A study of the Earth's crust and upper mantle using travel times and spectrum characteristics of body waves

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Abstract
The aim of this paper is to investigate the velocity distribution and structure of the Earth's crust and upper mantle from the close collaboration of theory and experimental results of travel times and spectrum characteristics of body waves. The interpretation was based on 38 seismic records which were obtained from the “Project Early Rise” experiment during July 1966. The results refer to the area bounded by latitudes 49°W and 51°30′ and longitudes 93°W and 98°W. A least-squares analysis of the travel-time data was made and the uncertainties of the slopes, intercept times, and corresponding velocities were determined. The observed wide-angle reflections were used to calculate the root mean square velocities applying the T2 - X2 method. Depth calculations for the velocity discontinuities and seismic depth contour maps were made. A model was constructed, and the validity of the proposed new model was tested by comparing the observed travel times, spectrum-amplitude ratios, and relative phase shifts of body waves with theoretically expected values. Evidence is given for three discontinuities in the Earth's crust with velocities of 6.11 ± 0.01 km/sec, 6.8 ± 0.08 km/sec, and 7.10 ± 0.04 km/sec at average depths 18 ± 2 km and 25.5 ± 0.9 km. Velocities in the uppermost part of the mantle were determined as 7.90 ± 0.05 km/sec and 8.48 ± 0.05 km/sec with interfaces at the average depths of 34 ± 1 km, and 47 ± 1 km, respectively.