Abstract
This paper presents a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the resistivity distribution in the European lithosphere at the junction between the East European Craton, the Palaeozoic Platform of Western Europe and the Carpathians. The model was created by inverting the magnetotelluric and geomagnetic deep sounding data from 593 points collected over the last 50 years. ModEM code was used to invert the data and obtain the conductivity distribution model. The full size of the mesh with edges was 3000 by 3000 kms and 600 kms in the vertical direction, and the modelling field was digitized with 104 × 104 × 52 (+ 10 air) cells in geographic orientations. A trial-and-error approach was applied to select the best model parameters, such as the starting model and the covariance matrix. The results show a variable thickness of the sedimentary layer, increasing westward, and the presence of deep and extensive conductive anomalies in the crystalline crust. Early Permian continental rifting responsible for the SW-ward lithospheric thinning, localised crustal stretching and subsidence of a broad sedimentary basin had a primary impact on the distribution of resistivity anomalies. While the pre-rift tectonic features have little impact on the resistivity structure, the effects of Late Cretaceous-Paleogene accretion of the Western Carpathians and inversion of the Permian-Mesozoic Polish Basin are clearly detectable in the resistivity pattern. Consequently, our study highlights the role of relatively young tectonic processes in the evolution of a transition zone linking old and stable Eastern Europe with younger and mobile Western Europe.
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Acknowledgements
Authors acknowledge financial support from the Polish National Science Centre grant no. UMO-2017/25/B/ST10/01348 and from the project EPOS-PL (No POIR.04.02.00-14-A003/16) co-financed by the European Union from the funds of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). We are grateful to Gary Egbert and Anna Kelbert for sharing their 3-D nonlinear inversion code. We thank Reviewers, Anonymous Reviewer and Kate Selway, as well as the Editor in Chief for their support in improving our paper.
Funding
This work was supported by the Polish National Science Centre [grant number UMO-2017/25/B/ST10/01348]; and the project EPOS-PL co-financed by the European Union from the funds of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) [grant number POIR.04.02.00-14-A003/16].
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Full set of phase tensor ellipses and induction arrows maps. The colour of the phase tensor ellipsis indicates a skew angle β. The real induction arrows are plotted using the Wiese convention (Wiese, 1962). An arrow length in the legend represents a value of 0.5.
Penetration depth maps for all periods used (the amplitude of the magnetic field is reduced in 1/e).
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Full set of horizontal slices through the three-dimensional model of lithospheric resistivity distribution in the transition zone from the East European Craton to Palaeozoic Platform.
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Synopsis of vertical slices oriented parallel to the East European Craton margin. Main low resistivity anomalies are related to the substratum of the Mid-Polish Trough, Variscan domain (Bohemian Massif, Sudetes) and Western Carpathians (Pieniny Klippen Belt).
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Mean conductivity for selected depth intervals: (a) 0–7.81 km; (b) 7.81–19.5 km; (c) 19.5–41.6 km; (d) 41.6–197.0 km. See text for details. BT—Brunovistulian Terrane; HCM—Holy Cross Mountains; LaB—Lausitz Block; MPS—Mid-Polish Swell; MPT—Mid-Polish Trough; TTZ—Teisseyre–Tornquist Zone.
Decomposition of the conductivity model by gradual stripping of the resistive coatings.
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Jóźwiak, W., Nowożyński, K., Mazur, S. et al. Deep Electrical Resistivity Structure of the European Lithosphere in Poland Derived from 3-D Inversion of Magnetotelluric Data. Surv Geophys 43, 1563–1586 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-022-09716-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10712-022-09716-1