TY - JOUR A1 - Mechie, James A1 - Abu-Ayyash, Khalil A1 - Ben-Avraham, Zvi A1 - El-Kelani, R. A1 - Mohsen, Amjad A1 - Rumpker, Georg A1 - Saul, J. A1 - Weber, Michael H. T1 - Crustal shear velocity structure across the Dead Sea Transform from two-dimensional modelling of DESERT project explosion seismic data N2 - 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 Y1 - 2005 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rößler, Dirk A1 - Rumpker, Georg A1 - Krüger, Frank T1 - Ambiguous moment tensors and radiation patterns in anisotropic media with applications to the modeling of earthquake mechanisms in W-Bohemia N2 - Anisotropic material properties are usually neglected during inversions for source parameters of earthquakes. In general anisotropic media, however, moment tensors for pure-shear sources can exhibit significant non-double-couple components. Such effects may be erroneously interpreted as an indication for volumetric changes at the source. Here we investigate effects of anisotropy on seismic moment tensors and radiation patterns for pure-shear and tensile-type sources. Anisotropy can significantly influence the interpretation of the source mechanisms. For example, the orientation of the slip within the fault plane may affect the total seismic moment. Also, moment tensors due to pure- shear and tensile faulting can have similar characteristics depending on the orientation of the elastic tensor. Furthermore, the tensile nature of an earthquake can be obscured by near-source anisotropic properties. As an application, we consider effects of inhomogeneous anisotropic properties on the seismic moment tensor and the radiation patterns of a selected type of micro-earthquakes observed in W-Bohemia. The combined effects of near-source and along- path anisotropy cause characteristic amplitude distortions of the P, S1 and S2 waves. However, the modeling suggests that neither homogeneous nor inhomogeneous anisotropic properties alone can explain the observed large non-double-couple components. The results also indicate that a correct analysis of the source mechanism, in principle, is achievable by application of anisotropic moment tensor inversion Y1 - 2004 SN - 0039-3169 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mohsen, Amjad A1 - Hofstetter, Rami A1 - Bock, Günter A1 - Kind, Rainer A1 - Weber, Michael H. A1 - Wylegalla, Kurt A1 - Rumpker, Georg T1 - A receiver function study across the Dead Sea Transform N2 - 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 Y1 - 2005 SN - 0956-540X ER -