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Geological Society, London, Memoirs; 2006; v. 32; p. 427-442;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.MEM.2006.032.01.26
© 2006 Geological Society of London

Mesozoic-Palaeozoic Europe

Crustal structure of the Middle Urals based on seismic reflection data

S. Kashubin1, C. Juhlin2, M. Friberg2, A. Rybalka1, G. Petrov3, A. Kashubin2, M. Bliznetsov1 & D. Steer4

1 Bazhenov Geophysical Expedition, Communotov Street 17, Zarechny, 624051, Russia
2 Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden (Christopher.juhlin{at}geo.uu.se)
3 Urals Geological Survey Expedition, 55 Veinera, Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk District, 620014, Russia
4 Department of Geology, University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325-4101, USA

EUROPROBE-related seismic reflection surveys in the Middle Urals, Russia (latitude 56-62°) since 1993 have led to an increased understanding of the crustal structure and tectonic evolution of this region. A 400 km long profile now extends from the foreland basin in the west well into the West Siberian Basin in the east. Bivergent structures characterize the upper crust of the Uralide orogen, whereas the middle and lower crust generally contain gently west-dipping reflections. A crustal root is imaged down to almost 60 km beneath the exposed Urals. Below the foreland and the West Siberian Basin the lower crustal reflectivity is pronounced and the Moho lies at a depth of 40-45 km. Below the foreland on the recently acquired Serebrianka-Beriozovka profile, two sets of late arriving (20-25 s) reflections are present. One set reflects from a zone in the mantle at about 60-70 km depth that strikes ENE and dips about 45° to the SSE. The other set may represent imbricated lower crust. Major events during the Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the Middle Urals were: continental and oceanic rifting (Late Cambrian to Early Ordovician); development of a passive continental margin (Mid-Ordovician to Mid-Carboniferous); intra-oceanic subduction below the Tagil arc (Silurian to Devonian); east-dipping subduction of the Baltica plate (Silurian to Early Devonian); possible subduction reversal with formation of the Alapaevsk island arc and the Krasnoturjinsk-Petrokamensk active continental margin (Devonian to Early Carboniferous); active building of a mountain belt and intrusion of collision-related granitic plutons (Carboniferous to Permian).