TY - JOUR A1 - Munoz, Gerard A1 - Weckmann, Ute A1 - Pek, Josef A1 - Kovacikova, Svetlana A1 - Klanica, Radek T1 - Regional two-dimensional magnetotelluric profile in West Bohemia/Vogtland reveals deep conductive channel into the earthquake swarm region JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - The West Bohemia/Vogtland region, characterized by the intersection of the Eger (Ohre) Rift and the Marianske Lazne fault, is a geodynamically active area exhibiting repeated occurrence of earthquake swarms, massive CO2 emanations and mid Pleistocene volcanism. The Eger Rift is the only known intra-continental region in Europe where such deep seated, active lithospheric processes currently take place. We present an image of electrical resistivity obtained from two-dimensional inversion of magnetotelluric (MT) data acquired along a regional profile crossing the Eger Rift. At the near surface, the Cheb basin and the aquifer feeding the mofette fields of Bublak and Hartousov have been imaged as part of a region of very low resistivity. The most striking resistivity feature, however, is a deep reaching conductive channel which extends from the surface into the lower crust spatially correlated with the hypocentres of the seismic events of the Novy Kostel Focal Zone. This channel has been interpreted as imaging a pathway from a possible mid-crustal fluid reservoir to the surface. The resistivity model reinforces the relation between the fluid circulation along deep-reaching faults and the generation of the earthquakes. Additionally, a further conductive channel has been revealed to the south of the profile. This other feature could be associated to fossil hydrothermal alteration related to Mytina and/or Neualbenreuth Maar structures or alternatively could be the signature of a structure associated to the suture between the Saxo-Thuringian and Tepla-Barrandian zones, whose surface expression is located only a few kilometres away. KW - Magnetotellurics KW - West Bohemia KW - Vogtland KW - Earthquake swarm KW - Conductive channel KW - Fluids Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2018.01.012 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 727 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Platz, Anna A1 - Weckmann, Ute A1 - Pek, Josef A1 - Kovacikova, Svetlana A1 - Klanica, Radek A1 - Mair, Johannes A1 - Aleid, Basel T1 - 3D imaging of the subsurface electrical resistivity structure in West Bohemia/Upper Palatinate covering mofettes and quaternary volcanic structures by using magnetotellurics JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - The region of West Bohemia and Upper Palatinate belongs to the West Bohemian Massif. The study area is situated at the junction of three different Variscan tectonic units and hosts the ENE-WSW trending Ohre Rift as well as many different fault systems. The entire region is characterized by ongoing magmatic processes in the intra-continental lithospheric mantle expressed by a series of phenomena, including e.g. the occurrence of repeated earthquake swarms and massive degassing of mantle derived CO2 in form of mineral springs and mofettes. Ongoing active tectonics is mainly manifested by Cenozoic volcanism represented by different Quaternary volcanic structures. All these phenomena make the Ohre Rift a unique target area for European intra-continental geo-scientific research. With magnetotelluric (MT) measurements we image the subsurface distribution of the electrical resistivity and map possible fluid pathways. Two-dimensional (2D) inversion results by Munoz et al. (2018) reveal a conductive channel in the vicinity of the earthquake swarm region that extends from the lower crust to the surface forming a pathway for fluids into the region of the mofettes. A second conductive channel is present in the south of their model; however, their 2D inversions allow ambiguous interpretations of this feature. Therefore, we conducted a large 3D MT field experiment extending the study area towards the south. The 3D inversion result matches well with the known geology imaging different fluid/magma reservoirs at crust-mantle depth and mapping possible fluid pathways from the reservoirs to the surface feeding known mofettes and spas. A comparison of 3D and 2D inversion results suggests that the 2D inversion results are considerably characterized by 3D and off-profile structures. In this context, the new results advocate for the swarm earthquakes being located in the resistive host rock surrounding the conductive channels; a finding in line with observations e.g. at the San Andreas Fault, California. KW - Magnetotellurics KW - Ohre Rift KW - Conductive channel KW - Fluid/magma reservoir KW - Earthquake swarm Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2022.229353 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 833 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -