The crustal structure of the east Africa through earthquake seismology

Abstract

First arrivals of local and regional earthquakes, recorded at the Kaptagat array station on the western flank of the Gregory Rift Valley in Kenya, have been analysed to determine the crustal structure westward from the Rift axis. Apparent velocities have been interpreted in terms of crustal velocities. Azimuth and epicentral distance of event has provided lateral and vertical control on crustal boundaries. Normal shield crust, underlain by normal Moho is concluded to exist on the western flank of the Rift Valley. From the satisfactory propagation of S(_n) from events originating around the western Rift, normal Moho is considered to exist across the East African Plateau. A massive mantle derived intrusion is concluded to have penetrated the crust to within approximately 8 km of the Rift floor. This intrusion reaches to within about 7 km of the Elgeyo escarpment, the major Rift Valley boundary fault immediately to the east of Kaptagat. In order to aid second arrival analysis, a synthetic seismogram programme based on short wavelength asymptotic theory for reflected and refracted waves has been written. A qualitative analysis of real and synthetic seismograms of events originating to the west of Kaptagat, suggests that the crustal structure is more complex than the simple two- layered model initially produced. It is considered that the structure beneath the Gregory Rift is more equivalent to that beneath ocean Rift Systems than that beneath continental Rifts. However, rather than being a direct extension of the "World Rift System, the Eastern Rift and associated Kenya dome should be considered as a single physical unft.