International Lithosphere Program Research Articles

Coupled surface to deep Earth processes: Perspectives from TOPO-EUROPE with an emphasis on climate- and energy-related societal challenges

Understanding the interactions between surface and deep Earth processes is important for research in many diverse scientific areas including climate, environment, energy, georesources and biosphere. The TOPO-EUROPE initiative of the International Lithosphere Program serves as a pan-European platform for integrated surface and deep Earth sciences, synergizing observational studies of the Earth structure and fluxes on all spatial and temporal scales with modelling of Earth processes. This review provides a survey of scientific developments in our quantitative understanding of coupled surface-deep Earth processes achieved through TOPO-EUROPE. The most notable innovations include (1) a process-based understanding of the connection of upper mantle dynamics and absolute plate motion frames; (2) integrated models for sediment source-to-sink dynamics, demonstrating the importance of mass transfer from mountains to basins and from basin to basin; (3) demonstration of the key role of polyphase evolution of sedimentary basins, the impact of pre-rift and pre-orogenic structures, and the evolution of subsequent lithosphere and landscape dynamics; (4) improved conceptual understanding of the temporal evolution from back-arc extension to tectonic inversion and onset of subduction; (5) models to explain the integrated strength of Europe's lithosphere; (6) concepts governing the interplay between thermal upper mantle processes and stress-induced intraplate deformation; (7) constraints on the record of vertical motions from high-resolution data sets obtained from geo-thermochronology for Europe's topographic evolution; (8) recognition and quantifications of the forcing by erosional and/or glacial-interglacial surface mass transfer on the regional magmatism, with major implications for our understanding of the carbon cycle on geological timescales and the emerging field of biogeodynamics; and (9) the transfer of insights obtained on the coupling of deep Earth and surface processes to the domain of geothermal energy exploration. Concerning the future research agenda of TOPO-EUROPE, we also discuss the rich potential for further advances, multidisciplinary research and community building across many scientific frontiers, including research on the biosphere, climate and energy. These will focus on obtaining a better insight into the initiation and evolution of subduction systems, the role of mantle plumes in continental rifting and (super)continent break-up, and the deformation and tectonic reactivation of cratons; the interaction between geodynamic, surface and climate processes, such as interactions between glaciation, sea level change and deep Earth processes; the sensitivity, tipping points, and spatio-temporal evolution of the interactions between climate and tectonics as well as the role of rock melting and outgassing in affecting such interactions; the emerging field of biogeodynamics, that is the impact of coupled deep Earth – surface processes on the evolution of life on Earth; and tightening the connection between societal challenges regarding renewable georesources, climate change, natural geohazards, and novel process-understanding of the Earth system.

International Lithosphere Program (ILP)

International Lithosphere Program (ILP)

An introduction to Lithosphere dynamics of sedimentary basins – The Circum-Mediterranean basins and analogues

During the past decade, the objective of the Task Force Sedimentary Basins of the International Lithosphere Program (ILP) has been the encouragement of the dialogue among researchers studying the basin fill and the whole lithospheric structure. The ILP 2013 annual meeting of the Task Force Sedimentary Basin held in Marseille (October 14–18th) was aimed at reviewing the current research on the possible links between deep and shallow processes in the Mediterranean region. More than a hundred scientists from academy and industry attended the conference, which involved a two day-long field trip to the Pyrenean and Alpine Forelands of Provence. Research areas represented at the 2013 ILP annual meeting included all disciplines pertaining to geology, geophysics …

Dynamics and Active Processes: the Albanian Natural Laboratory and Analogues

This paper constitutes the editorial of a special issue of the Italian Journal of Geosciences dedicated to Albania, as a follow up of an international conference of the Task Force on Sedimentary basins of the International Lithosphere Programme held in Tirana on November 7-12, 2010. As such, this introductive chapter provides a summary of the main geological and geodynamical features of Albania, as well as the main topics addressed in the other chaptersof this special issue.

