Summary
The Mohorovičić seismic discontinuity, known today as the
Moho, was discovered in 1909 by Andrija Mohorovičić. It
is defined by a jump in seismic velocities from 5.6 to
~7.8 km/s. It represents the boundary between the more
felsic crust and the mafic mantle. Combining seismic, gravity, and other data to map the Moho has led to global compilations (CRUST1.0 and GEMMA2012C) that have
achieved impressive resolution and coverage. The petrologic and seismic Moho do not always coincide because
of complications due to eclogitisation and serpentinization.
Modern seismic techniques have revealed richness in structure including double and inverted Mohos at subduction
zones (Bostock, 2013) and great complexity in continental
regions (Cook et al., 2010; Carbonell et al., 2013). It is
now clear that the Mohorovičić discontinuity is a dynamic
feature. Ongoing efforts include detecting and understanding other changes in physical properties across it, such as
electrical conductivity, scale changes in heterogeneities
across it, and viscosity.
Bibliography
Belyaevsky, N. A., Borisov, A. A., Fedynsky, V. V., Fotiadi, E. E.,
Subbotin, S. I., and Volvovsky, I. S., 1973. Structure of the
earth’s crust on the territory of the U.S.S.R. Tectonophysics,
20, 35–45.
Bostock, M. G., 2013. The Moho in subduction zones.
Tectonophysics, 609, 547–557.
Bostock, M. G., Hyndman, R. D., Rondenay, S., and Peacock,
S. M., 2002. An inverted continental Moho and serpentinization
of the forearc mantle. Nature, 417, 536–538.
Carbonell, R., Levander, A., and Kind, R., 2013. The Mohorovičić
discontinuity beneath the continental crust: an overview of seismic constraints. Tectonophysics, 609, 353–376.
Cook, F. A., White, D. J., Jones, A. G., Eaton, D. W. S., Hall, J., and
Clowes, R. M., 2010. How the crust meets the mantle: lithoprobe
perspectives on the Mohorovičić discontinuity and crust-mantle
transition. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 47, 315–351.
Ewing, J., and Ewing, M., 1959. Seismic-refraction measurements
in the Atlantic Ocean basins, in the Mediterranean Sea, on the
mid-Atlantic ridge and in the Norwegian Sea. Bulletin of the
Geological Society of America, 70, 291–318.
Gans, C. R., Beck, S. L. G., Zandt, G., Gilbert, H., Alvarado, P.,
Anderson, M., and Linkimer, L., 2011. Continental and oceanic
crustal structure of the Pampean flat slab region, western Argentina, using receiver function analysis: new high-resolution
results. Geophysical Journal International, 186, 45–58.
Gladczenko, T., Coffin, M., and Eldholm, O., 1997. Crustal structure of the Ontong Java plateau: modeling of new gravity and
existing seismic data. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102,
22711–22729.
Greenberg, D. S., 1974. Mohole: geopolitical fiasco. In Gass, I. G.,
Smith, P. J., and Wilson, R. C. L. (eds.), Understanding the
Earth. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 343–349.
Hasselgren, E. O., and Clowes, R. M., 1995. Crustal structure of
northern Juan de Fuca plate from multichannel reflection data.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 100, 6469–6486.
Jones, A. G., 2013. Imaging and observing the electrical Moho.
Tectonophysics, 609, 423–436.
Laske, G., Masters, G., Ma, Z., and Pasyanos, M., 2013. Update on
CRUST1.0 – A 1-degree global model of Earth’s crust. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 15, EGU2013–EGU2658.
Lebedev, S., Adam, J. M.-C., and Meier, T., 2013. Mapping the
Moho with seismic surface waves: a review, resolution analysis,
and recommended inversion strategies. Tectonophysics, 609,
377–394.
Lehman, I., 1936. P
0
. Travaux Scientifique, 14, 88–94.
Mohorovičić, A., 1910. Potres od 8.X 1909. Jahrbuch des
meteorologischen observatoriums in Zagreb (Agram) für das
Jahr 1909, 1–56. English translation, 1992. Earthquake of
1909 October 8. Geofizika, 9, 3–55.
Morelli, C., Bellemo, S., Finetti, I., and De Visintini, G., 1967. Preliminary depth contour maps for the Conrad and Moho discontinuities in Europe. Bolletino di Geofisica Teorica ed Applicata, 9,
1–48.
Mutter, J. C., and Carton, H. D., 2013. The Mohorovičić discontinuity in ocean basins: some observations from seismic data.
Tectonophysics, 609, 314–330.
O’Reilly, S. Y., and Griffin, W. L., 2013. Moho vs crust-mantle
boundary: evolution of an idea. Tectonophysics, 609, 535–546.
Oldenburg, D. W., 1974. The inversion and interpretation of gravity
anomalies. Geophysics, 39, 526–536.
