@article{WolbernJacobBlakeetal.2006, author = {Wolbern, I and Jacob, A. W. B. and Blake, T. A. and Kind, Rainer and Li, X and Yuan, X. H and Duennebier, F and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {Deep origin of the Hawaiian tilted plume conduit derived from receiver functions}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03036.x}, year = {2006}, abstract = {We employ P to S converted waveforms to investigate effects of the hot mantle plume on seismic discontinuities of the crust and upper mantle. We observe the Moho at depths between 13 and 17 km, regionally covered by a strong shallow intracrustal converted phase. Coherent phases on the transverse component indicate either dipping interfaces, 3- D heterogeneities or lower crustal anisotropy. We find anomalies related to discontinuities in the upper mantle down to the transition zone evidently related to the hot mantle plume. Lithospheric thinning is confirmed in greater detail than previously reported by Li et al., and we determine the dimensions of the low-velocity zone within the asthenosphere with greater accuracy. Our study mainly focuses on the temperature-pressure dependent discontinuities of the upper mantle transition zone. Effects of the hot diapir on the depths of mineral phase transitions are verified at both major interfaces at 410 and 660 km. We determine a plume radius of about 200 km at the 660 km discontinuity with a core zone of about 120 km radius. The plume conduit is located southwest of Big Island. A conduit tilted in the northeast direction is required in the upper mantle to explain the observations. The determined positions of deflections of the discontinuities support the hypothesis of decoupled upper and lower mantle convection}, language = {en} } @article{BudwegBockWeber2006, author = {Budweg, Martin and Bock, G{\"u}nter and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {The Eifel Plume : imaged with converted seismic waves}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-246X.2005.02778.x}, year = {2006}, abstract = {Receiver functions (RF) are used to investigate the upper mantle structure beneath the Eifel, the youngest volcanic area of Central Europe. Data from 96 teleseismic events recorded by 242 seismological stations from permanent and a temporary network has been analysed. The temporary network operated from 1997 November to 1998 June and covered an area of approximately 400 x 250 km(2) centred on the Eifel volcanic fields. The average Moho depth in the Eifel is approximately 30 km, thinning to ca. 28 km under the Eifel volcanic fields. RF images suggest the existence of a low velocity zone at about 60-90 km depth under the West Eifel. This observation is supported by P- and S-wave tomographic results and absorption (but the array aperture limits the resolution of the tomographic methods to the upper 400 km). There are also indications for a zone of elevated velocities at around 200 km depth, again in agreement with S-wave and absorption tomographic results. This anomaly is not visible in P-wave tomography and could be due to S-wave anisotropy. The RF anomalies at the Moho, at 60-90 km, and near 200 km depth have a lateral extent of about 100 km. The 410 km discontinuity under the Eifel is depressed by 15-25 km, which could be explained by a maximum temperature increase of +200 degrees C to +300 degrees C. In the 3-D RF image of the Eifel Plume we also notice two additional currently unexplained conversions between 410 and 550 km depth. They could represent remnants of previous subduction or anomalies due to delayed phase changes. The lateral extent of these conversions and the depression of the 410 km discontinuity is about 200 km. The 660 km discontinuity does not show any depth deviation from its expected value. Our observations are consistent with interpretation in terms of an upper mantle plume but they do not rule out connections to processes at larger depth}, 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} } @article{MohsenHofstetterBocketal.2005, author = {Mohsen, Amjad and Hofstetter, Rami and Bock, G{\"u}nter and Kind, Rainer and Weber, Michael H. and Wylegalla, Kurt and Rumpker, Georg}, title = {A receiver function study across the Dead Sea Transform}, issn = {0956-540X}, year = {2005}, abstract = {We report on a receiver function study of the crust and