In this study we present data and preliminary results from several shallow high-resolution seismic surveys in the Cheb Basin, CR, a small intracontinental basin in the North-West Bohemian Massif, located at the Western end of the Cenozoic Eger Rift. The area is well known for its intense earthquake activity, with the largest instrumentally recorded magnitude of ML=4.6. Macroseismic reports of local seismicity date back to the early 19th century, with magnitudes possibly above 5. Quaternary volcanoes, CO2-rich moffettes, and the swarm-like occurrence of the earthquakes suggest they are being triggered by crustal fluids. In contrast, most focal mechanisms show a dominant strike-slip component, indicative of tectonics. Investigating the role of fluids in triggering those earthquakes is one of the objectives of an ongoing ICDP program.

We expect high-resolution images of the basin structure to provide additional constraints regarding the importance of tectonic faulting. To that end, we surveyed several up to 3-km-long reflection and refraction profiles in the basin center across the putative Počátky-Plesná Fault, and at its edge, across the basin-bounding Mariánské Lázně Fault. The up to 350-m-thick basin sediments are mostly of Miocene and Quaternary origin, overlying Paleozoic Variscan units and post-Variscan granites. The main reflectors are around 200-400 ms. The data were collected with a 500-m-long split-spread of single geophones at 2 m spacing, and the raw shots are dominated by ground roll. In this presentation, we will show an overview of the field campaigns and present first results.