The deep crust beneath the Trans-European Suture Zone from a multiscale magnetic model

We present a 3-D interpretation of the deep magnetic sources beneath the main geological structure of central-eastern Europe, the “Trans-European Suture Zone” (TESZ). We used a multiscale analysis of aeromagnetic data, based on a multiscale data set generated by upward continuation of the European and Mediterranean Magnetic Project data set from 5 to 100 km altitude. We also computed the multiscale total gradient |∇T| of the multiscale field. Both of the multiscale data sets allow us to discriminate the main crustal contributions to the field at various scales, and we showed that at large altitudes the field is dominated by the sole effect of the TESZ. The multiridge geometric method was very useful in studying the complex features of the main crustal interfaces, either shallow or deep. The interpreted interfaces are largely agreement with geological models based on seismic surveys and, in some cases, complete the models out of the analyzed region. In order to estimate the deepest source depths in the TESZ region, we applied the multiridge method to the large scales (50–100 km altitude), obtaining a set of singular points at depths ranging between 35 and 40 km. Considering the heat flow trend and the geological models around the TESZ area, we found a meaningful correspondence among the location of the estimated singular points and the most abrupt variations and complex morphology features of the Moho boundary. The multiridge estimates are consistent with known structural information and can be used for a 3-D representation of the Moho depth along the TESZ.