Abstract
Two reflection seismic lines across the Tertiary Rhine Graben in Central Europe were recorded in 1988 as a joint venture of the French ECORS and the German DEKORP deep seismic reflection programs. In this paper the line across the northern graben is presented. The main results are: The asymmetry of the graben as documented by the sedimentary fill is accompanied by asymmetric features throughout the entire deep crystalline crust: a thin (3.7 s TWT) reflective lower crust in the east—a thick (5.5 s TWT), relatively transparent lower crust in the west, total crustal thicknesses of 8.7 s TWT in the east vs. 10.5 s TWT in the west. Provided a laterally homogeneous crust existed prior to rifting significant differences in upper and lower crustal thinning must be postulated. Extension occurred along localized shear zones that are located in the upper crust and at the crust/mantle boundary. The entire lower crustal layer acts as a decoupling zone.
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