Lithosphere dynamics and sedimentary basins: the Arabian plate and analogues

The Task Force on Sedimentary Basins was initiated in 2005 on behalf of the International Lithosphere Programme (ILP), in order to (1) assist the international community of Earth Scientists involved in the study of asthenospheric and deep lithospheric/crustal processes to exchange views with colleagues involved in the study of sedimentary basins, and to promote collaborative projects integrating surface and deep processes for regional case studies, (2) promote yearly international meetings involving colleagues from universities, research institutes as well as the industry, and (3) provide support for young scientists (Ph.D. and post-docs) to participate in the activities of this international network. This special issue of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences constitutes the Proceedings of the 5th workshop of this ILP task force, which took place between December 6 and 11, 2009, in Abu Dhabi, being hosted by the Ministry of Energy of the Emirates

Tectono-stratigraphic events at continental margins and their significance for hydrocarbon resources: an introduction to a set of thematic papers from the International Lithosphere Programme's Quebec City Workshop

Sedimentary and volcanic events along continental margins are known to be largely controlled by the tectonic framework. Thermal passive subsidence to tectonically-driven subsidence, and associated sedimentary accumulation rates and patterns, will affect elements of hydrocarbon systems from source rocks, to reservoirs and pressure conditions. Research groups around the globe are actively working on these specific subjects and their inter-relationships. The International Lithosphere Programme (ILP) Task Force on Sedimentary Basins promotes a dialogue between researchers studying different aspects of basin geometry, the stratigraphy and sedimentary processes recorded by the basin fill, geophysics of the deeper structure, or numerical and analogue approaches to the study of processes in different geodynamic settings. This group held its second annual meeting at Laval University in Quebec City, September 18–22, 2006. The Quebec workshop attracted over 80 European and North American academic, government and industry …

A Long-term Forecast of Shallow Seismicity Based on the Global Strain Rate Map

The Global Strain Rate Map (GSRM) of Kreemer et al. (2003) was the main result of Project II-8 of the International Lithosphere Program. The GSRM is a numerical velocity gradient tensor field model for the entire Earth's surface that describes the spatial variations of horizontal strain rate tensor components, rotation rates, and velocities. The model consists of 25 rigid spherical plates and ∼25,000 0.6° by 0.5° deformable grid areas within the diffuse plate boundary zones ( e.g. , western North America, central Asia, Alpine-Himalaya belt). The model provides an estimate of the horizontal strain rates in diffuse plate boundary zones as well as the motions of the spherical caps. This is one of the first successful models of its kind that includes the kinematics of plate boundary zones in the description of global plate kinematics. The vast majority of the data used to obtain the GSRM comes from horizontal velocity measurements obtained using Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements. The latest model version of May 2004 ( i.e. , GSRM version 1.2) includes 5,170 velocities for 4,214 sites worldwide (Holt et al. 2005). Most geodetic velocities are measured within plate boundary zones. The observed velocities are obtained from 86 different (mostly published) studies. The model includes additional constraints on the style (not magnitude) of the strain rate tensor inferred from moment tensors of shallow earthquakes. In addition, geologic strain rates in central Asia inferred from Quaternary faulting data are fit simultaneously with the geodetic velocities to improve the model there. See Kreemer et al. (2000, 2003) for more details. It was always a goal of the GSRM project to support long-term forecasts of seismicity based on tectonic deformation. Two recent developments make this especially timely. First, the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP; Jordan et al. 2007) is accepting global …

Upper mantle dynamics and quaternary climate in cratonic areas (DynaQlim)—Understanding the glacial isostatic adjustment

Abstract A substantial material flow, deep within the solid Earth, is caused by the periodic ocean-continent water transport of the Quaternary ice ages. That lateral transport is enormous, causing 120–135 m of equivalent global sea-level rise and fall, or about 45–50 Peta tonnes (1 Peta tonne = 10 18 kg) of surface mass transfer. The global manifestation of the slow mantle flow response to this surface load is glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Measurements of this phenomenon offer a unique opportunity to retrieve information pertaining to both the Earth's upper mantle and the changing mass of glaciers and ice sheets during the past. The waxing and waning of ice mass is driven by long-term variations in climate. DynaQlim (upper mantle dynamics and quaternary climate in cratonic areas), a regional coordination committee of the International Lithosphere Program (ILP) since 2007, is focused on studying the relations between upper mantle dynamics, its composition and physical properties, temperature, rheology, and Quaternary climate. Combining historical and modern terrestrial and space-borne geodetic observations with seismological investigations, studies of the postglacial faults and continuum mechanical modelling of GIA, the research goal of DynaQlim is to offer new insights into properties of the lithosphere and upper mantle. The joint inversion of different types of observational data is an important step toward providing a better understanding of GIA on all levels of Earth sciences. A primary regional focus of DynaQlim is the study of cratonic areas of northern Canada and Scandinavia. Greenland and Antarctica are also of great interest, as they represent observational examples of ice sheet dynamics and mass change in response to relatively strong present-day climate forcing.

