deep seismic reflection profiles

Deep seismic reflection images from a set of profiles shot in Western Europe have been reviewed and compared, and tentative conclusions have been proposed concerning the evolution of the layered lower crust and the Moho. The disappearance of Variscan mountain roots is related to the set-up of a new Moho at a typical 30-km depth and the creation of seismic layering in the lower crust. Deep seismic profiles suggest that these processes resulted, at least in part, from magmatic intrusion, partial crustal melting and metamorphism of deep crustal rocks into eclogite. On the other hand, the layered lower crust is greatly attenuated beneath Cretaceous basins and Tertiary rifts in relation to prominent Moho upwellings. The unusual amplitude of the Moho reflection and the presence of anomalously high seismic velocities in the lowermost crust beneath the Tertiary rifts suggest that the Moho and part of the layering are comparatively young features related to interactions between crust and mantle. Beneath Triassic-Jurassic basins, the layered lower crust was not affected by the subsidence of the basement, with the whole crustal thinning being entirely concentrated in the upper crust. This indicates that the layered lower crust and the Moho were formed or restored during or after the main rifting phase. Seismic data reveal constraints on the processes that affect the crust-mantle transition and seem to restore the Moho to its typical depth after any mechanical deformation of the lithosphere.     

On the Layering Artifacts in Seismic Imageries

A common feature in seismic imageries of the crust and mantle is a layering pattern.Layering structures do exist in multiple scales,such as layered strata and unconformities in local and regional scales,and undulating seismic discontinuities in the crust and mantle.However,layering arti-fact also exists due to limitations in seismic processing and data coverage.There is a tendency for seis-mic stacking methods to over-map reflectors and scatters into along-isochron layers.In contrast,seis-mic tomography met...     

Seismic image of undercrusted serpentinite beneath a rifted margin

During the continental rifting the upper mantle was unroofed, and the mantle rocks were transformed into serpentinite at the ocean-continent transition of the west Galicia margin (Spain). The serpentinite layer, several km thick, extends probably eastwards, beneath the highly thinned continental crust of the margin.
The serpentinite layer was recently imaged by seismic reflection. It is discontinuously and deeply layered. As serpentinized peridotite can have densities and seismic velocities comparable to those of the lower continental crust, we suggest that undercrusting by serpentinite can play a part in building the lower seismic crust in highly stretched continental rifted areas.     

CHARACTERISTICS OF CRUST-MANTLE TRANSITION ZONE AND ITS TECTONIC SIGNIFICANCE IN THE CONTINENT OF CHINA

The crust-mantle transition zone (CMTZ) is an important site for mass and energy exchange between the lower crust and upper mantle. Several kinds of CMTZ exist beneath the continent of China, which show different seismic reflection characteristics and are composed of different rock associations. In this paper, we identify three types of CMTZ in the continent of China. (a) The CMTZ beneath the Tibet Plateau exhibits a grid-shaped seismic reflection characterized by random and reticular high and low seismic velocity lamellae. It is about 30 km thick, comprising both mafic granulites of lower crust and ultramafic rocks of upper mantle. Such lithological association and seismic velocity structure were inherited from the crustal overthrust and overlapping during the Cenozoic collision between the Indian and Euro-Asian continents; The corresponding crust movement is still very intense in this region. (b) The CMTZ underneath North China Block is usually composed of a thinner strong positive velocity gradient l     

The composition and structure of the deep crust of the Capricorn Orogen

Understanding how the Australian continent came together requires an understanding of structure in all levels of the lithosphere. Deep seismic reflection profiles across several Proterozoic orogens have revealed entirely buried tectonic elements, termed seismic provinces. Although undoubtedly important, the nature of these seismic provinces is typically not well characterised. The Capricorn Orogen is one such region, where the upper crust is relatively well known from geological and geophysical studies, but much of the deep crust is buried beneath Proterozoic basins. Here we combine geophysical datasets, including active and passive source seismic data and gravity data, to image the density, seismic velocity and compositional structure of the deep crust of the Capricorn Orogen. Crustal structure interpreted from deep seismic reflection studies is re-scaled using velocity information from receiver function studies. This modified geometry is used to construct a density model that satisfies Bouguer gravity data. Finally, after correcting for temperature and pressure dependencies, the velocity and density information is used to generate a compositional model of the orogen. This model indicates a varied structure with at least four distinct blocks between the Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons, bounded by major shear zones. We suggest that this variation is linked to multiple accretion events during the amalgamation of the West Australian Craton.     

