A SEISMIC REFRACTION SURVEY IN RED SEA

Intensive seismic refraction work has been carried out in the Red Sea in a small area centred on 22° 30° N, 37° 00° E. Below water depths of 600 to 1400 m, material with a mean seismic velocity of 4.3 km s‐1 overlies a layer of mean seismic velocity 6.6 km s‐1. The refracted arrival times indicate that the depth to the deep layer varies typically between 3 and 6 km but that the layer is horizontally continuous. A velocity of 6.4 km s‐1 was measured over the central deep trough and it is suggested that the high velocities are those of new crustal material emplaced in the process of separation of the Arabo‐Nubian continental blocks by at least 130 km, measured perpendicular to the Red Sea axis. This hypothesis is discussed in the light of existing gravity and magnetic observations in the area. Copyright © 1969, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved