@article{MohsenAschKindetal.2013, author = {Mohsen, Ayman and Asch, G{\"u}nter and Kind, Rainer and Mechie, James and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {The lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary in the eastern part of the Dead Sea Basin (DSB) from S-to-P receiver functions}, series = {Arabian journal of geosciences}, volume = {6}, journal = {Arabian journal of geosciences}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {1866-7511}, doi = {10.1007/s12517-011-0503-4}, pages = {2343 -- 2350}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Clear S-to-P converted waves from the crust-mantle boundary (Moho) and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) have been observed on the eastern part of the Dead Sea Basin (DSB), and are used for the determination of the depth of the Moho and the LAB. A temporary network consisting of 18 seismic broad-band stations was operated in the DSB region as part of the DEad Sea Integrated REsearch project for 1.5 years beginning in September 2006. The obtained Moho depth (similar to 35 km) from S-to-P receiver functions agrees well with the results from P-to-S receiver functions and other geophysical data. The thickness of the lithosphere on the eastern part of the DSB is about 75 km. The results obtained here support and confirm previous studies, based on xenolith data, geodynamic modeling, heat flow observations, and S-to-P receiver functions. Therefore, the lithosphere on the eastern part of the DSB and along Wadi Araba has been thinned in the Late Cenozoic, following rifting and spreading of the Red Sea. The thinning of the lithosphere occurred without a concomitant change in the crustal thickness and thus an upwelling of the asthenosphere in the study area is invoked as the cause of the lithosphere thinning.}, language = {en} } @misc{SippelMeessenCacaceetal.2017, author = {Sippel, Judith and Meeßen, Christian and Cacace, Mauro and Mechie, James and Fishwick, Stewart and Heine, Christian and Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena and Strecker, Manfred}, title = {The Kenya rift revisited}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Mathematisch Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {644}, issn = {1866-8372}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-41822}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-418221}, pages = {45 -- 81}, year = {2017}, abstract = {We present three-dimensional (3-D) models that describe the present-day thermal and rheological state of the lithosphere of the greater Kenya rift region aiming at a better understanding of the rift evolution, with a particular focus on plume-lithosphere interactions. The key methodology applied is the 3-D integration of diverse geological and geophysical observations using gravity modelling. Accordingly, the resulting lithospheric-scale 3-D density model is consistent with (i) reviewed descriptions of lithological variations in the sedimentary and volcanic cover, (ii) known trends in crust and mantle seismic velocities as revealed by seismic and seismological data and (iii) the observed gravity field. This data-based model is the first to image a 3-D density configuration of the crystalline crust for the entire region of Kenya and northern Tanzania. An upper and a basal crustal layer are differentiated, each composed of several domains of different average densities. We interpret these domains to trace back to the Precambrian terrane amalgamation associated with the East African Orogeny and to magmatic processes during Mesozoic and Cenozoic rifting phases. In combination with seismic velocities, the densities of these crustal domains indicate compositional differences. The derived lithological trends have been used to parameterise steady-state thermal and rheological models. These models indicate that crustal and mantle temperatures decrease from the Kenya rift in the west to eastern Kenya, while the integrated strength of the lithosphere increases. Thereby, the detailed strength configuration appears strongly controlled by the complex inherited crustal structure, which may have been decisive for the onset, localisation and propagation of rifting.}, language = {en} } @article{SippelMeessenCacaceetal.2017, author = {Sippel, Judith and Meessen, Christian and Cacace, Mauro and Mechie, James and Fishwick, Stewart and Heine, Christian and Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena and Strecker, Manfred}, title = {The Kenya rift revisited}, series = {Solid earth}, volume = {8}, journal = {Solid earth}, publisher = {Copernicus}, address = {G{\"o}ttingen}, issn = {1869-9510}, doi = {10.5194/se-8-45-2017}, pages = {45 -- 81}, year = {2017}, abstract = {We present three-dimensional (3-D) models that describe the present-day thermal and rheological state of the lithosphere of the greater Kenya rift region aiming at a better understanding of the rift evolution, with a particular focus on plume-lithosphere interactions. The key methodology applied is the 3-D integration of diverse geological and geophysical observations using gravity modelling. Accordingly, the resulting lithospheric-scale 3-D density model is consistent with (i) reviewed descriptions of lithological variations in the sedimentary and volcanic cover, (ii) known trends in crust and mantle seismic velocities as revealed by seismic