A seismic cross-section through the east European continent

A 2-D profile for the shear wave velocity and anisotropy between Egypt and Spitsbergen is presented. The profile is constructed using fundamental- and higher-mode Love and Rayleigh waves recorded by stations of the NARS-DEEP, IRIS and GEOFON networks. The surface wave data have been inverted for she ar velocity and anisotropy using a waveform inversion. In the eastern Medit erranean lithosphere we observe a large difference (7 per cent) between SH and SV velocities. We interpret this anomaly as an anisotropic oceanic lith osphere beneath the eastern Mediterranean, an interpretation which is consi stent with tectonic reconstructions of the region. The east European contin ent is imaged as a high-velocity body whose thickness increases with the es timated age of the lithosphere. The continental root of the Ukrainian and B altic shields and east European platform extends to a depth of 200 km. This is in contrast to the surrounding younger continental regions which appear to be less than 100 km thick. We further studied the structure of the cont inental lithosphere by investigating a possible relation between seismic ve locities and tectonic age. Both a logarithmic and a square root relation ha ve been fitted to the average seismic velocities in each tectonic region. T he data slightly favour a logarithmic relation but a square root relation c annot be excluded.