Varanger Peninsula contains Europe's thickest crust at 65km

Researchers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Poland have discovered that the Earth's crust beneath the Varanger Peninsula in the European Arctic is approximately 65 kilometers thick. This finding is considered exceptional because thick crust is typically associated with massive mountain ranges like the Himalayas, whereas the Varanger landscape is relatively low and smooth.

Previously, estimates placed the crust thickness in this region between 40 and 55 kilometers. To reach this new conclusion, scientists utilized a network of broadband seismometers to analyze seismic waves, a method described as being comparable to a planetary ultrasound. The study reveals a geological paradox where a stable region, far from active tectonic collisions, possesses a crustal depth that exceeds even the roots of the Alps.