Shallow Mantle Composition and Dynamics: Fifth International Orogenic Lherzolite Conference: Foreword

The First International Orogenic Lherzolite Conferencewas held in Montpellier, France, in 1990 (Menzies et al.,1991). Subsequent Orogenic Lherzolite Conferences wereheld in Granada, Spain in 1995, Pavia, Italy in 1999 andSamani, Japan in 2002. Avital aspect of all these meetingswas the opportunity to visit nearby exposures of mantleperidotites: to date, participants have visited Lherz inFrance; Baldissero, Balmuccia, Erro Tobio, Finero, Lanzoand Liguria in Italy; Ronda in Spain; Beni Bouserain Morocco; and Horoman in Hokkaido, Japan.Peer-reviewed papers from all four conferences were pub-lished in theJournal of Petrology in 1991, 2001and 2004 and,in one instance, in Chemical Geology in1996.The Fifth Lherzolite Conference was held in ShastaCity, California in September 2008. The conference wassponsored as a Chapman Conference by the AmericanGeophysical Union (AGU), which also provided locallogistical assistance. Funding for participants was providedby the AGU, US NSF Ridge Program, the NSF EarthSciences Division, the US Science Support Program of theConsortium for Ocean Leadership, the Royal Society UKand the Lithosphere^Asthenosphere Interactions taskforce of the International Lithosphere Program. Present,from14 countries, were108 attendees including 36 studentsand 11 postdoctoral researchers. Sixty-six oral presenta-tions and 67 posters were presented during the 5day meet-ing. As is the tradition, field trips to classic mantleperidotite localities were incorporated into the program,including a pre-meeting trip to the Josephine peridotiteled by Peter Kelemen, Henry Dick, and Greg Hirth forabout 50 people; a mid-week field trip for all participants,led by Tim Grove and Christy Till; and a 2day,post-meeting trip to the Trinity peridotite for about 50people, led by Peter Kelemen, Francoise Boudier, andKolya Stremmel.The Fifth Lherzolite Conference covered a broaderrange of topics than previous meetings, including carbonsequestration in the mantle and low-temperature hydro-thermal alteration. Underlying the presentations was therealization that previous distinctions between ‘orogenic’peridotites (e.g. Lanzo Massif, Italy), and ‘ophiolitic’peri-dotites (e.g. Troodos, Cyprus; Josephine, Oregon) and‘abyssal’peridotites from ocean ridges were in need of revi-sion. It now appears that a continuum exists fromsub-continental to oceanic mantle exposed in some com-plexes (e.g. Lanzo; Bodinier et al., 1991; Piccardo et al.,2007; Mu«ntener et al., this issue), and that much ocean

Ultrahigh pressure metamorphic terranes: mineral reactions, fluids, microstructures and deformation: a celebration of the career contribution of H. W. Green. Papers presented during the 33rd International Geological Congress at UHP Symposia 4 and 5 organized by Task Force IV of the International Lithosphere Program, held in Oslo, Norway, 5–14 August 2008

Journal of Metamorphic GeologyVolume 27, Issue 9 p. 601-605 Ultrahigh pressure metamorphic terranes: mineral reactions, fluids, microstructures and deformation: a celebration of the career contribution of H. W. Green. Papers presented during the 33rd International Geological Congress at UHP Symposia 4 and 5 organized by Task Force IV of the International Lithosphere Program, held in Oslo, Norway, 5–14 August 2008 L. F. DOBRZHINETSKAYA, L. F. DOBRZHINETSKAYA Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA ([email protected])Search for more papers by this authorJ. ZHANG, J. ZHANG Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author L. F. DOBRZHINETSKAYA, L. F. DOBRZHINETSKAYA Department of Earth Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA ([email protected])Search for more papers by this authorJ. ZHANG, J. ZHANG Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 04 November 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1314.2009.00855.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume27, Issue9December 2009Pages 601-605 RelatedInformation

Geodetic Observations of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment: Understanding Glacial Isostatic Adjustment: A Joint DynaQlim/GGOS Workshop; Espoo, Finland, 23–26 June 2009

The phenomenon of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA), with its unique temporal and spatial signatures, provides one of the great opportunities in the geosciences for obtaining information about dynamic Earth processes. GIA contains information about recent climate forcing, being dependent on the geologically recent loading and unloading of ice sheets. It presents a unique opportunity to study the dynamics and rheology of the lithosphere and mantle; is responsible for substantial sea level variations; and is of fundamental importance to geodesy because site positions, reference frames, Earth rotation, and gravity are all influenced by GIA.The Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) of the International Association of Geodesy and the International Lithosphere Program's Regional Co‐ordination Committee Upper Mantle Dynamics and Quaternary Climate in Cratonic Areas (DynaQlim) jointly organized a workshop that attracted 36 international scientists to Finland. The objectives of this workshop were to (1) review the current state of the science in modeling GIA, (2) review the use of geodetic measurements to constrain and test GIA models, (3) identify obstacles to improving GIA models, and (4) identify improvements to the global geodetic observing system that are required to better understand GIA.

TOPO-EUROPE: Coupled Deep Earth – Surface Processes in Europe

TOPO-EUROPE is a multidisciplinary international research program that addresses the interaction of processes inherent to the deep Earth (lithosphere, mantle) with surface processes (erosion, climate, sea level), which together shaped the topography of Europe. The objective of the TOPO-EUROPE project is to assess neotectonic deformation rates and to quantify related geo-risks, such as earthquakes, flooding, landslides, rock falls and volcanism. Research, incorporating iterative data interactive modelling, focuses on the lithosphere memory and neotectonics, with special attention on the thermo-mechanical structure of the lithosphere, mechanisms controlling large-scale plate boundary and intraplate deformations, anomalous subsidence and uplift, and links with surface processes and topography evolution. The TOPO-EUROPE natural laboratories, in which these processes are analysed, cover a wide range of geodynamic settings. These include the post-collisional Alpine/Carpathian/Pannonian-Basin system, the very active Aegean-Anatolian and Apennines-Tyrrhenian orogens and back-arc basins, the Caucasus-Levant area in the Arabia-Europe collision zone, the Iberian Peninsula caught up between Alpine orogens, the meta-stable West and Central European Platform, the stable East-European Platform and the seismically active and elevated Scandinavian continental margin. The TOPO-EUROPE project is a component of the International Lithosphere Program and was initiated with the support of Academia Europaea. A European Science Foundation EUROCORES project provides funding for part of the TOPO-EUROPE research. Other parts of TOPO-EUROPE require support by participating organizations.

Geodynamic evolution of Central Asia in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic

Central Asia is an ideal laboratory to study geodynamics and continental growth in the Phanerozoic (Şengor et al. 1993; Şengor and Natal’in 1996; Jahn et al. 2004; Xiao et al. 2004a, b; Kroner et al. 2007; Windley et al. 2007; Jian et al. 2008). Three important orogenic collages are exposed in Central Asia, i.e. the Altaids or Central Asian Orogenic Belt in the north, Tethysides in the south, and Western Pacific orogenic collages in the east. The architecture of Central Asia was mainly constructed from the interactions between these collages (Isozaki et al. 1990; Şengor et al. 1993; Yin and Nie 1996; Maruyama 1997; Xiao et al. 2008a, b). The interaction among these collages was the major topic of a 5-day thematic workshop on ‘‘Geodynamic Evolution of Central Asia in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic’’, held in Beijing, China, in December 2006 and funded by the SinoGerman Centre for Research Promotion (Chinesisch-Deutsches Zentrum fur Wissenschaftsforderung) (Xiao and Kroner 2007). The workshop was attended by more than 50 participants representing eight countries (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Australia, Italy, Cuba, and China) and was co-sponsored jointly by Task Force I (Earth Accretionary Systems) of the International Lithosphere Program (ILP), IGCP Project 480, and the State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The current thematic volume arises from this workshop and also includes several invited contributions. The 18 papers in this volume reflect a relatively broad spectrum of current research and cover regions in the southern Altaids as well as the northern Tethysides and the Japan Islands where the Altaids and Tethysides possibly join (Fig. 1). Wenjiao Xiao and co-authors (this volume) synthesize accretionary processes during final terrane amalgamation in the Altai and Tien Shan Mountain Range of NW China and Inner Mongolia in the late Permian to mid-Triassic. They use structural, geochemical, geochronological and palaeomagnetic data to show that there was continuous southward accretion in the late Paleozoic to middle Triassic of volcanic arcs, accretionary wedges and HPto UHPmetamorphic rocks. Final closure of the Paleoasian Ocean led to docking of the Tarim and North China Cratons with the amalgamated CAOB terrranes and terminal orogenesis. This complex geodynamic evolution led to formation of major metal deposits and substantial crustal growth. Jun Gao and co-authors (this volume) provide geochemical data and zircon ages for metaluminous to weakly peraluminous granitoids in the southern Chinese Tianshan and relate these to continental arc settings between ca. 480 and 275 Ma ago. These authors favor Silurian to Carboniferous northward subduction of the South Tianshan oceanic plate beneath the southern margin of the Central Tianshan-Kazakhstan-Yili continental plate and argue for W. Xiao (&) State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China e-mail: wj-xiao@mail.igcas.ac.cn

A tectonic stress map of China and adjacent regions from earthquakes occurred during 2000∼2004

Earthquake focal mechanism solutions provide the basic information about the present-day regional tectonics stress distribution, which controls the activities of crustal faults. Therefore, continued efforts for updating the database of earthquake focal mechanism solutions are quite valuable and important. The international lithosphere program initiated the ′′world stress map project′′ (Zoback, 1992) since 1980′s. During this project, worldwide studies and measurements of present-day regional tectonics stresses had been put together to establish the database of the global tectonics stresses, and to produce the ′′world stress map′′, which also included information about the present-day regional tectonics stresses of the East Asia. Based on the 1992 version of the world stress map, XU Zhong-huai (2001) had made several improvements, including earthquake centroid moment tensor (CMT) solutions of 2 993 shallow events, focal mechanism solutions according to the P-wave first motions of 404 earthquakes, and 47 bore-hole breakout measurements, and had produced the maps of the present-day regional tectonics stresses, and earthquake focal mechanism solutions of the east Asia. In this study we have tabulated all the available earthquake CMT solutions within China and adjacent regions from the Harvard University catalog for the 5-year period starting on January 1, 2000. Following Xu′s (2001) approach we have derived the maps of hypocenter distribution and earthquake focal mechanism solutions within China and adjacent regions for 2000~2004. Based on the analyses of these data we have discussed the seismic activity and the distribution of earthquakes within different tectonic regions and at different depths. This study has extended the database presented in XU (2001) for another 5 years to 2004.

Project helps constrain continental dynamics and seismic hazards

The Global Strain Rate Map project II‐8, initiated in 1998 by the International Lithosphere Program (ILP), provides constraints for understanding continental dynamics and for quantifying seismic hazards in general. To date, the Global Strain Rate Map (GSRM) model is a numerical velocity gradient tensor field solution (i.e.,spatial variations of horizontal strain rate tensor components and rotation rates) for the entire Earth surface [Kreemer et al., 2003].The global model consists of 25 rigid spherical plates and ∼25,000 0.6°×0.5° deformable grid areas within the diffuse plate boundary zones which lie between these plates (e.g., western North America, central Asia, the Alpine‐Himalaya belt). This model provides an estimate of the horizontal strain rates, rotation rates, and velocity fields for the diffuse plate boundary zones as well as an estimate of the motions of the spherical caps.

