Geophysical Study of the Valle Fértil Lineament Between 28°45′S and 31°30′S: Boundary Between the Cuyania and Pampia Terranes

A gravimetric and magnetometric study was carried out in the north-eastern portion of the Cuyania terrane and adjacent Pampia terrane. Gravimetric models permitted to interpret the occurrence of dense materials at the suture zone between the latter terranes. Magnetometric models led to propose the existence of different susceptibilities on either side of the suture. The Curie temperature point depth, representing the lower boundary of the magnetised crust, was found to be located at 25 km, consistent with the lower limit of the brittle crust delineated by seismic data; this unusually thick portion of the crust is thought to release stress producing significant seismicity.

Moho depths determined from seismic studies near western Sierras Pampeanas are significantly greater than those obtained from gravimetric crustal models.

Considering mass and gravity changes originated by the flat-slab Nazca plate along Cuyania and western Pampia terranes, it is possible to reconcile Moho thickness obtained either by seismic or by gravity data. Thus, topography and crustal thickness are controlled not only by erosion and shortening but by upper mantle heterogeneities produced by: (a) the oceanic subducted Nazca plate with “normal slope” also including asthenospheric materials between both continental and oceanic lithospheres; (b) flat-slab subducted Nazca plate (as shown in this work) without significant asthenospheric materials between both lithospheres. These changes influence the relationship between topographic altitudes and crustal thickness in different ways, differing from the simple Airy system relationship and modifying the crustal scale shortening calculation. These changes are significantly enlarged in the study area. Future changes in Nazca Plate slope will produce changes in the isostatic balance.     

Saudi Arabian seismic-refraction profile: A traveltime interpretation of crustal and upper mantle structure

The crustal and upper mantle compressional-wave velocity structure across the southwestern Arabian Shield has been investigated by a 1000-km-long seismic refraction profile. The profile begins in Mesozoic cover rocks near Riyadh on the Arabian Platform, trends southwesterly across three major Precambrian tectonic provinces, traverses Cenozoic rocks of the coastal plain near Jizan, and terminates at the outer edge of the Farasan Bank in the southern Red Sea. More than 500 surveyed recording sites were occupied, and six shot points were used, including one in the Red Sea.Two-dimensional ray-tracing techniques, used to analyze amplitude-normalized record sections indicate that the Arabian Shield is composed, to first order, of two layers, each about 20 km thick, with average velocities of about 6.3 km/s and 7.0 km/s, respectively. West of the Shield-Red Sea margin, the crust thins to a total thickness of less than 20 km, beyond which the Red Sea shelf and coastal plain are interpreted to be underlain by oceanic crust.A major crustal inhomogeneity at the northeast end of the profile probably represents the suture zone between two crustal blocks of different composition. Elsewhere along the profile, several high-velocity anomalies in the upper crust correlate with mapped gneiss domes, the most prominent of which is the Khamis Mushayt gneiss. Based on their velocities, these domes may constitute areas where lower crustal rocks have been raised some 20 km. Two intracrustal reflectors in the center of the Shield at 13 km depth probably represent the tops of mafic intrusives.The Mohorovičić discontinuity beneath the Shield varies from a depth of 43 km and mantle velocity of 8.2 km/s in the northeast to a depth of 38 km and mantle velocity of 8.0 km/s depth in the southwest near the Shield-Red Sea transition. Two velocity discontinuities occur in the upper mantle, at 59 and 70 km depth.The crustal and upper mantle velocity structure of the Arabian Shield is interpreted as revealing a complex crust derived from the suturing of island arcs in the Precarnbrian. The Shield is currently flanked by the active spreading boundary in the Red Sea.     

