Abstract
The Barents Sea and its surroundings is an epicontinental region which
previously has been difficult to access, partly because of its remote
Arctic location and partly because the region has been politically
sensitive. Now, however, this region, and in particular its western
parts, has been very well surveyed with a variety of geophysical
studies, motivated in part by exploration for hydrocarbon resources.
Since this region is interesting geophysically as well as for seismic
verification, a major study was initiated in 2003 to develop a three-dimensional
(3-D) seismic velocity model for the crust and upper mantle, using
a grid density of 50 km. This study, in cooperation between NORSAR,
the University of Oslo (UiO), and the United States Geological Survey
(USGS), has led to the construction of a higher-resolution, regional
lithospheric model based on a comprehensive compilation of available
seismological and geophysical data. Following the methodology employed
in making the global crustal model CRUST5.1, the new model consists
of five crustal layers: soft and hard sediments, and crystalline
upper, middle, and lower crust. Both P- and S-wave velocities and
densities are specified in each layer. In addition, the density and
seismic velocity structure of the uppermost mantle, essential for
Pn and Sn travel time modeling, are included.
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