Scientific Committee on the Lithosphere International Lithosphere Program (SCL/ILP)

Scientific Committee on the Lithosphere International Lithosphere Program (SCL/ILP)

Preface to thematic issue: Petrotectonic characteristics of the Kokchetav Massif, northern Kazakhstan

Preface to thematic issue: Petrotectonic characteristics of the Kokchetav Massif, northern Kazakhstan

The GSHAP Global Seismic Hazard Map

Minimization of the loss of life, property damage, and social and economic disruption due to earthquakes depends on reliable estimates of seismic hazard. National, state, and local governments, decision makers, engineers, planners, emergency response organizations, builders, universities, and the general public require seismic hazard estimates for land use planning, improved building design and construction (including adoption of building construction codes), emergency response preparedness plans, economic forecasts, housing and employment decisions, and many more types of risk mitigation. The Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) was designed to assist in global risk mitigation by providing a useful global seismic hazard framework and by serving as a resource for any national or regional agency for further detailed studies applicable to their needs. GSHAP was launched in 1992 by the International Lithosphere Program (ILP) with the support of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and endorsed as a demonstration program in the framework of the United Nations International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (UN/IDNDR). GSHAP promoted a regionally coordinated, homogeneous approach to seismic hazard evaluation, including the production and distribution of the Global Seismic Hazard Map (GSH Map), a special issue of Annali di Geofisica (December 1999) describing the map and project, and a Web site (http://seismo.ethz.ch/GSHAP/) containing regional reports, GSHAP yearly reports, summaries, and maps of seismicity, source zones, and seismic hazard values. The GSHAP strategy was to establish a mosaic of regions under the coordination of regional centers (Figure 1). The goal in the first implementation phase (1993-1995) was to establish for each region or test area a working group of national experts covering the different fields required for seismic hazard assessment, to produce common regional earthquake catalogs and databases, and to assess the regional seismic hazard. The second phase (1995-1998) of GSHAP involved expansion of these regional efforts to …

The Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) - 1992/1999

The United Nations, recognizing natural disasters as a major threat to human life and development, designed the 1990-1999 period as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (UN/IDNDR; UN Res. 42/169/ 1987). Among the IDNDR Demonstration Projects is the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP), launched in 1992 by the International Lithosphere Program (ILP) and implemented in the 1992-1999 period. In order to mitigate the risk associated to the recurrence of earthquakes, the GSHAP promoted a regionally coordinated, homogeneous approach to seismic hazard evaluation. To achieve a global dimension, the GSHAP established initially a mosaic of regions and multinational test areas, then expanded to cover whole continents and finally the globe. The GSHAP Global Map of Seismic Hazard integrates the results obtained in the regional areas and depicts Peak-Ground-Acceleration (PGA) with 10% chance of exceedance in 50 years, corresponding to a return period of 475 years. All regional results and the Global Map of Seismic Hazard are published in 1999 and available on the GSHAP homepage on http://seismo.ethz.ch/GSHAP/.

Important findings expected from Europe's largest seismic array

An international, interdisciplinary project, which 2 years ago deployed the largest dense seismic antenna ever in Europe, expects in the next 2 years to present important findings on the lithosphere and asthenosphere of a portion of the Trans‐European Suture Zone (TESZ). Final processing is currently under way of the data from the array of 120 seismographs along a 900‐km‐long by 100‐km‐wide strip from Gottingen, Germany, in the south, through Denmark, to Stockholm, Sweden in the north, across the northwestern part of the TESZ (Figure 1).Project Tor is a teleseismic tomography experiment with interdisciplinary data exploitation. It extends across the broad TESZ boundary between two markedly different lithospheric domains.These are (1) Proterozoic Europe, with Precambrian crust in Sweden and eastern Europe, and (2) Phanerozoic central Europe, with most of the crust influenced by the Caledonian and Variscan orogenies and only small areas of relic Precambrian crust. The project is designed to investigate the deep lithosphere traces of the broad‐scale geology of the TESZ area, including the Tornquist Zone, from which Project Tor has its name. It is part of EUROPROBE, a major Earth science program of the European Science Foundation, which is run by a regional committee of the International Lithosphere Program.