Crustal architecture of central Victoria: results from the 2006 deep crustal reflection seismic survey

A ～400 km long deep crustal reflection seismic survey was acquired in central Victoria, Australia, in 2006. It has provided information on crustal architecture across the western Lachlan Orogen and has greatly added to the understanding of the tectonic evolution. The east-dipping Moyston Fault is confirmed as the suture between the Delamerian and western Lachlan Orogens, and is shown to extend down to the Moho. The Avoca Fault, the boundary between the Stawell and Bendigo Zones, is a west-dipping listric reverse fault that intersects the Moyston Fault at a depth of about 22 km, forming a V-shaped geometry. Both the Stawell and Bendigo Zones can be divided broadly into a lower crustal region of interlayered and imbricated metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks and an upper crustal region of tightly folded metasedimentary rocks. The Stawell Zone was probably part of a Cambrian accretionary system along the eastern Gondwanaland margin, and mafic rocks may have been partly consumed by Cambrian subduction. Much of the Early Cambrian oceanic crust beneath the Bendigo Zone was not subducted, and is preserved as a crustal-scale imbricate thrust stack. The seismic data have shown that a thin-skinned structural model appears to be valid for much of the Melbourne Zone, whereas the Stawell and Bendigo Zones have a thick-skinned structural style. Internal faults in the Stawell and Bendigo Zones are mostly west-dipping listric faults, which extend from the surface to near the base of the crust. The Heathcote Fault Zone, the boundary between the Bendigo and Melbourne Zones, extends to at least 20 km, and possibly to the Moho. A striking feature in the seismic data is the markedly different seismic character of the mid to lower crust of the Melbourne Zone. The deep seismic reflection data for the Melbourne Zone have revealed a multilayered crustal structure that supports the Selwyn Block model.     

青藏高原东部壳幔速度结构和地幔变形场的研究

在青藏高原东部地球动力学问题中,笔者在文中主要考虑与地壳上地幔速度结构和地幔变形场有关的问题,它涉及当前流行的下地壳流动模型和壳-幔的耦合-解耦模型。在2000年完成的穿过川西高原和四川盆地的深地震测深剖面,揭示了川西高原的地壳结构具有地壳增厚(主要是下地壳增厚)、地壳平均速度低等特点,显示地壳的缩短与增厚的碰撞变形特征。根据川西高原上设置各爆炸点的记录截面图共同呈现PmP(莫霍界面反射波)弱能量的特点,推断在川西高原的下地壳介质具有强衰减(Qp=100～300)的性质,支持存在下地壳流动的模型。青藏高原东部和川滇西部地区的上地幔各向异性(SKS波快波偏振方向和快慢波延迟时间)的初步结果表明,这两个地区的壳-幔变形特征是不同的,尽管它们在地理位置上属于同一个板块碰撞带。在青藏高原内部的壳幔变形属于垂直连贯变形,它以缩短为主,而高原外部的地壳(或岩石圈)则相对于其下方地幔运动。在高原内部和外部之间存在一个重要的地幔变形过渡带。然而,高原内部的垂直连贯变形与高原内部存在大范围下地壳流动的模型不一致。笔者在该地区开展了近两年的宽频带流动地震观测,试图从地震记录中确定过渡带的位置和探讨它的流变性质。文中扼要回顾已经取得的结果,并介绍正在进行的研究。     

Crustal thickening processes in the Central Andes and the different natures of the Moho-discontinuity

New seismic data from the Central Andes allow us to clarify the crustal structure of this mountain chain and to address the problem of crustal thickening. Evidence for the deep crustal root can be observed in both gravimetric and seismological data. Crustal structure and composition change significantly from east to west. In the eastern part of the backarc the Moho discontinuity is clearly recognisable. However only poor Moho arrivals are observed by active seismic measurements beneath the Altiplano and the Western Cordillera where broad-band seismology data indicate such a discontinuity. In the Precordillera, a pronounced discontinuity is detected at a depth of 70 km. Along the coast, the oceanic Moho is developed at a depth of 40 km. There are several processes which can change the petrological and petrophysical properties of the rocks forming the crust. Variations of the classical Moho discontinuity are presented which do not correspond to the petrological crust/mantle boundary. Tectonic shortening in the backarc is the dominant process contributing to at least 50–55% to the root formation along 21°S. In the forearc and arc, hydration of the mantle wedge produced ≈15–20% of crustal thickening. Magmatic thickening and tectonic erosion contributed only ≈5%. The other ≈25% is not yet explained.     