地震相分析在深反射地震勘探资料解释中的应用

作者对INDEPTH项目深所射地震剖面的细致研究发现,在深反射地震剖面上不仅仅强反射同相轴可以反映地壳深部的结构、构造特征,而且其上的地震相特征在上、中、下地壳也有一定的差异.通过将地震相分析引入深反射地震勘探的研究中,可以利用地震相特征的差异对深反射地震剖面进行充分解释,为深部工作中的地壳结构、构造特征研究提供更丰富、可靠的资料基础.      

拉萨地体东南部整体地壳成分及其成因分析

造山带地壳结构和成分的基本特征对于认识大陆地壳成分演化和区域成矿背景具有重要意义.综合青藏高原拉萨地体东南部地球物理、高温高压岩石物性和岩浆岩地球化学资料,分析该地区地壳整体成分特征,并探讨其可能成因.该地区平均地壳波速显著低于全球大陆和造山带地壳的平均值,表明地壳整体具有中酸性成分,下地壳特征也可由中性岩石(残余体性质的中性含石榴石麻粒岩)解释.拉萨地体东南部整体地壳成分特征应与多阶段长英质化有关,包括碰撞前大陆弧演化阶段(以堆晶或残余体下地壳拆沉为主)和碰撞后高原垮塌阶段(以加厚下地壳拆沉为主,伴随印度古老长英质陆壳物质的俯冲回返/构造底侵).拉萨地体是研究大陆地壳成分演化的绝佳区域,亟待进一步开展多学科综合研究.     

Crustal properties from S-wave and gravity data along a seismic refraction profile in Romania

VRANCEA'99 is a seismic refraction line that was carried out in 1999 to investigate the deep structure and physical properties of the upper lithosphere of the southeastern Carpathians and its foreland. It runs from the city of Bacau to the Danube River, traversing the Vrancea epicentral area of strong intermediate-depth seismicity and the city of Bucharest.

Interpretation of P-wave arrivals led to a velocity model that displays a multi-layered crust with velocities increasing with depth. The range of P wave velocities in the sedimentary cover increases from N to S and a structuring of the autochthonous basement of the Moesian Platform is observed. The crystalline crust displays thickness variations, but at the same time the lateral velocity structure along the seismic line remains almost constant. An intra-crustal boundary separates an upper crust from the lower crust. Within the upper mantle a low velocity zone is detected at a depth of about 55-km.

The interpretation of observable S-waves resulted in a velocity model that shows the same multi-layered crust, with S-velocities increasing similarly with depth as the P-waves. The corresponding Poisson's ratio is highly variable throughout the crust and ranges from 0.20–0.35 for the sedimentary cover to 0.22–0.25 for the crystalline crust. The interpretation of the V_p, V_s and Poisson's ratio in petrological terms suggests a large variety of rocks from sand and clay to sandstone, limestone and dolomite within the sedimentary cover. Within the crystalline crust the most probably rock types are granite, granodiorite, granite–gneiss and/or felsic amphibolite–gneiss in the upper part and gneiss and /or amphibolite in the lower part.

Based on the 2-D seismic velocity model, a density model is developed. Density values are assigned to each layer in agreement with the P-wave velocity model and with values accepted for the geological units in the area. After several iterations a good fit between the computed and observed Bouguer anomalies was obtained along the seismic line.     

A review of crust and upper mantle structure studies of the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone volcanic system: A major lithospheric anomaly in the western U.S.A.