and seismological data and (iii) the observed gravity field. This data-based model is the first to image a 3-D density configuration of the crystalline crust for the entire region of Kenya and northern Tanzania. An upper and a basal crustal layer are differentiated, each composed of several domains of different average densities. We interpret these domains to trace back to the Precambrian terrane amalgamation associated with the East African Orogeny and to magmatic processes during Mesozoic and Cenozoic rifting phases. In combination with seismic velocities, the densities of these crustal domains indicate compositional differences. The derived lithological trends have been used to parameterise steady-state thermal and rheological models. These models indicate that crustal and mantle temperatures decrease from the Kenya rift in the west to eastern Kenya, while the integrated strength of the lithosphere increases. Thereby, the detailed strength configuration appears strongly controlled by the complex inherited crustal structure, which may have been decisive for the onset, localisation and propagation of rifting.}, language = {en} } @misc{MechieBenAvrahamWeberetal.2013, author = {Mechie, James and Ben-Avraham, Zvi and Weber, Michael H. and G{\"o}tze, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Koulakov, Ivan and Mohsen, A. and Stiller, M.}, title = {The distribution of Moho depths beneath the Arabian plate and margins}, series = {TECTONOPHYSICS}, volume = {609}, journal = {TECTONOPHYSICS}, publisher = {ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV}, address = {AMSTERDAM}, issn = {0040-1951}, doi = {10.1016/j.tecto.2012.11.015}, pages = {234 -- 249}, year = {2013}, abstract = {In this study three new maps of Moho depths beneath the Arabian plate and margins are presented. The first map is based on the combined gravity model, EIGEN 06C, which includes data from satellite missions and ground-based studies, and thus covers the whole region between 31 degrees E and 60 inverted perpendicular E and between 12 degrees N and 36 degrees N. The second map is based on seismological and ground-based gravity data while the third map is based only on seismological data. Both these maps show gaps due to lack of data coverage especially in the interior of the Arabian plate. Beneath the interior of the Arabian plate the Moho lies between 32 and 45 km depth below sea level. There is a tendency for higher Pn and Sn velocities beneath the northeastern parts of the plate interior with respect to the southwestern parts of the plate interior. Across the northern, destructive margin with the Eurasian plate, the Moho depths increase to over 50 km beneath the Zagros mountains. Across the conservative western margin, the Dead Sea Transform (DST). Moho depths decrease from almost 40 km beneath the highlands east of the DST to about 21-23 km under the southeastern Mediterranean Sea. This decrease seems to be modulated by a slight depression in the Moho beneath the southern DST. The constructive southwestern and southeastern margins of the Arabian plate also show the Moho shallowing from the plate interior towards the plate boundaries. A comparison of the abruptness of the Moho shallowing between the margins of the Arabian plate, the conjugate African margin at 26 degrees N and several Atlantic margins shows a complex picture and suggests that the abruptness of the Moho shallowing may reflect fundamental differences in the original structure of the margins. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.}, 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} } @article{RamosMechieFeng2016, author = {Ramos, C. and Mechie, James and Feng, M.}, title = {Shear wave velocity and Poisson's ratio models across the southern Chile convergent margin at 38{\^A}°15{\^a}€²S}, series = {Geophysical journal international}, volume = {204}, journal = {Geophysical journal international}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1093/gji/ggv541}, pages = {1620 -- 1635}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Using active and passive seismology data we derive a shear (S) wave velocity model and a Poisson's ratio (\&\#963;) model across the Chilean convergent margin along a profile at 38°15\&\#8242;S, where the Mw 9.5 Valdivia earthquake occurred in 1960. The derived S-wave velocity model was constructed using three independently obtained velocity models that were merged together. In the upper part of the profile (0-2 km depth), controlled source data from explosions were used to obtain an S-wave traveltime tomogram. For the middle part (2-20 km depth), data from a temporary seismology array were used to carry out a dispersion analysis. The resulting dispersion curves were used to obtain a 3-D S-wave velocity model. In the lower part (20-75 km depth, depending on the longitude), an already existent local earthquake tomographic image was merged with the other two sections. This final S-wave velocity model and already existent compressional (P) wave velocity models along the same transect allowed us to obtain a Poisson's ratio model. The results of this study show that the velocities and Poisson's ratios in the continental crust of this part of the Chilean convergent margin are in agreement with geological features inferred from other studies and can be explained in terms of normal rock types. There is no requirement to call on the existence of measurable amounts of present-day fluids, in terms of seismic velocities, above the plate interface in the continental crust of the Coastal Cordillera and the Central Valley in this part of the Chilean convergent margin. This is in agreement with a recent model of water being transported down and released from the subduction zone.