Transect across the West Antarctic rift system in the Ross Sea,Antarctica

In 1994, the ACRUP (Antarctic Crustal Profile) project recorded a 670-km-long geophysical transect across the southern Ross Sea to study the velocity and density structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of the West Antarctic rift system. Ray-trace modeling of P- and S-waves recorded on 47 ocean bottom seismograph (OBS) records, with strong seismic arrivals from airgun shots to distances of up to 120 km, show that crustal velocities and geometries vary significantly along the transect. The three major sedimentary basins (early-rift grabens), the Victoria Land Basin, the Central Trough and the Eastern Basin are underlain by highly extended crust and shallow mantle (minimum depth of about 16 km). Beneath the adjacent basement highs, Coulman High and Central High, Moho deepens, and lies at a depth of 21 and 24 km, respectively. Crustal layers have P-wave velocities that range from 5.8 to 7.0 km/s and S-wave velocities from 3.6 to 4.2 km/s. A distinct reflection (PiP) is observed on numerous OBS from an intra-crustal boundary between the upper and lower crust at a depth of about 10 to 12 km. Local zones of high velocities and inferred high densities are observed and modeled in the crust under the axes of the three major sedimentary basins. These zones, which are also marked by positive gravity anomalies, may be places where mafic dikes and sills pervade the crust. We postulate that there has been differential crustal extension across the West Antarctic rift system, with greatest extension beneath the early-rift grabens. The large amount of crustal stretching below the major rift basins may reflect the existence of deep crustal suture zones which initiated in an early stage of the rifting, defined areas of crustal weakness and thereby enhanced stress focussing followed by intense crustal thinning in these areas. The ACRUP data are consistent with the prior concept that most extension and basin down-faulting occurred in the Ross Sea during late Mesozoic time, with relatively small extension, concentrated in the western half of the Ross Sea, during Cenozoic time.     

Upper lithospheric seismic velocity structure across the Pripyat Trough and the Ukrainian Shield along the EUROBRIDGE'97 profile

We present new results on the structure resulting from Palaeoproterozoic terrane accretion and later formation of one of the aulacogens in the East European Platform. Seismic data has been acquired along the 530-km-long, N–S-striking EUROBRIDGE'97 traverse across Sarmatia, a major crustal segment of the East European Craton. The profile extends across the Ukrainian Shield from the Devonian Pripyat Trough, across the Palaeoproterozoic Volyn Block and the Korosten Pluton, into the Archaean Podolian Block. Seismic waves from chemical explosions at 18 shot points at approximately 30-km intervals were recorded in two deployments by 120 mobile three-component seismographs at 3–4 km nominal station spacing. The data has been interpreted by use of two-dimensional tomographic travel time inversion and ray trace modelling. The high data quality allows modelling of the P- and S-wave velocity structure along the profile. There are pronounced differences in seismic velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle between the three main tectonic provinces traversed by the profile: (i) the Pripyat Trough is a ca. 4-km-deep sedimentary basin, fully located in the Osnitsk–Mikashevichi Igneous Belt in the northern part of the profile. The velocity structure is typical for a Precambrian craton, but is underlain by a ca. 5-km-thick lowest crustal layer of high velocity. The development of the Pripyat Trough appears to have only affected the upper crust without noticeable thinning of the whole crust; this may be explained by a rheologically strong lithosphere at the time of formation of the trough. (ii) Very high seismic velocity and Vp/Vs ratio characterise the Volyn Block and Korosten Pluton to a depth of 15 km and probably also the lowest crust. The values are consistent with an intrusive body of mafic composition in the upper crust that formed from bimodal melts derived from the mantle and the lower crust. (iii) The Podolian Block is close to a typical cratonic velocity structure, although it is characterised by relatively low seismic velocity and Vp/Vs ratio. A pronounced SW-dipping mantle reflector from Moho to at least 70 km depth may represent the Proterozoic suture between Sarmatia and Volgo–Uralia, the structure from terrane accretion, or a later shear zone in the upper mantle. The sub-Moho P-wave seismic velocity is high everywhere along the profile, with the exception of the area above the dipping reflector. This velocity change further supports a plate tectonic origin of the dipping mantle reflector. The profile demonstrates that structure from Palaeoproterozoic plate tectonic processes are still identifiable in the lithosphere, even where younger metamorphic equilibration of the crust has taken place.     