Oldham, R. D., 1906. Constitution of the interior of the Earth as
revealed by earthquakes. Quarterly Journal of the Geological
Society, 62, 456–475.
Prodehl, C., and Mooney, W. D., 2012. Exploring the Earth’s
Crust—History and Results of Controlled-Source Seismology.
Denver: Geological Society of America Memoir 208.
Prodehl, C., Kennett, B., Artemieva, I. M., and Thybo, H., 2013.
100 years of seismic research on the Moho. Tectonophysics,
609, 9–44.
Reguzzoni, M., Sampietro, D., and Sansò, F., 2013. Global Moho
from the combination of the CRUST2.0 model and GOCE data.
Geophysical Journal International, 195, 222–237.
Shapiro, N. M., and Campillo, M., 2004. Emergence of broadband
Rayleigh waves from correlations of the ambient seismic noise.
Geophysical Research Letters, 31, L07614.
Shor, G. G., Jr., 1963. Refraction and reflection techniques and procedure. In Hill, M. N. (ed.), The Sea. New York: Interscience,
Vol. 3, pp. 19–38.
Steinhart, J. S., 1967. Mohorovicic discontinuity. In Runcorn, S. K.
(ed.), International Dictionary of Geophysics. Oxford:
Pergamon Press, Vol. 2, pp. 991–994.
Sutton, G. H., Maynard, G. L., and Hussong, D. M., 1971. Widespread occurrences of a high velocity basalt layer in the Pacific
crust found with repetitive sources and sonobuoys. In Heacock,
J. G. (ed.), The Structure and Physical Properties of the Earth’s
Crust. Washington, DC: American Geophysical Union, Vol.
14, pp. 193–209.
Thybo, H., Artemieva, I. M., and Kennett, B., 2013. Moho:
100 years after Andrija Mohorovičić. Tectonophysics, 609, 1–8.
van der Meijde, M., Julià, J., and Assumpção, M., 2013. Gravity
derived Moho for South America. Tectonophysics, 609,
456–467.
Warren, D. H., and Healy, J. H., 1973. The crust in the conterminous
United States. Tectonophysics, 20, 203–213.
Cross-references
Gravity Field
Layering of Oceanic Crust
Lithosphere: Structure and Composition
Ophiolites
Reflection/Refraction Seismology
518
MOHOROVIC ˇ IC ´ DISCONTINUITY (MOHO)
The Mohorovičić seismic discontinuity, known today as the
Moho, was discovered in 1909 by Andrija Mohorovičić. It
is defined by a jump in seismic velocities from 5.6 to
~7.8 km/s. It represents the boundary between the more
felsic crust and the mafic mantle. Combining seismic, gravity, and other data to map the Moho has led to global compilations (CRUST1.0 and GEMMA2012C) that have
achieved impressive resolution and coverage. The petrologic and seismic Moho do not always coincide because
of complications due to eclogitisation and serpentinization.
Modern seismic techniques have revealed richness in structure including double and inverted Mohos at subduction
zones (Bostock, 2013) and great complexity in continental
regions (Cook et al., 2010; Carbonell et al., 2013). It is
now clear that the Mohorovičić discontinuity is a dynamic
feature. Ongoing efforts include detecting and understanding other changes in physical properties across it, such as
electrical conductivity, scale changes in heterogeneities
across it, and viscosity.
Bibliography
Belyaevsky, N. A., Borisov, A. A., Fedynsky, V. V., Fotiadi, E. E.,
Subbotin, S. I., and Volvovsky, I. S., 1973. Structure of the
earth’s crust on the territory of the U.S.S.R. Tectonophysics,
20, 35–45.
Bostock, M. G., 2013. The Moho in subduction zones.
Tectonophysics, 609, 547–557.
Bostock, M. G., Hyndman, R. D., Rondenay, S., and Peacock,
S. M., 2002. An inverted continental Moho and serpentinization
of the forearc mantle. Nature, 417, 536–538.
Carbonell, R., Levander, A., and Kind, R., 2013. The Mohorovičić
discontinuity beneath the continental crust: an overview of seismic constraints. Tectonophysics, 609, 353–376.
Cook, F. A., White, D. J., Jones, A. G., Eaton, D. W. S., Hall, J., and
Clowes, R. M., 2010. How the crust meets the mantle: lithoprobe
perspectives on the Mohorovičić discontinuity and crust-mantle
transition. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 47, 315–351.
Ewing, J., and Ewing, M., 1959. Seismic-refraction measurements
in the Atlantic Ocean basins, in the Mediterranean Sea, on the
mid-Atlantic ridge and in the Norwegian Sea. Bulletin of the
Geological Society of America, 70, 291–318.