}, language = {en} } @article{DahmStillerMechieetal.2020, author = {Dahm, Torsten and Stiller, Manfred and Mechie, James and Heimann, Sebastian and Hensch, Martin and Woith, Heiko and Schmidt, Bernd and Gabriel, Gerald and Weber, Michael}, title = {Seismological and geophysical signatures of the deep crustal magma systems of the cenozoic volcanic fields Beneath the Eifel, Germany}, series = {Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems}, volume = {21}, journal = {Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems}, number = {9}, publisher = {American Geophysical Union}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1525-2027}, doi = {10.1029/2020GC009062}, pages = {21}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The Quaternary volcanic fields of the Eifel (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) had their last eruptions less than 13,000 years ago. Recently, deep low-frequency (DLF) earthquakes were detected beneath one of the volcanic fields showing evidence of ongoing magmatic activity in the lower crust and upper mantle. In this work, seismic wide- and steep-angle experiments from 1978/1979 and 1987/1988 are compiled, partially reprocessed and interpreted, together with other data to better determine the location, size, shape, and state of magmatic reservoirs in the Eifel region near the crust-mantle boundary. We discuss seismic evidence for a low-velocity gradient layer from 30-36 km depth, which has developed over a large region under all Quaternary volcanic fields of the Rhenish Massif and can be explained by the presence of partial melts. We show that the DLF earthquakes connect the postulated upper mantle reservoir with the upper crust at a depth of about 8 km, directly below one of the youngest phonolitic volcanic centers in the Eifel, where CO(2)originating from the mantle is massively outgassing. A bright spot in the West Eifel between 6 and 10 km depth represents a Tertiary magma reservoir and is seen as a model for a differentiated reservoir beneath the young phonolitic center today. We find that the distribution of volcanic fields is controlled by the Variscan lithospheric structures and terrane boundaries as a whole, which is reflected by an offset of the Moho depth, a wedge-shaped transparent zone in the lower crust and the system of thrusts over about 120 km length.}, language = {en} } @article{OnckenLuschenMechieetal.1999, author = {Oncken, Onno and Luschen, Ewald and Mechie, James and Sobolev, Stephan Vladimir and Schulze, Albrecht and Gaedicke, Christoph and Grunewald, Steffen and Bribach, Jens and Asch, G{\"u}nter and Giese, Peter and Wigger, Peter and Schmitz, Michael and Lueth, Stefan and Scheuber, Ekkehard and Haberland, Christian and Rietbrock, Andreas and G{\"o}tze, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Brasse, Heinrich and Patzwahl, Regina and Chong, Guillermo and Wilke, Hans-Gerhard and Gonzalez, Gabriel and Jensen, Arturo and Araneda, Manuel and Vieytes, Hugo and Behn, Gerardo and Martinez, Eloy}, title = {Seismic reflection image revealing offset of Andean subduction-zone earthquake locations into oceanic mantle}, year = {1999}, language = {en} } @article{RamosMechieStiller2018, author = {Ramos, Catalina and Mechie, James and Stiller, Manfred}, title = {Reflection seismic images and amplitude ratio modelling of the Chilean subduction zone at 38.25 degrees S}, series = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth}, volume = {747}, journal = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0040-1951}, doi = {10.1016/j.tecto.2018.10.007}, pages = {115 -- 127}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Active source near-vertical reflection (NVR) data from the interdisciplinary project TIPTEQ were used to image and identify structural and petrophysical properties within the Chilean subduction zone at 38.25 degrees S, where in 1960 the largest earthquake ever recorded (M-w 9.5) occurred. Reflection seismic images of the subduction zone were obtained using the post-stack depth migration technique to process the three components of the NVR data, allowing to present P- and S-stacked time sections and depth-migrated seismic reflection images. Next, the reflectivity method allowed to model traveltimes and amplitude ratios of pairs of reflections for two 1D profiles along the studied transect. The 1D seismic velocities that produced the synthetic seismograms with amplitudes and traveltimes that fit the observed ones were used to infer the rock composition of the different layers in each 1D profile. Finally, an image of the subduction zone is given. The Chilean subduction zone at 38.25 degrees S underlies a continental crust with highly reflective horizontal, as well as dipping events. Among them, the Lanalhue Fault Zone (LFZ), interpreted to be east-dipping, is imaged to very shallow depths for the first time. In terms of seismic velocities, the inferred composition of the continental crust is in agreement with field geology observations at the surface along the profile. Furthermore, no measurable amounts of fluids above the plate interface in the continental crust in this part of the Chilean subduction zone are necessary to explain the results. A large-scale anisotropy in the continental crust and upper mantle is qualitatively proposed. However, quantitative studies on this topic in the continental crust of the Chilean subduction zone at 38.25 degrees S do not exist to date.}, language = {en} } @article{MechieAbuAyyashBenAvrahametal.2009, author = {Mechie, James and Abu-Ayyash, Khalil and Ben-Avraham, Zvi and El-Kelani, Radwan and Qabbani, Isam and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {Crustal structure of the southern Dead Sea basin derived from project DESIRE wide-angle seismic data}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04161.x}, year = {2009}, abstract = {As part of the DEad Sea Integrated REsearch project (DESIRE) a 235 km long seismic wide-angle reflection/ refraction (WRR) profile was completed in spring 2006 across the Dead Sea Transform (DST) in the region of the southern Dead Sea basin (DSB). The DST with a total of about 107 km multi-stage left-lateral shear since about 18 Ma ago, accommodates the movement between the Arabian and African plates. It connects the spreading centre in the Red Sea with the Taurus collision zone in Turkey over a length of about 1 100 km. With a sedimentary infill of about 10 km in places, the southern DSB is the largest pull-apart basin along the DST and one of the largest pull-apart basins on Earth. The WRR measurements comprised 11 shots recorded by 200 three-component and 400 one-component instruments spaced 300 m to 1.2 km apart along the whole length of the E-W trending profile. Models of the P-wave velocity structure derived from the WRR data show that the sedimentary infill associated with the formation of the southern DSB is about 8.5 km thick beneath the profile. With around an additional 2 km of older sediments, the depth to the seismic basement beneath the southern DSB is about 11 km below sea level beneath the profile. Seismic refraction data from an earlier experiment suggest that the seismic basement continues to deepen to a maximum depth of about 14 km, about 10 km south of the DESIRE profile. In contrast, the interfaces below about 20 km depth, including the top of the lower crust and the Moho, probably show less than 3 km variation in depth beneath the profile as it crosses the southern DSB. Thus the Dead Sea pull-apart basin may be essentially an upper crustal feature with upper crustal extension associated with the left- lateral motion along the DST. The boundary between the upper and lower crust at about 20 km depth might act as a decoupling zone. Below this boundary the two plates move past each other in what is essentially a shearing motion. Thermo-mechanical modelling of the DSB supports such a scenario. As the DESIRE seismic profile crosses the DST about 100 km north of where the DESERT seismic profile crosses the DST, it has been possible to construct a crustal cross-section of the region before the 107 km left-lateral shear on the DST occurred.}, language = {en} } @article{FeldMechieHuebscheretal.2017, author = {Feld, Christian and Mechie, James and H{\"u}bscher, Christian and Hall, Jeremy and Nicolaides, Stelios and Gurbuz, Cemil and Bauer, Klaus and Louden, Keith and Weber, Michael}, title = {Crustal structure of the eratosthenes seamount, cyprus and S. Turkey from an amphibian wide-angle seismic profile}, series = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth}, volume = {700}, journal = {Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0040-1951}, doi = {10.1016/j.tecto.2017.02.003}, pages = {32 -- 59}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In 2010, project CoCoCo (incipient COntinent-COntinent COllision) recorded a 650 km long amphibian N-S wide-angle seismic profile, extending from the Anatolian plateau across southern Turkey and Cyprus to just south of the Eratosthenes Seamount (ESM). The aim of the project is to reveal the impact of the transition from subduction to continent-continent collision of Africa with Anatolia. Arrival picking, finite-differences ray-tracing and inversion of the offshore and on-offshore data produced a tomographic model across southern Cyprus, the accretionary wedge and the ESM. The main features of this model are (1) crustal P-velocities predominantly lower than 6.5 km/s beneath the ESM, (2) crustal thickness between 28 and 37 km, (3) an upper crustal reflection at 5 km depth beneath the ESM, (4) the likely presence of oceanic crust south of the ESM and a transform margin north of it and (5) a 12 km thick ophiolite sequence on Cyprus. Land shots on Turkey, also recorded on Cyprus, gravity data and geological and previous seismic investigations allow to derive a layered velocity model beneath Anatolia and the northern part of Cyprus. The main features of this model are (1) Moho depths of 38-45 km beneath the Anatolian plateau, (2) an upper and lower crust with large lateral changes in velocity and thickness, (3) a north-dipping subducting plate below Cyprus with a steepening of the dip-angle of the plate at about 45 km depth. Thus, the wide-angle seismic and gravity data provide detailed insights into the 2-D geometry and velocity structures associated with the Cyprus Arc collision zone. Finally, integrated analysis of the geophysics and geology allows a comprehensive interpretation of the crustal structure related to the collision process.