Crustal structure of the Alpine–Pannonian transition zone: a combined seismic and gravity study

 The crustal structure of the transition zone between the Eastern Alps and the western part of the Pannonian depression (Danube basin) is traditionally interpreted in terms of subvertical Tertiary strike-slip and normal faults separating different Alpine tectonic units. Reevaluation of approximately 4000-km-long hydrocarbon exploration reflection seismic sections and a few deep seismic profiles, together with data from approximately 300 wells, suggests a different structural model. It implies that extensional collapse of the Alpine orogene in the Middle Miocene was controlled by listric normal faults, which usually crosscut Alpine nappes at shallow levels, but at depth merge with overthrust planes separating the different Alpine units. The alternative structural model was tested along a transect across the Danube basin by gravity model calculations, and the results show that the model of low-angle extensional faulting is indeed viable. Regarding the whole lithosphere of the western Pannonian basin, gravity modelling indicates a remarkable asymmetry in the thickness minima of the attenuated crust and upper mantle. The approximately 160 km lateral offset between the two minima suggests that during the Miocene extension of the Pannonian basin detachment of the upper crust from the mantle lithosphere took place along a rheologically weak lower crust. Received: 13 July 1998 / Accepted: 18 March 1999     

Crustal accretion beneath the Koyna coastal region (India) and Late Cretaceous geodynamics

In 1967 a major earthquake in the Koyna region attracted attention to the hitherto considered stable Indian shield. The region is covered by a thick pile of Deccan lava flows and characterized by several hidden tectonic features and complex geophysical signatures. Although deep seismic sounding studies have provided vital information regarding the crustal structure of the Koyna region, much remains unknown. The two available DSS profiles in the region have been combined along the trend of Bouguer gravity anomalies. Unified 2-D density modelling of the Koyna crust/mantle suggests a ca. 3 km thick and 40 km wide high velocity/high density anomalous layer at the base of the crust along the coastline. The thickness of this anomalous layer decreases gradually towards the east and ahead of the Koyna gravity low the layer ceases to be visible. Based on the seismic and gravity data interpretation in the geodynamical/rheological boundary conditions the anomalous layer is attributed to igneous crustal accretion at the base of the crust. It is suggested that the underplated layer is the imprint of the magmatism caused by the deep mantle plume when the northward migrating Indian plate passed over the Reunion hotspot.     

2D model of the crust and uppermost mantle along rift profile, Siberian craton

A two-dimensional model of the crust and uppermost mantle for the western Siberian craton and the adjoining areas of the Pur-Gedan basin to the north and Baikal Rift zone to the south is determined from travel time data from recordings of 30 chemical explosions and three nuclear explosions along the RIFT deep seismic sounding profile. This velocity model shows strong lateral variations in the crust and sub-Moho structure both within the craton and between the craton and the surrounding region. The Pur-Gedan basin has a 15-km thick, low-velocity sediment layer overlying a 25-km thick, high-velocity crystalline crustal layer. A paleo-rift zone with a graben-like structure in the basement and a high-velocity crustal intrusion or mantle upward exists beneath the southern part of the Pur-Gedan basin. The sedimentary layer is thin or non-existent and there is a velocity reversal in the upper crust beneath the Yenisey Zone. The Siberian craton has nearly uniform crustal thickness of 40–43 km but the average velocity in the lower crust in the north is higher (6.8–6.9 km/s) than in the south (6.6 km/s). The crust beneath the Baikal Rift zone is 35 km thick and has an average crustal velocity similar to that observed beneath the southern part of craton. The uppermost mantle velocity varies from 8.0 to 8.1 km/s beneath the young West Siberian platform and Baikal Rift zone to 8.1–8.5 km/s beneath the Siberian craton. Anomalous high Pn velocities (8.4–8.5 km/s) are observed beneath the western Tunguss basin in the northern part of the craton and beneath the southern part of the Siberian craton, but lower Pn velocities (8.1 km/s) are observed beneath the Low Angara basin in the central part of the craton. At about 100 km depth beneath the craton, there is a velocity inversion with a strong reflecting interface at its base. Some reflectors are also distinguished within the upper mantle at depth between 230 and 350 km.     

