Structure of the Earth’s Crust of the Persian Gulf According to Deep Seismic Sounding Results

Abstract—The article presents the results of DSS seismic surveys in the Persian Gulf. Bottom analog-type seismographs and seismic airgun sources were used in the studies. The bottom seismographs were moored and shooting was carried out according to three regional profiles with a length from 100 to 250 km. The main result of these studies was a velocity–depth model of the sedimentary cover and Earth’s crust up to the Moho boundary, which was revealed at a depth of about 43 km in the water area. Given that the thickness of the upper crust is only 4–5 km and based on the velocity characteristics of the remaining layers, the type of crust can be attributed to the subcontinental Archean type. This situation (complete absence or drowning of the upper layer of the Earth’s crust) is typical of the waters closest to the Persian Gulf: the Black, Caspian, Mediterranean, and Red seas. A structure was found in the Earth’s crust of the studied area, which may be a brachyanticline with an isometric dome-shaped shape, which corresponds to the platform-type folding in the areas of salt dome tectonics. No faults have been found in the crust of the water area of the Persian Gulf adjacent to the Bushehr Peninsula.