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In the Autumn of 1989, Durham University took part in the BABEL Project, a collaboration of scientists from five nations recording wide angle and normal incidence seismic data in the Baltic Shield. Recording stations were set up along the Swedish coast of the Sea of Bothnia to record marine airgun shots at wide angle. Similar stations were operated by Finnish teams on the eastern coast, and by a German team on Aland. The data recorded are of high quality and high resolution in comparison to previous wide angle surveys in the region, with a shot spacing of 75 m. A large proportion (around fifty percent) of the project involved developing software for processing this data. The in-line data from Line 1, and also those recorded at two off-line stations, have been interpreted using Cerveny's Gaussian Beam forward modelling package BEAM87, the in-line model being further constrained by 2D gravity modelling. The resulting models are compared and contrasted with normal incidence data from the same line, other models derived from BABEL data in the Sea of Bothnia and older refraction lines in the vicinity. The models show a highly complex crust whose thickness varies between 50 and 60 km along the profile. The seismic velocity is high, increasing from 5.85 km s(^-l) near the surface to 7.4 km s(^-1) at the base of the crust. Lateral velocity variations are seen in the mid-upper crust while discontinuous reflectors and diffracting bodies are seen at 30 km depth. In the central/northern part of the line the crust thickens and there is a change in seismic velocity. Using other geophysical information from the region, two hypotheses are put forward for interpreting this part of the seismic model. The first is the presence of a large igneous intrusion, and the second is the existence of a shear zone or tectonic boundary cutting Line 1. Further work will be required to confirm either or both of these hypotheses.

Teleseismic data recorded by broad-band seismic stations in the Swedish National Seismic Network (SNSN) have been used in a suite of studies of seismic wave conversion in order to assess the structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Baltic Shield. Signals of seismic waves converted between P and S at seismic discontinuities within the Earth carry information on the velocity contrast at the converting interface, on the depth of conversion and on P and S velocities above this depth. The conversion from P to S at the crust-mantle boundary (the Moho) provides a robust tool to constrain crustal thicknesses. Results of such analysis for the Baltic Shield show considerable variation of Moho depths and significantly improve the Moho depth map. Analysis of waves converted from S to P in the upper mantle reveals a layered lithosphere with alternating high and low velocity bodies. It also detects clear signals of a sharp velocity contrast at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at depths around 200 km. Delay times of P410s, the conversion from P to S at the upper mantle discontinuity at 410 km depth, were used in a tomographic inversion to simultaneously determine P and S velocities in the upper mantle. The polarisation of P410s was also used to study anisotropy of the upper mantle. Results of these analyses are found to be in close agreement with independently derived results from arrival time tomography and shear-wave splitting analysis of SKS. The results presented in this thesis demonstrate the ability of converted wave analysis as a tool to detect and image geological boundaries that involve sharp contrasts in seismic properties. The results also show that this analysis can provide means of studying aspects of Earth’s structure that are conventionally studied using other types of seismic data.

<p>Teleseismic data recorded by broad-band seismic stations in the Swedish National Seismic Network (SNSN) have been used in a suite of studies of seismic wave conversion in order to assess the structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Baltic Shield. Signals of seismic waves converted between P and S at seismic discontinuities within the Earth carry information on the velocity contrast at the converting interface, on the depth of conversion and on P and S velocities above this depth. </p><p>The conversion from P to S at the crust-mantle boundary (the Moho) provides a robust tool to constrain crustal thicknesses. Results of such analysis for the Baltic Shield show considerable variation of Moho depths and significantly improve the Moho depth map. Analysis of waves converted from S to P in the upper mantle reveals a layered lithosphere with alternating high and low velocity bodies. It also detects clear signals of a sharp velocity contrast at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at depths around 200 km. </p><p>Delay times of P410s, the conversion from P to S at the upper mantle discontinuity at 410 km depth, were used in a tomographic inversion to simultaneously determine P and S velocities in the upper mantle. The polarisation of P410s was also used to study anisotropy of the upper mantle. Results of these analyses are found to be in close agreement with independently derived results from arrival time tomography and shear-wave splitting analysis of SKS.</p><p>The results presented in this thesis demonstrate the ability of converted wave analysis as a tool to detect and image geological boundaries that involve sharp contrasts in seismic properties. The results also show that this analysis can provide means of studying aspects of Earth’s structure that are conventionally studied using other types of seismic data.</p>