The crustal structure beneath the Central Andean forearc and magmatic arc as derived from seismic studies — the PISCO 94 experiment in northern Chile (21°–23°S)

In this study, we present an interpretation of seismic refraction profiles from the PISCO 94 experiment in northern Chile. As the PISCO experiment was a combined active and passive seismological study, we also discuss results of the passive part in the context of the seismic refraction model. Previous seismic refraction and gravimetric studies indicate a maximum crustal thickness of about 70 km beneath the Pre- and Western Cordillera. The new seismic refraction data lead to a differentiated image of the Andean crust which shows strong varying characteristics. The crustal discontinuities (up to five are detected) dip from W to E. The upper crust has a thickness of 18 km (Precordillera) to 23 km (magmatic arc) underlain by the recent middle crust down to 35–45 km where the velocity increases to about 7 km/s at its base. This crustal level is interpreted as old continental lower crust and its base as blurred continental (paleo) Moho. Beneath the Precordillera, a strong discontinuity at 70 km depth with a velocity increase to about 8 km/s was detected, interpreted as the recent geophysical Moho. For the magmatic arc, this deep discontinuity could not be found by active seismic measurements. The tomographic models of the seismological studies, in general, confirm the seismic refraction results. Anomalously high v_p/v_s ratios in the deeper part of the forearc indicate a hydrated mantle wedge consisting of serpentine and amphibole-bearing peridotite and the 70 km discontinuity is interpreted as the boundary between these two different stages of the hydrated mantle wedge. A zone of high attenuation (Qp) and high v_p/v_s ratios beneath the magmatic arc coincides with the low velocity zones and indicates partially molten rocks from a depth of 20 km down to the asthenospheric wedge.     

Geoelectric section of the crust and upper mantle of the northern Sikhote-Alin from magnetotelluric sounding data

Magnetotelluric soundings (MTS) were conducted in a broad frequency range of 10 kHz to 0.001 Hz at a total of fifty-seven sounding sites of the profile spaced 5 km apart and intersecting the northern Sikhote-Alin across the strike. The analysis of the obtained magnetotelluric parameters has been made which shows three-dimensional geoelectric nonuniformities in the lower crust and upper mantle. The MTS curve interpretation was carried out in the framework of a three-dimensional model. As a result of the inverse problem solution, the geoelectric section has been constructed down to 150 km depth. The section distinguishes the crust with a resistivity higher than 1000 Ohm m and variable thickness between 30 and 40 km which is consistent with deep seismic sounding (DSS) data. The crust is subdivided into four blocks by deep faults, and each block is characterized by a set of parameters. The data support the existence of the Vostochny deep fault in the study area, whereas, on the contrary, the deep roots for the Central Sikhote-Alin fault have not been established. The upper mantle structure is nonuniform; three low-resistivity zones are identified that coincide with the boundaries of crustal blocks. In the revealed zones, an increase in the resistivity is noted from the continent to the Tatar Strait coast. A high-resistivity layer of 300–400 Ohm m was observed in the coastal area, which was steeply dipping from the crustal base down to 120 km depth and extended beneath the continent. Based on a set of geological and geophysical data, the ancient subducting plate is suggested in this area, and the evolutionary model of the region is proposed starting from the Late Cretaceous. The most probable mechanism of conductivity within the upper mantle is determined from petrological and petrophysical data. The low resistivity values are linked to dry peridotite mantle melting.     

Seismic investigation of crust-mantle transition in continental rift systems - Jordan-Dead Sea rift and Rhinegraben

The recent acquisition of high-quality seismic refraction data in the Jordan—Dead Sea rift and adjacent areas has made possible the investigation of the dynamic properties of seismic P-waves refracted and reflected at the crust—upper mantle boundary.

These waves cause high-amplitude arrivals near the outer cusp of the travel-time curve which are followed by an abrupt decrease in amplitudes at increasing distances beyond the cusp.

It has been shown that such amplitude distributions can only be the result of a smooth rapid increase of velocity with depth. In the case of the Jordan—Dead Sea rift the amplitude distribution indicates the presence of a transition zone between the lower crust and upper mantle in which the velocity increases smoothly. The interpretation of seismic refraction data in the Rhinegraben indicates the existence of a similar transition zone. In both rifts the crust—mantle boundary outside the rift is represented by sharp velocity discontinuity.

The comparison of the velocity structure of the crust—upper mantle boundary suggests that a smooth transition zone at the base of the lower crust is a characteristic property of continental rifts which could be interpreted in terms of crust—mantle interaction.     

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.     