upper mantle within DESERT, a multidisciplinary geophysical project to study the lithosphere across the Dead Sea Transform (DST). A temporary seismic network was operated on both sides of the DST between 2000 April and 2001 June. The depth of the Moho increases smoothly from about 30 to 34-38 km towards the east across the DST, with significant north-south variations east of the DST. These Moho depth estimates from receiver functions are consistent with results from steep-and wide-angle controlled-source techniques. Steep-angle reflections and receiver functions reveal an additional discontinuity in the lower crust, but only east of the DST. This leads to the conclusion that the internal crustal structure east and west of the DST is different. The P to S converted phases from both discontinuities at 410 and 660 km are delayed by 2 s with respect to the IASP91 global reference model. This would indicate that the transition zone is consistent with the global average, but the upper mantle above 410 km is 3-4 per cent slower than the standard earth model}, language = {en} } @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} } @phdthesis{Weber2004, author = {Weber, Michael H.}, title = {Robotic telescopes \& Doppler imaging : measuring differential rotation on long-period active stars}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-0001834}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2004}, abstract = {Auf der Sonne sind viele Ph{\"a}nomene zu sehen die mit der solaren magnetischen Aktivit{\"a}t zusammenh{\"a}ngen. Das daf{\"u}r zust{\"a}ndige Magnetfeld wird durch einen Dynamo erzeugt, der sich vermutlich am Boden der Konvektionszone in der sogenannten Tachocline befindet. Angetrieben wird der Dynamo teils von der differenziellen Rotation, teils von den magnetischen Turbulenzen in der Konvektionszone. Die differentielle Rotation kann an der Sonnenoberfl{\"a}che durch beobachten der Sonnenfleckbewegungen gemessen werden.Um einen gr{\"o}ßeren Parameterraum zum Testen von Dynamotheorien zu erhalten, kann man diese Messungen auch auf andere Sterne ausdehnen. Das prim{\"a}re Problem dabei ist, dass die Oberfl{\"a}chen von Sternen nicht direkt beobachtet werden k{\"o}nnen. Indirekt kann man dies jedoch mit Hilfe der Doppler-imaging Methode erreichen, die die Doppler-Verbreitung der Spektrallinien von schnell rotierenden Sternen ben{\"u}tzt. Um jedoch ein Bild der Sternoberfl{\"a}che zu erhalten, bedarf es vieler hochaufgel{\"o}ster spektroskopischer Beobachtungen, die gleichm{\"a}ßig {\"u}ber eine Sternrotation verteilt sein m{\"u}ssen. F{\"u}r Sterne mit langen Rotationsperioden sind diese Beobachtungen nur schwierig durchzuf{\"u}hren. Das neue robotische Observatorium STELLA adressiert dieses Problem und bietet eine auf Dopplerimaging abgestimmte Ablaufplanung der Beobachtungen an. Dies wird solche Beobachtungen nicht nur leichter durchf{\"u}hrbar machen, sondern auch effektiver gestalten.Als Vorschau welche Ergebnisse mit STELLA erwartet werden k{\"o}nnen dient eine Studie an sieben Sternen die allesamt eine lange (zwischen sieben und 25 Tagen) Rotationsperiode haben. Alle Sterne zeigen differentielle Rotation, allerdings sind die Messfehler aufgrund der nicht zufriedenstellenden Datenqualit{\"a}t von gleicher Gr{\"o}ßenordnung wie die Ergebnisse, ein Problem das bei STELLA nicht auftreten wird. Um die Konsistenz der Ergebnisse zu pr{\"u}fen wurde wenn m{\"o}glich sowohl eine Kreuzkorrelationsanalyse als auch die sheared-image Methode angewandt. Vier von diesen sieben Sternen weisen eine differentielle Rotation in umgekehrter Richtung auf als auf der Sonne zu sehen ist. Die restlichen drei Sterne weisen schwache, aber in der Richtung sonnen{\"a}hnliche differentielle Rotation auf.Abschließend werden diese neuen Messungen mit bereits publizierten Werten kombiniert, und die so erhaltenen Daten auf Korrelationen zwischen differentieller Rotation, Rotationsperiode, Evolutionsstaus, Spektraltyp und Vorhandensein eines Doppelsterns {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft. Alle Sterne zusammen zeigen eine signifikante Korrelation zwischen dem Betrag der differenziellen Rotation und der Rotationsperiode. Unterscheidet man zwischen den Richtungen der differentiellen Rotation, so bleibt nur eine Korrelation der Sterne mit antisolarem Verhalten. Dar{\"u}berhinaus zeigt sich auch, dass Doppelsterne schw{\"a}cher differentiell rotieren.