Gans, C. R., Beck, S. L. G., Zandt, G., Gilbert, H., Alvarado, P.,
Anderson, M., and Linkimer, L., 2011. Continental and oceanic
crustal structure of the Pampean flat slab region, western Argentina, using receiver function analysis: new high-resolution
results. Geophysical Journal International, 186, 45–58.
Gladczenko, T., Coffin, M., and Eldholm, O., 1997. Crustal structure of the Ontong Java plateau: modeling of new gravity and
existing seismic data. Journal of Geophysical Research, 102,
22711–22729.
Greenberg, D. S., 1974. Mohole: geopolitical fiasco. In Gass, I. G.,
Smith, P. J., and Wilson, R. C. L. (eds.), Understanding the
Earth. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 343–349.
Hasselgren, E. O., and Clowes, R. M., 1995. Crustal structure of
northern Juan de Fuca plate from multichannel reflection data.
Journal of Geophysical Research, 100, 6469–6486.
Jones, A. G., 2013. Imaging and observing the electrical Moho.
Tectonophysics, 609, 423–436.
Laske, G., Masters, G., Ma, Z., and Pasyanos, M., 2013. Update on
CRUST1.0 – A 1-degree global model of Earth’s crust. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 15, EGU2013–EGU2658.
Lebedev, S., Adam, J. M.-C., and Meier, T., 2013. Mapping the
Moho with seismic surface waves: a review, resolution analysis,
and recommended inversion strategies. Tectonophysics, 609,
377–394.
Lehman, I., 1936. P
0
. Travaux Scientifique, 14, 88–94.
Mohorovičić, A., 1910. Potres od 8.X 1909. Jahrbuch des
meteorologischen observatoriums in Zagreb (Agram) für das
Jahr 1909, 1–56. English translation, 1992. Earthquake of
1909 October 8. Geofizika, 9, 3–55.
Morelli, C., Bellemo, S., Finetti, I., and De Visintini, G., 1967. Preliminary depth contour maps for the Conrad and Moho discontinuities in Europe. Bolletino di Geofisica Teorica ed Applicata, 9,
1–48.
Mutter, J. C., and Carton, H. D., 2013. The Mohorovičić discontinuity in ocean basins: some observations from seismic data.
Tectonophysics, 609, 314–330.
O’Reilly, S. Y., and Griffin, W. L., 2013. Moho vs crust-mantle
boundary: evolution of an idea. Tectonophysics, 609, 535–546.
Oldenburg, D. W., 1974. The inversion and interpretation of gravity
anomalies. Geophysics, 39, 526–536.
Oldham, R. D., 1906. Constitution of the interior of the Earth as
revealed by earthquakes. Quarterly Journal of the Geological
Society, 62, 456–475.
Prodehl, C., and Mooney, W. D., 2012. Exploring the Earth’s
Crust—History and Results of Controlled-Source Seismology.
Denver: Geological Society of America Memoir 208.
Prodehl, C., Kennett, B., Artemieva, I. M., and Thybo, H., 2013.
100 years of seismic research on the Moho. Tectonophysics,
609, 9–44.
Reguzzoni, M., Sampietro, D., and Sansò, F., 2013. Global Moho
from the combination of the CRUST2.0 model and GOCE data.
Geophysical Journal International, 195, 222–237.
Shapiro, N. M., and Campillo, M., 2004. Emergence of broadband
Rayleigh waves from correlations of the ambient seismic noise.
Geophysical Research Letters, 31, L07614.
Shor, G. G., Jr., 1963. Refraction and reflection techniques and procedure. In Hill, M. N. (ed.), The Sea. New York: Interscience,
Vol. 3, pp. 19–38.
Steinhart, J. S., 1967. Mohorovicic discontinuity. In Runcorn, S. K.
(ed.), International Dictionary of Geophysics. Oxford:
Pergamon Press, Vol. 2, pp. 991–994.
Sutton, G. H., Maynard, G. L., and Hussong, D. M., 1971. Widespread occurrences of a high velocity basalt layer in the Pacific
crust found with repetitive sources and sonobuoys. In Heacock,
J. G. (ed.), The Structure and Physical Properties of the Earth’s
Crust. Washington, DC: American Geophysical Union, Vol.
14, pp. 193–209.
Thybo, H., Artemieva, I. M., and Kennett, B., 2013. Moho:
100 years after Andrija Mohorovičić. Tectonophysics, 609, 1–8.
van der Meijde, M., Julià, J., and Assumpção, M., 2013. Gravity
derived Moho for South America. Tectonophysics, 609,
456–467.
Warren, D. H., and Healy, J. H., 1973. The crust in the conterminous
United States. Tectonophysics, 20, 203–213.
Cross-references
Gravity Field
Layering of Oceanic Crust
Lithosphere: Structure and Composition
Ophiolites
Reflection/Refraction Seismology
518
MOHOROVIC ˇ IC ´ DISCONTINUITY (MOHO)