A model for the deep structure of the East African rift system from simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data

Simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data results in a model for the western branch of the East African Rift system between 1°S and 10°N characterized by a 35 km crust and thin high-velocity lid, overlying a channel possessing both low S and low P velocities (4.47 and 7.69 km/sec, respectively). A strong reflector at 140 km depth marks the boundary to high-velocity material (4.67 and 8.44 km/sec, respectively).The eastern branch has a crustal thickness of 40 km and is characterized by low S velocities, 4.43 km/sec in the lid to a depth of 78 km, 4.09–4.21 km/sec in a channel which extends to 161 km depth. The S velocities remain relatively low at greater depths, but cannot be precisely determined because of the limited resolution.We have interpreted these and other geophysical data as due to a diapiric intrusion of material with a high pyroxene content and possibly with some low-density eclogite, coming from the mesosphere. A mushroom of this rock has stalled below the western branch at about 55 km below the surface and is cooling. The diapirism in the eastern branch has broken through to the surface. The mantle of the African shield to the west of the Rift shows seismic velocities which indicate that it is depleted in basaltic components.     

Lithospheric structure of the Tien Shan region constrained by joint inversion of receiver function and Rayleigh wave dispersion

We obtain a lithospheric shear‐wave velocity model across the Tien Shan orogenic belt by jointly inverting Rayleigh wave group velocities and teleseismic P‐wave receiver functions at 61 broadband seismic stations deployed in this region. Our new model reveals prominent lateral variations of shear‐wave velocity in both the crust and uppermost mantle. This model reveals different structures in the upper and middle crust across the Talas Fergana Fault, which may suggest the presence of a tectonic boundary between the western and central Tien Shan beneath the fault. According to the velocity images, the depth extent of the fault is ~40 km and this is confined to the crust. Pronounced low‐velocity anomalies are imaged in the middle crust and uppermost mantle beneath the southern and middle Tien Shan, implying that the upwelling of the materials from the upper mantle could have played an important role in the mountain building.     

Gravity interpretation along seismic reflection profile DEKORP 9-N (northern Rhine Graben)

A 2-D gravity model, incorporating geophysical and geological data, is presented for a 110 km long transect across the northern Rhine Graben, coinciding with the 92 km long DEKORP 9-N seismic reflection profile. The Upper Rhine Graben is marked by a prominent NNE-striking negative anomaly of 30–40 mgal on Bouguer gravity maps of SW Germany. Surface geological contacts, borehole data and the seismic reflection profile provide boundary constraints during forward modelling.
Short-wavelength (5–10 km) gravity features can be correlated with geologic structures in the upper few km. At deeper levels, the model reflects the asymmetry visible in the seismic profile; a thicker, mostly transparent lower crust in the west and a thinner, reflective lower crust in the east. From west to east Moho depth changes from 31 to 26–28 km. The entire 40 mgal minimum can be accounted for by the 2–3 km of light sedimentary fdl in the graben, which masks the gravitational effects of the elevated Moho. The thickened lower crust in the west partly compensates for the mass deficit from the depressed Moho. A further compensating feature is a relatively low density contrast at the crust-mantle boundary of 0.25 g cm^-3. The Variscan must displays heterogeneity along the profile which cuts at an angle across the strike of Variscan structures. The asymmetry of the integrated crustal model, both at the surface and at depth suggests an asymmetric mechanism of rift development.     

Crustal heterogeneity and seismotectonics of the region around Beijing, China

A detailed three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle under the Chinese capital (Beijing) region is determined with a spatial resolution of 25 km in the horizontal direction and 4–17 km in depth. We used 48,750 precise P-wave arrival times from 2973 events of local crustal earthquakes, controlled seismic explosions and quarry blasts. These events were recorded by a new digital seismic network consisting of 101 seismic stations equipped with high-sensitivity seismometers. The data are analyzed by using a 3-D seismic tomography method. Our tomographic model provides new insights into the geological structure and tectonics of the region, such as the lithological variations and large fault zones across the major geological terranes like the North China Basin, the Taihangshan and the Yanshan mountainous areas. The velocity images of the upper crust reflect well the surface geological and topographic features. In the North China Basin, the depression and uplift areas are imaged as slow and fast velocities, respectively. The Taihangshan and Yanshan mountainous regions are generally imaged as broad high-velocity zones, while the Quaternary intermountain basins show up as small low-velocity anomalies. Velocity changes are visible across some of the large fault zones. Large crustal earthquakes, such as the 1976 Tangshan earthquake (M=7.8) and the 1679 Sanhe earthquake (M=8.0), generally occurred in high-velocity areas in the upper to middle crust. In the lower crust to the uppermost mantle under the source zones of the large earthquakes, however, low-velocity and high-conductivity anomalies exist, which are considered to be associated with fluids. The fluids in the lower crust may cause the weakening of the seismogenic layer in the upper and middle crust and thus contribute to the initiation of the large crustal earthquakes.     