The Snake River Plain-Yellowstone volcanic system is one of the largest, basaltic, volcanic field in the world. Here, there is clear evidence for northeasterly progression of rhyolitic volcanism with its present position in Yellowstone. Many theories have been advanced for the origin of the Snake River Plain-Yellowstone system. Yellowstone and Eastern Snake River Plain have been studied intensively using various geophysical techniques. Some sparse geophysical data are available for the Western Snake River Plain as well. Teleseismic data show the presence of a large anomalous body with low P- and S-wave velocities in the crust and upper mantle under the Yellowstone caldera. A similar body in which compressional wave velocity is lower than in the surrounding rock is present under the Eastern Snake River Plain. No data on upper mantle anomalies are available for the Western Snake River Plain. Detailed seismic refraction data for the Eastern Snake River Plain show strong lateral heterogeneities and suggest thinning of the granitic crust from below by mafic intrusion. Available data for the Western Snake River Plain also show similar thinning of the upper crust and its replacement by mafic material. The seismic refraction results in Yellowstone show no evidence of the low-velocity anomalies in the lower crust suggested by teleseismic P-delay data and interpreted as due to extensive partial melting. However, the seismic refraction models indicate lower-than-normal velocities and strong lateral inhomogeneities in the upper crust. Particularly obvious in the refraction data are two regions of very low seismic velocities near the Mallard Eake and Sour Creek resurgent domes in the Yellowstone caldera. The low-velocity body near the Sour Creek resurgent dome is intepreted as partially molten rock. Together with other geophysical and thermal data, the seismic results indicate that a sub-lithospheric thermal anomaly is responsible for the time-progressive volcanism along the Eastern Snake River Plain. However, the exact mechanism responsible for the volcanism and details of magma storage and migration are not yet fully understood.     

Geological interpretation of a deep seismic‐reflection transect across the boundary between the Delamerian and Lachlan Orogens,in the vicinity of the Grampians,western Victoria

A deep seismic‐reflection transect in western Victoria was designed to provide insights into the structural relationship between the Lachlan and the Delamerian Orogens. Three seismic lines were acquired to provide images of the subsurface from west of the Grampians Range to east of the Stawell‐Ararat Fault Zone. The boundary between the Delamerian and Lachlan Orogens is now generally considered to be the Moyston Fault. In the vicinity of the seismic survey, this fault is intruded by a near‐surface granite, but at depth the fault dips to the east, confirming recent field mapping. East of the Moyston Fault, the uppermost crust is very weakly reflective, consisting of short, non‐continuous, west‐dipping reflections. These weak reflections represent rocks of the Lachlan Orogen and are typical of the reflective character seen on other seismic images from elsewhere in the Lachlan Orogen. Within the Lachlan Orogen, the Pleasant Creek Fault is also east dipping and approximately parallel to the Moyston Fault in the plane of the seismic section. Rocks of the Delamerian Orogen in the vicinity of the seismic line occur below surficial cover to the west of the Moyston Fault. Generally, the upper crust is only weakly reflective, but subhorizontal reflections at shallow depths (up to 3 km) represent the Grampians Group. The Escondida Fault appears to stop below the Grampians Group, and has an apparent gentle dip to the east. Farther east, the Golton and Mehuse Faults are also east dipping. The middle to lower crust below the Delamerian Orogen is strongly reflective, with several major antiformal structures in the middle crust. The Moho is a slightly undulating horizon at the base of the highly reflective middle to lower crust at 11–12 s TWT (approximately 35 km depth). Tectonically, the western margin of the Lachlan Orogen has been thrust over the Delamerian Orogen for a distance of at least 25 km, and possibly over 40 km.     

地震反射特征对风化壳发育带的指示意义:以东营凹陷永北地区沙三上亚段为例

东营凹陷永北地区T1不整合面之下风化壳发育带的的预测是地层油藏勘探的重点与难点。综合利用高精度三维地震解释、岩心观察、薄片鉴定、测录井分析及物性分析等方法,结合构造发育史、埋藏史等研究成果,对东营凹陷永北地区T1不整合面下沙三上亚段地层中特殊的地震反射特征进行研究,并对其地质意义进行了探讨。研究表明:T1不整合面下发育典型埋藏风化壳,包括风化粘土层和半风化淋滤带2层结构;在大气淡水风化、淋滤作用下,半风化淋滤带内部地震同相轴消失,表现为空白反射特征;半风化淋滤带物性得到改善,与未风化岩石之间形成一个物性差异界面,表现为不连续的角度不整合面;未受明显风化、淋滤作用的地层,则表现为典型的角度不整合;地震反射特征的演化过程可划分4个阶段:沙三上沉积后阶段、沙三上抬升后阶段、风化壳形成早期阶段、风化壳形成阶段。地震空白反射带的发育范围是风化壳发育带的保守范围或最小范围,向湖盆方向逐渐过渡为正常地层。风化壳的发育大大改善了原岩的储集性能,可作为良好的油气储集空间和运移通道,是下步地层油气藏勘探的重点目标。     

