Crustal structure of the Korean peninsula

한반도 지각 속도구조

In order to investigate the velocity structure of the southern part of the Korean peninsula, exploded seismic signals were recorded for 120 s along a 294-km WNW-ESE line and 150 s along a 335-km NNW-SSE line in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Velocity tomograms were derived from inverting P-wave and S-wave first arrival times. The raypaths indicate several midcrust interfaces. The shallowest one is at the approximate depth of $2{\sim}3\;km$ with refraction velocities of approximately Vp=6.0 and Vs=3.5 km/s, respectively. The second one of $15{\sim}17\;km$ depth has refraction velocities of approximately Vp=7.1 and Vs=3.7 km/s, respectively. The deepest significant interface varies in depth from 30.8 km to 36.1 km. The critically refracting Vp of $7.8{\sim}8.1\;km/s$ and Vs of $4.2{\sim}4.6\;km/s$ along this interface which may correspond to the Moho discontinuity. The velocity tomograms show (1) existence of a low-velocity zone centered at $6{\sim}7\;km$ depth under the Okchon fold belt and the Yeongnam massif, (2) extension of the Yeongdon fault down to greater than 10 km, and (3) existence of high-velocity materials under the Gyeongsan basin less than 4.2 km thick.