A Geological and Geophysical Information System for Eurasia
Abstract
Topography and heterogeneous crustal structure have major effects on the propagation of regional seismic phases. We are collecting topographical, geological, and geophysical datasets for Eurasia into an information system that can be accessed via Internet connections. Now available are digital topography, satellite imagery, and data on sedimentary basins and crustal structure thicknesses. We are expanding the scope of our information system to include data on the Middle East and North Africa. Under the auspices of several other ongoing projects at Cornell we have collected a very large literature collection, satellite imagery and some detailed datasets, especially in Syria and Morocco. New datasets for Eurasia include maps of depth to Moho beneath Europe and Scandinavia. We have created regularly spaced grids of the crustal thickness values from these maps that can be used to create profiles of crustal structure. These profiles can be compared by an analyst or an automatic program with the crustal seismic phases received along the propagation path to better understand and predict the path effects on phase amplitudes, a key to estimating magnitudes and yields, and for understanding variations in travel-time delays for phases such as Pn, important for improving regional event locations. The gridded data could also be used to model propagation of crustal phases in three dimensions. In the near future, we will be making new databases from the Middle East and North Africa available via the Internet. We encourage ARPA and Air Force researchers to contact us about gaining access to our databases at these computer mail addresses: "eric/geology.cornell.edu" -or- "fielding/seismo.css.gov".
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 29, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA267841
Entities
People
- Bryan L. Isacks
- Eric J. Fielding
- Muawia Barazangi
Organizations
- Cornell University