Crust–upper mantle seismic velocity structure across Southeastern China

One in-line wide-angle seismic profile was conducted in 1990 in the course of the Southeastern China Continental Dynamics project aimed at the study of the contact between the Cathaysia block and the Yangtze block. This 380-km-long profile extended in NW–SE direction from Tunxi, Anhui Province, to Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Five in-line shots were fired and recorded at seismic stations with spacing of about 3 km along the recording line. We have used two-dimensional ray tracing to model P- and S-wave arrivals and provide constraints on the velocity structure of the upper crust, middle crust, lower crust, Moho discontinuity, and the top part of the lithospheric mantle. P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity and V_P/V_S ratio are mapped. The crust is 36-km thick on average, albeit it gradually thins from the northwest end to the southeast end (offshore) of the profile. The average crustal velocity is 6.26 km/s for P-waves but 3.6 km/s for S-waves. A relatively narrow low-velocity layer of about 4 km of thickness, with P- and S-wave velocities of 6.2 km/s and 3.5 km/s, respectively, marks the bottom of the middle crust at a depth of 23-km northwest and 17-km southeast. At the crust–mantle transition, the P- and S-wave velocity change quickly from 7.4 to 7.8 km/s (northwest) and 8.0 to 8.2 km/s (southeast) and from 3.9 to 4.2 km/s (northwest) and 3.9 to 4.5 km/s (southeast), respectively. This result implies a lateral contrast in the upper mantle velocity along the 140 km sampled by the profile approximately. The average V_P/V_S ratio ranges from 1.68–1.8 for the upper crust to 1.75 for the middle and 1.75–1.85 for lower crust. With the interpretation of the wide-angle seismic data, Jiangshan–Shaoxin fault is considered as the boundary between the Yangtze and the Cathaysia block.     

Seismic investigations along the European Geotraverse and its surroundings in Central Europe

Since 1975 several high-resolution seismic-refraction and reflection surveys have been carried out in western Germany to investigate the structure of the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle. The investigation culminated in the seismic-refraction survey along the 825 km long central part of the European Geotraverse (EGT) in 1986. This contribution summarizes the main results of the more recent crustal investigations along and around the EGT. The internal crustal structure throughout the area of the Variscides is very complex and changes laterally considerably. Distinct crustal blocks differing in their internal structure can be assigned to geologically defined units of the Variscan and Caledonian orogeny. In spite of local deviations, in general a more or less transparent and low-velocity upper crust contrasts with a highly reflective lower crust. A subdivision of upper and lower crust by a well-defined boundary (Conrad discontinuity) is not always seen. Towards the Alps the average velocity of the lower crust is as low as 6.2 km s^?1, in contrast to the area north of the Swabian Jura where the velocities above Moho vary between 6.8 and 7.2 km s^?1. In Northern Germany, the Elbe line separates the lower crust into two regions with 6.4 km s^?1 average velocity in the south and 6.9 km s^?1 in the north. The total crustal thickness under the Variscan part of Germany is fairly constant between 28 and 30 km, except under the Rhine Graben area with 25–26 km and beneath the central part of the Rhenish Massif where an anomalous crustal thickening to 37 km is observed. Under northern Germany the Moho rises to about 26 km depth and the data indicate at least one fault-like step of 1 km before the crust thickens toward the Ringkobing-Fyn basement high. The synthesis of seismic velocity structure and petrological information from xenolith studies allows us to propose a mafic composition for the deeper levels of the crust and uppermost mantle which may be valid at least for the central part of the Variscan crust along the European Geotraverse in Central Europe.