We analyze seismic anisotropy for the Eastern Alpine region by inspecting shear-wave splitting from SKS and SKKS phases. The Eastern Alpine region is characterized by a breakdown of the clear mountain-chain-parallel fast orientation pattern that has been previously documented for the Western Alps and for the western part of the Eastern Alps. The main interest of this paper is a more detailed analysis of the anisotropic character of the Eastern Alps, and the transition to the Carpathian–Pannonian region. SK(K)S splitting measurements reveal a rather remarkable lateral change in the anisotropy pattern from the west to the east of the Eastern Alps with a transition area at about 12°E. We also model the backazimuthal variation of the measurements by a vertical change of anisotropy. We find that the eastern part of the study area is characterized by the presence of two layers of anisotropy, where the deeper layer has characteristics similar to those of the Central Alps, in particular SW–NE fast orientations of anisotropic axes. We attribute the deeper layer to a detached slab from the European plate. Comparison with tomographic studies of the area indicates that the detached slab might possibly connect with the lithosphere that is still in place to the west of our study area, and may also connect with the slab graveyard to the East, at the depth of the upper mantle transition zone. On the other hand, the upper layer has NW–SE fast orientations coinciding with a low-velocity layer which is found above a more-or-less eastward dipping high-velocity body. The anisotropy of the upper layer shows large-scale NW–SE fast orientation, which is consistent with the presence of asthenospheric flow above the detached slab foundering into the deeper mantle.

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To better understand the evolution and present‐day tectonics of the Carpathian‐Pannonian Region (CPR), we characterize the upper mantle anisotropic structure. We present a shear wave splitting analysis from teleseismic events recorded at the Carpathian Basin Project and permanent stations located in the CPR. The results show a large‐scale uniform NW‐SE fast orientation under the entire CPR. Compared with the complexity of geologic structures, the anisotropy expresses a relatively simple pattern of deformation. We attribute this anisotropy to an asthenospheric origin and interpret it as flow‐induced alignment within the upper mantle. We also observe a few measurements depicting NE‐SW fast orientation in line with the Mid‐Hungarian Shear Zone. This suggests the likely contribution of either lithosphere or northeastward flow into a slab gap under the northern Dinarides. We observe splitting delay times on average of 1 s, showing noticeable change (60%) in the middle Pannonian basin. This change correlates well with the variation in the thickness of low‐velocity zones that were previously imaged between a depth of 75 and 400 km by velocity tomography. In order to evaluate the relation between anisotropy and tectonics, we compare our data with the tectonic models that have so far been suggested to explain the evolution and current‐stage tectonics of the region. We present here a plausible tectonic model responsible for the NW‐SE anisotropy within the asthenospheric mantle. In this model, NW‐SE deformation is mainly generated in a northeastward compressional tectonic regime acting in a wide region between the Adriatic microplate and the East European platform.

Abstract. We study the crustal structure under the Eastern and Southern Alps using ambient noise tomography. We use cross-correlations of ambient seismic noise between pairs of 71 permanent stations and 19 stations of the Eastern Alpine Seismic Investigation (EASI) profile to derive new 3D shear velocity models for the crust. Continuous records from 2014 and 2015 are cross-correlated to estimate Green's functions of Rayleigh and Love waves propagating between the station pairs. Group velocities extracted from the cross-correlations are inverted to obtain isotropic 3D Rayleigh- and Love-wave shear-wave velocity models. Our models image several velocity anomalies and contrasts and reveal details of the crustal structure. Velocity variations at short periods correlate very closely with the lithologies of tectonic units at the surface and projected to depth. Low-velocity zones, associated with the Po and Molasse sedimentary basins, are imaged well to the south and north of the Alps, respectively. We find large high-velocity zones associated with the crystalline basement that forms the core of the Tauern Window. Small-scale velocity anomalies are also aligned with geological units of the Austroalpine nappes. Clear velocity contrasts in the Tauern Window along vertical cross sections of the velocity model show the depth extent of the tectonic units and their bounding faults. A mid-crustal velocity contrast is interpreted as a manifestation of intracrustal decoupling in the Eastern Alps that accommodated eastward escape of the Alcapa block.

While the measurements in the west show a single pattern of anisotropy (NE-SW), those in the east show two different patterns but dominantly NW-SE orientation.

Abstract. Site selection is a crucial part of the work flow for installing seismic stations. Here, we report the preparations for a countrywide temporary seismic network in Austria. We describe the specific requirements for a multi-purpose seismic array with 40 km station spacing that will be operative approximately three years. Reftek 151 60 s sensors and Reftek 130/130S digitizers form the core instrumentation of our seismic stations which are mostly installed inside abandoned or occasionally used basements or cellars. We present probabilistic power spectral density analysis to assess noise conditions at selected sites and show exemplary seismic events that were recorded by the preliminary network by the end of July 2015.

The project at hand is a field test around the KTB (Kontinentale Tiefbohrung) site in the Oberpfalz, Southeastern Germany, at the northwestern edge of the Bohemian Massif. The region has been extensively studied through the analysis of several seismic reflection lines deployed around the drilling site. The deep borehole had been placed into gneiss rocks of the Zone Erbendorf-Vohenstrauss. Drilling activity lasted from 1987 to 1994, and it descended down to a depth of 9101 m.In our experiment, we aim to recover structural information as well as anisotropy of the upper crust using the receiver function technique. This retrieved information is the basis for comparing the out-coming anisotropy amount and orientation with information of rock samples from up to 9 km depth, and with high-frequency seismic experiments around the drill site.For that purpose, we installed 9 seismic stations, and recorded seismicity continuously for two years from

We study the coupling between crust and mantle in a convergent regime, by comparing measures of upper mantle deformation with indicators of crustal deformation. We use shear-wave splitting parameters, in particular the orientation of fast axes in the upper mantle measured from data recorded at 8 broadband stations located within the Tauern