Seismic wave velocities in the sedimentary cover of Poland: Borehole data compilation

摘要

A knowledge of seismic wave velocities in the sedimentary cover is of great importance for interpreting reflection and refraction seismic data, deep seismic soundings and regional and global seismic tomography. This is particularly true for regions characterized by significant thicknesses and a complex sedimentary cover structure. This paper presents the results of an analysis of seismic P-wave velocities in the sedimentary cover of Poland, a complex area of juxtaposition of major tectonic units: the Precambrian East European Craton, the Palaeozoic Platform of Central and Western Europe, and the Alpine orogen represented by the Carpathian Mountains. Based on vertical seismic profiling data from 1188 boreholes, the dependence of velocity versus depth was determined for regional geological units and for successions from the Tertiary and Quaternary to the Cambrian. The data have been approximated by polynomials, and velocity-depth formulas are given down to 6000 m depth. The velocities in the sedimentary cover have been compared with those from other areas in Europe.