TY - JOUR A1 - Ryberg, Trond A1 - Braeuer, Benjamin A1 - Weber, Michael T1 - Upper mantle structure at Walvis Ridge from P-n tomography JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - Passive continental margins offer the unique opportunity to study the processes involved in continental extension and break-up. Within the LISPWAL (Llthospheric Structure of the Namibian continental Passive margin at the intersection with the Walvis Ridge from amphibious seismic investigations) project, combined on- and offshore seismic experiments were designed to characterize the Southern African passive margin at the Walvis Ridge in northern Namibia. In addition to extensive analysis of the crustal structures, we carried out seismic investigations targeting the velocity structure of the upper mantle in the landfall region of the Walvis Ridge with the Namibian coast. Upper mantle P-n travel time tomography from controlled source, amphibious seismic data was used to investigate the sub-Moho upper mantle seismic velocity. We succeeded in imaging upper mantle structures potentially associated with continental break-up and/or the Tristan da Cunha hotspot track. We found mostly coast-parallel sub-Moho velocity anomalies, interpreted as structures which were created during Gondwana break-up. (C)2016 Published by Elsevier B.V. KW - Seismic investigations KW - P-n tomography KW - passive continental margin KW - Gondwana break-up Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2016.08.009 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 716 SP - 121 EP - 129 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Braeuer, Benjamin A1 - Asch, Günter A1 - Hofstetter, Rami A1 - Haberland, Christian A1 - Jaser, D. A1 - El-Kelani, R. A1 - Weber, Michael H. T1 - Detailed seismicity analysis revealing the dynamics of the southern Dead Sea area JF - Journal of seismology N2 - Within the framework of the international DESIRE (DEad Sea Integrated REsearch) project, a dense temporary local seismological network was operated in the southern Dead Sea area. During 18 recording months, 648 events were detected. Based on an already published tomography study clustering, focal mechanisms, statistics and the distribution of the microseismicity in relation to the velocity models from the tomography are analysed. The determined b value of 0.74 leads to a relatively high risk of large earthquakes compared to the moderate microseismic activity. The distribution of the seismicity indicates an asymmetric basin with a vertical strike-slip fault forming the eastern boundary of the basin, and an inclined western boundary, made up of strike-slip and normal faults. Furthermore, significant differences between the area north and south of the Bokek fault were observed. South of the Bokek fault, the western boundary is inactive while the entire seismicity occurs on the eastern boundary and below the basin-fill sediments. The largest events occurred here, and their focal mechanisms represent the northwards transform motion of the Arabian plate along the Dead Sea Transform. The vertical extension of the spatial and temporal cluster from February 2007 is interpreted as being related to the locking of the region around the Bokek fault. North of the Bokek fault similar seismic activity occurs on both boundaries most notably within the basin-fill sediments, displaying mainly small events with strike-slip mechanism and normal faulting in EW direction. Therefore, we suggest that the Bokek fault forms the border between the single transform fault and the pull-apart basin with two active border faults. KW - Dead Sea basin KW - Microseismicity KW - Cluster KW - Pull-apart basin KW - Asymmetric basin KW - Transform fault Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-014-9441-4 SN - 1383-4649 SN - 1573-157X VL - 18 IS - 4 SP - 731 EP - 748 PB - Springer CY - Dordrecht ER -