}, language = {en} } @article{MohsenAschMechieetal.2011, author = {Mohsen, Amjad and Asch, G{\"u}nter and Mechie, James and Kind, Rainer and Hofstetter, Rami and Weber, Michael H. and Stiller, M. and Abu-Ayyash, Khalil}, title = {Crustal structure of the Dead Sea Basin (DSB) from a receiver function analysis}, series = {Geophysical journal international}, volume = {184}, journal = {Geophysical journal international}, number = {1}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Malden}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04853.x}, pages = {463 -- 476}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The Dead Sea Transform (DST) is a major left-lateral strike-slip fault that accommodates the relative motion between the African and Arabian plates, connecting a region of extension in the Red Sea to the Taurus collision zone in Turkey over a length of about 1100 km. The Dead Sea Basin (DSB) is one of the largest basins along the DST. The DSB is a morphotectonic depression along the DST, divided into a northern and a southern sub-basin, separated by the Lisan salt diapir. We report on a receiver function study of the crust within the multidisciplinary geophysical project, DEad Sea Integrated REsearch (DESIRE), to study the crustal structure of the DSB. A temporary seismic network was operated on both sides of the DSB between 2006 October and 2008 April. The aperture of the network is approximately 60 km in the E-W direction crossing the DSB on the Lisan peninsula and about 100 km in the N-S direction. Analysis of receiver functions from the DESIRE temporary network indicates that Moho depths vary between 30 and 38 km beneath the area. These Moho depth estimates are consistent with results of near-vertical incidence and wide-angle controlled-source techniques. Receiver functions reveal an additional discontinuity in the lower crust, but only in the DSB and west of it. This leads to the conclusion that the internal crustal structure east and west of the DSB is different at the present-day. However, if the 107 km left-lateral movement along the DST is taken into account, then the region beneath the DESIRE array where no lower crustal discontinuity is observed would have lain about 18 Ma ago immediately adjacent to the region under the previous DESERT array west of the DST where no lower crustal discontinuity is recognized.}, language = {en} } @article{MechieAbuAyyashBenAvrahametal.2005, author = {Mechie, James and Abu-Ayyash, Khalil and Ben-Avraham, Zvi and El-Kelani, R. and Mohsen, Amjad and Rumpker, Georg and Saul, J. and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {Crustal shear velocity structure across the Dead Sea Transform from two-dimensional modelling of DESERT project explosion seismic data}, year = {2005}, abstract = {An analysis of the shear (S) waves recorded during the wide-angle reflection/refraction (WRR) experiment as part of the DESERT project crossing the Dead Sea Transform (DST) reveals average crustal S-wave velocities of 3.3-3.5 km s(-1) beneath the WRR profile. Together with average crustal P-wave velocities of 5.8-6.1 km s(-1) from an already published study this provides average crustal Poisson's ratios of 0.26-0.27 (V-p/V-s = 1.76-1.78) below the profile. The top two layers consisting predominantly of sedimentary rocks have S- wave velocities of 1.8-2.7kms(-1) and Poisson's ratios of 0.25-0.31 (V-p/V-s = 1.73-1.91). Beneath these two layers the seismic basement has average S- wave velocities of around 3.6 km s(-1) east of the DST and about 3.7 km s(-1) west of the DST and Poisson's ratios of 0.24-0.25 (V-p/V-s = 1.71-1.73). The lower crust has an average S-wave velocity of about 3.75 km s(-1) and an average Poisson's ratio of around 0.27 (V-p/V-s = 1.78). No Sn phase refracted through the uppermost mantle was observed. The results provide for the first time information from controlled source data on the crustal S-wave velocity structure for the region west of the DST in Israel and Palestine and agree with earlier results for the region east of the DST in the Jordanian highlands. A shear wave splitting study using SKS waves has found evidence for crustal anisotropy beneath the WRR profile while a receiver function study has found evidence for a lower crustal, high S-wave velocity layer east of the DST below the profile. Although no evidence was found in the S-wave data for either feature, the S-wave data are not incompatible with crustal anisotropy being present as the WRR profile only lies 30 degrees off the proposed symmetry axis of the anisotropy where the difference in the two S-wave velocities is still very small. In the case of the lower crustal, high S-wave velocity layer, if the velocity change at the top of this layer comprises a small first-order discontinuity underlain by a 2 km thick transition zone, instead of just a large first-order discontinuity, then both the receiver function data and the WRR data presented here can be satisfied. Finally, the S-wave velocities and Poisson's ratios which have been derived in this study are typical of continental crust and do not require extensional processes to explain them}, language = {en} }