}, 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{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} } @article{MuksinHaberlandBaueretal.2013, author = {Muksin, Umar and Haberland, Christian and Bauer, Klaus and Weber, Michael H.}, title = {Three-dimensional upper crustal structure of the geothermal system in Tarutung (North Sumatra, Indonesia) revealed by seismic attenuation tomography}, series = {Geophysical journal international}, volume = {195}, journal = {Geophysical journal international}, number = {3}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0956-540X}, doi = {10.1093/gji/ggt383}, pages = {2037 -- 2049}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The geothermal potential in Tarutung is controlled by both the Sumatra Fault system and young arc volcanism. In this study we use the spatial distribution of seismic attenuation, calculated from local earthquake recordings, to image the 3-D seismic attenuation of the area and relate it with the temperature anomalies and the fluid distribution of the subsurface. A temporary seismic network of 42 stations was deployed around Tarutung and Sarulla (south of Tarutung) for a period of 10 months starting in 2011 May. Within this period, the network recorded 2586 local events. A high-quality subset of 229 events recorded by at least 10 stations was used for the attenuation inversion (tomography). Path-average attenuation (t(p)*) was calculated by using a spectral inversion method. The spread function, the contour lines of the model resolution matrix and the recovery test results show that our 3-D attenuation model (Q(p)) has good resolution around the Tarutung Basin and along the Sarulla graben. High attenuation (low Q(p)) related to the geothermal system is found in the northeast of the Tarutung Basin suggesting fluid pathways from below the Sumatra Fault. The upper part of the studied geothermal system in the Tarutung district seems to be mainly controlled by the fault structure rather than by magmatic activities. In the southwest of the Tarutung Basin, the high attenuation zone is associated with the Martimbang volcano. In the Sarulla region, a low-Q(p) anomaly is found along the graben within the vicinity of the Hopong caldera.}, language = {en} } @article{BauerMoeckNordenetal.2010, author = {Bauer, Klaus and Moeck, Inga and Norden, Ben and Schulze, Alexander and Weber, Michael H. and Wirth, Holger}, title = {Tomographic P wave velocity and vertical velocity gradient structure across the geothermal site Groß Schoenebeck (NE German Basin) : relationship to lithology, salt tectonics, and thermal regime}, issn = {0148-0227}, doi = {10.1029/2009jb006895}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Seismic wide-angle data were collected along a 40-km-long profile centered at the geothermal research well GrSk 3/90 in the Northeast German Basin. Tomographic inversion of travel time data provided a velocity and a vertical velocity gradient model, indicative of Cenozoic to Pre-Permian sediments. Wide-angle reflections are modeled and interpreted as top Zechstein and top Pre-Permian. Changes in velocity gradients are interpreted as the transition from mechanical to chemical compaction at 2-3 km depth, and localized salt structures are imaged, suggesting a previously unknown salt pillow in the southern part of the seismic profile. The Zechstein salt shows decreased velocities in the adjacent salt pillows compared to the salt lows, which is confirmed by sonic log data. This decrease in velocity could be explained by the mobilization of less dense salt, which moved and formed the salt pillows, whereas the denser salt remained in place at the salt lows. We interpret a narrow subvertical low-velocity zone under the salt pillow at GrSk 3/ 90 as a fault in the deep Permian to Pre-Permian. This WNW-ESE trending fault influenced the location of the salt tectonics and led to the formation of a fault-bounded graben in the Rotliegend sandstones with optimal mechanical conditions for geothermal production. Thermal modeling showed that salt pillows are related to chimney effects, a decrease in temperature, and increasing velocity. The assumed variations in salt lithology, density, and strain must thus be even higher to compensate for the temperature effect.}, language = {en} }