Crustal thickness variations in western Venezuela from deep seismic observations

Seismic measurements were carried out in northwestern Venezuela including both, offshore and land refraction and wide angle reflection data. Seismic sections were constructed from land shots recorded on portable single channel stations as well as from airgun shots recorded by broadband seismological stations on land. Modeling of the land profile indicates the existence of a pronounced crustal thinning in the northeastern Falcón area. Additional seismic lines help to delineate the spatial distribution of the thinning area. The observations suggest that its western end occurs just west of Aracua while it opens to the east. The seismic observations discussed here support theories of diachronic opening of the Falcón Basin in an east-west fashion.