银川盆地构造发展——深地震反射剖面揭示浅部地质与深部构造的联系

横跨银川盆地北西西向的深地震反射剖面,清晰揭示了银川盆地边界断裂以及整个地壳的结构构造特征,这对研究具活动大陆裂谷性质的银川盆地浅-深构造关系具有重大的意义。贺兰山东麓山前断裂、黄河断裂作为银川盆地的西、东边界断裂,前者为一条缓倾斜、延伸至上、下地壳边界的犁式断裂,而后者则为一条切穿地壳并延伸进入上地幔的深大断裂。根据深地震反射剖面揭示的地壳结构特征,银川盆地浅部结构并非前人认为的"堑中堑"结构,而是表现为由一系列东倾犁式正断层控制的新生代断陷。略微下凹的Moho面几何形态以及厚2~3.2 km的层状强反射带为下地壳最显著的反射特征。Moho面深度与强反射带厚度变化趋势与银川盆地沉积厚度变化趋势几乎一致。本文认为,强反射带的成因可能是由源自地幔的基性岩浆以岩席状的形式底侵进入地壳底部造成的,而这部分形成强反射带的物质可能补偿了因银川盆地断陷而造成的地壳减薄,最终导致银川盆地之下Moho面并未像之前所认为的那样隆起。     

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.     

Seismic image of the deep crust at the eastern margin of the Alps (Austria): indications for crustal extension in a convergent orogen

A 39-km-long deep seismic reflection profile recorded during two field campaigns in 1996 and 2002 provides a first detailed image of the deep crust at the eastern margin of the Eastern Alps (Austria). The ESE–WNW-trending, low-fold seismic line crosses Austroalpine basement units and extends approximately from 20 km west of the Penninic window group of Rechnitz to 60 km SSE of the Alpine thrust front.The explosive-source seismic data reveals a transparent shallow crust down to 5 km depth, a complexly reflective upper crust and a highly reflective lowermost crust. The upper crust is dominated by three prominent west-dipping packages of high-amplitude subparallel reflections. The upper two of these prominent packages commence at the eastern end of the profile at about 5 and 10 km depth and are interpreted as low-angle normal shear zones related to the Miocene exhumation of the Rechnitz metamorphic core complex. In the western portion of the upper crust, east-dipping and less significant reflections prevail. The lowermost package of these reflections is suggested to represent the overall top of the European crystalline basement.Along the western portion of the line, the lower crust is characterised by a 6–8-km-thick band of high-amplitude reflection lamellae, typically observed in extensional provinces. The Moho can be clearly defined at the base of this band, at approximately 32.5 km depth. Due to insufficient signal penetration, outstanding reflections are missing in the central and eastern portion of the lower crust. We speculate that the result of accompanying gravity measurements and lower crustal sporadic reflections can be interpreted as an indication for a shallower Moho in the east, preferable at about 30.5 km depth.The high reflectivity of the lowermost part of the lower crust and prominent reflection packages in the upper crust, the latter interpreted to represent broad extensional mylonite zones, emphasises the latest extensional processes in accordance with eastward extrusion.     

Proterozoic tectonothermal processes imaged with magnetotellurics and seismic reflection in southern Australia

Over the last two decades,co-located seismic and magnetotelluric(MT) profiles provided fundamental geophysical data sets to image the Australian crust.Despite their complimentary nature,the data are processed and often interpreted separately without common processes in mind.We here qualitatively compare 2 D resistivity inversion models derived from MT and seismic reflection profiles across a region of Archean-Proterozoic Australia to address the causes of variations in seismic response and anomalous conductivity in the crust.We find that there exists a spatial association between regions of low reflectivity in seismic sections and low resistivity in co-located2 D MT modelled sections.These relationships elucidate possible signatures of past magmatic and fluid-related events.Depending on their diffuse or discrete character,we hypothesize these signatures signify fossil melting of the crust due to mafic underplating,magma movement or hydrothermal fluid flow through the crust.The approach discussed herein is a process-oriented approach to interpretation of geophysical images and a significant extension to traditional geophysical methods which are primarily sensitive to a singular bulk rock property or state.     

