@article{MaercklinHaberlandRybergetal.2004, author = {Maercklin, Nils and Haberland, Christian and Ryberg, Trond and Weber, Michael H. and Bartov, Yosef}, title = {Imaging the Dead Sea Transform with scattered seismic waves}, issn = {0956-540X}, year = {2004}, abstract = {With controlled seismic sources and specifically designed receiver arrays, we image a subvertical boundary between two lithological blocks at the Arava Fault (AF) in the Middle East. The AF is the main strike-slip fault of the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in the segment between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. Our imaging (migration) method is based on array beamforming and coherence analysis of P to P scattered seismic phases. We use a 1-D background velocity model and the direct P arrival as a reference phase. Careful resolution testing is necessary, because the target volume is irregularly sampled by rays. A spread function describing energy dispersion at localized point scatterers and synthetic calculations for large planar structures provides estimates of the resolution of the images. We resolve a 7 km long steeply dipping reflector offset roughly 1 km from the surface trace of the AF. The reflector can be imaged from about 1 km down to 4 km depth. Previous and ongoing studies in this region have shown a strong contrast across the fault: low seismic velocities and electrical resistivities to the west and high velocities and resistivities to the east of it. We therefore suggest that the imaged reflector marks the contrast between young sedimentary fill in the west and Precambrian rocks in the east. If correct, the boundary between the two blocks is offset about 1 km east of the current surface trace of the AF}, language = {en} } @article{WeberAbuAyyashAbueladasetal.2004, author = {Weber, Michael H. and Abu-Ayyash, Khalil and Abueladas, Abdel-Rahman and Agnon, Amotz and Al-Amoush, H. and Babeyko, Andrey and Bartov, Yosef and Baumann, M. and Ben-Avraham, Zvi and Bock, G{\"u}nter and Bribach, Jens and El-Kelani, R. and Forster, A. and F{\"o}rster, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Frieslander, U. and Garfunkel, Zvi and Grunewald, Steffen and Gotze, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Haak, Volker and Haberland, Christian and Hassouneh, Mohammed and Helwig, S. and Hofstetter, Alfons and Jackel, K. H. and Kesten, Dagmar and Kind, Rainer and Maercklin, Nils and Mechie, James and Mohsen, Amjad and Neubauer, F. M. and Oberh{\"a}nsli, Roland and Qabbani, I. and Ritter, O. and Rumpker, G. and Rybakov, M. and Ryberg, Trond and Scherbaum, Frank and Schmidt, J. and Schulze, A. and Sobolev, Stephan Vladimir and Stiller, M. and Th,}, title = {The crustal structure of the Dead Sea Transform}, year = {2004}, abstract = {To address one of the central questions of plate tectonics-How do large transform systems work and what are their typical features?-seismic investigations across the Dead Sea Transform (DST), the boundary between the African and Arabian plates in the Middle East, were conducted for the first time. A major component of these investigations was a combined reflection/ refraction survey across the territories of Palestine, Israel and Jordan. The main results of this study are: (1) The seismic basement is offset by 3-5 km under the DST, (2) The DST cuts through the entire crust, broadening in the lower crust, (3) Strong lower crustal reflectors are imaged only on one side of the DST, (4) The seismic velocity sections show a steady increase in the depth of the crust-mantle transition (Moho) from 26 km at the Mediterranean to 39 km under the Jordan highlands, with only a small but visible, asymmetric topography of the Moho under the DST. These observations can be linked to the left-lateral movement of 105 km of the two plates in the last 17 Myr, accompanied by strong deformation within a narrow zone cutting through the entire crust. Comparing the DST and the San Andreas Fault (SAF) system, a strong asymmetry in subhorizontal lower crustal reflectors and a deep reaching deformation zone both occur around the DST and the SAF. The fact that such lower crustal reflectors and deep deformation zones are observed in such different transform systems suggests that these structures are possibly fundamental features of large transform plate boundaries}, language = {en} }