Crust and upper mantle structure of the Bohemian Massif from the dispersion of seismic surface waves

Abstract

The phase velocity dispersion of Rayleigh waves for the Moxa-Vienna (MOX-VIE) and Moxa-Kasperske Hory (MOX-KHC) profiles, and of both Rayleigh and Love waves for the Kasperske Hory-Ksiąź (KHC-KSP) profile have been measured and inverted into models of shearwave velocity vs. depth. The three paths cross, respectively, the central part of the Bohemian Massif, its western margin, and the Bohemian Pluton and Cretaceous. For the MOX-VIE profile mean and lower crustal shear wave velocities of 3.7 and 3.9 km/s, respectively, a mean Moho depth of 34 km, and no existence of a low-velocity layer in the lower crust were found. The model obtained for the MOX-KHC profile is characterized by a slightly lower velocity in the lower crust (3.8 km/s), by a slightly lower Moho depth (32 km), and by the appearance of a weak low-velocity channel between 55 and 140 km. The crustal section of the final model for the KHC-KSP profile agrees well with the KHKS82 model derived by Novotný from results of DSS along international profile VII. Our final Rayleigh-wave model has significantly lower shear-wave velocities down to 215 km in the mantle. A systematic difference of 0.18 km/s between the average velocities of Rayleigh and Love waves has been revealed for the depth range from 30 to 215 km. Since almost no contamination of the fundamental Love mode with higher modes has been observed, and since the investigated structure hardly contains an unresolved system of thin, alternately low- and high-velocity layers, the cause of the difference is evidently polarization anisotropy of the upper mantle beneath the Bohemian Massif. It is recommended that the discussed investigations should be supplemented with data from the fan of KSP-GRF (Grafenberg Array, Germany) paths and from the KHC-BRG (Berggiesshubel, Germany) profile.