The Kraichgau Terrane is a NE-SW elongated high-density body covered by Mesozoic sedimentary rocks and occupies the southwestern parts of the Saxo-Thuringian Zone in the Central European Variscides. Compared to other regions of the Saxo-Thuringian Zone, the Kraichgau Terrane is poorly studied owing to very limited subsurface data. We integrate reprocessed DEKORP-2S seismic reflection profile, filtered Bouguer gravity and total magnetic intensity data and show the regional subsurface litho-structure of the Kraichgau Terrane.
The seismic reflections show a stratified crust with high amplitude, continuous and subhorizontal middle and lower crust in the SE and NW separated by a central zone of medium to low amplitude and transparent area hosting several oppositely dipping high amplitude reflections. This central zone (CZ) is approximately 80 km wide along the DEKORP-2S profile, exhibits a high density anomaly and shows two distinct linear features on the vertical derivatives of the magnetic intensity data. Further NE along the DEKORP-3MVE profile, the CZ is approximately 20 km wide, is denser than surrounding areas, and exhibits a single linear feature on the vertical derivative of the magnetic data. This linear feature is correlated with exposed Early Paleozoic magmatic rocks known as the Vesser units.
In addition to the magnetic and gravity signature of the Vesser units, the tilt and vertical derivatives of the Bouguer gravity anomaly show several NE-SW linear structures in the central and southeastern parts of the Kraichgau Terrane. These linear structures are interpreted as the folded and overthrusted Saxo-Thuringian units during the Variscan tectonics.