Joint Inversion of the 3D P Wave Velocity Structure of the Crust and Upper Mantle under the Southeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau Using Regional Earthquake and Teleseismic Data

The special seismic tectonic environment and frequent seismicity in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau show that this area is an ideal location to study the present tectonic movement and background of strong earthquakes in mainland China and to predict future strong earthquake risk zones. Studies of the structural environment and physical characteristics of the deep structure in this area are helpful to explore deep dynamic effects and deformation field characteristics, to strengthen our understanding of the roles of anisotropy and tectonic deformation and to study the deep tectonic background of the seismic origin of the block's interior. In this paper, the three-dimensional(3D) P-wave velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle under the southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is obtained via observational data from 224 permanent seismic stations in the regional digital seismic network of Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces and from 356 mobile China seismic arrays in the southern section of the north–south seismic belt using a joint inversion method of the regional earthquake and teleseismic data. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of the P-wave velocity anomalies in the shallow upper crust is closely related to the surface geological structure, terrain and lithology. Baoxing and Kangding, with their basic volcanic rocks and volcanic clastic rocks, present obvious high-velocity anomalies. The Chengdu Basin shows low-velocity anomalies associated with the Quaternary sediments. The Xichang Mesozoic Basin and the Butuo Basin are characterised by lowvelocity anomalies related to very thick sedimentary layers. The upper and middle crust beneath the Chuan–Dian and Songpan–Ganzi Blocks has apparent lateral heterogeneities, including low-velocity zones of different sizes. There is a large range of low-velocity layers in the Songpan–Ganzi Block and the sub–block northwest of Sichuan Province, showing that the middle and lower crust is relatively weak. The Sichuan Basin, which is located in the western margin of the Yangtze platform, shows high-velocity characteristics. The results also reveal that there are continuous low-velocity layer distributions in the middle and lower crust of the Daliangshan Block and that the distribution direction of the low-velocity anomaly is nearly SN, which is consistent with the trend of the Daliangshan fault. The existence of the low-velocity layer in the crust also provides a deep source for the deep dynamic deformation and seismic activity of the Daliangshan Block and its boundary faults. The results of the 3D P-wave velocity structure show that an anomalous distribution of high-density, strong-magnetic and high-wave velocity exists inside the crust in the Panxi region. This is likely related to late Paleozoic mantle plume activity that led to a large number of mafic and ultra-mafic intrusions into the crust. In the crustal doming process, the massive intrusion of mantle-derived material enhanced the mechanical strength of the crustal medium. The P-wave velocity structure also revealed that the upper mantle contains a low-velocity layer at a depth of 80–120 km in the Panxi region. The existence of deep faults in the Panxi region, which provide conditions for transporting mantle thermal material into the crust, is the deep tectonic background forthe area's strong earthquake activity.     

鄂尔多斯盆地鄂托克前旗地区古生界合成地震记录特征

鄂尔多斯盆地鄂托克前旗地区钻井较少且位于周缘，靠在线井外推的地震解释工作难以控制全区，本文通过对有限钻井的古生界进行声波合成地震记录的模拟，根据太原组煤层底界和奥陶系风化壳二者反射的复合程度将本区合成地震记录归纳为高复合型、中等复合型、弱复合型和双相位型四种特征类型，并且同钻井相结合赋予不同类型以古地貌含义，为本区的地震解释及标定工作提供了依据。     

中国大陆科学钻探场址区的地壳速度结构特征

为了深入研究大别—苏鲁超高压变质带的深部结构及空间展布特征, 进一步揭示该超高压变质形成的动力学过程, 在中国大陆科学钻探场址区进行了广角反射/折射地震测深调查.根据广角反射/折射地震测深的资料研究, 建立了中国大陆科学钻探场址区的地壳纵波速度结构.从纵向上来看, 研究区域的地壳结构可划分为上、中、下3层: 上地壳的速度小于6.2 0km/s, 厚10余km; 中地壳的速度为6.4 0km/s, 厚亦为10km左右; 下地壳的速度为6.6 0km/s.地壳厚度为31km左右, 且其地壳的平均速度为6.30km/s.上地壳中的速度倒转指示了超高压变质体在地壳内部的空间分布, 且超高压变质体在大陆科学钻探场址及其附近的下部呈现为一隆起形态.