论述了岩石圈深部探测的作用和重大意义，它是一项国土基础地质情况的调查，可以为找矿预测、地震预报、能源开发及大陆动力学研究等多目标服务,是21世纪中国区域地质调查的重要内容，是一项伟大的科学工程；美国、前苏联和中国此前均已作了大量工作，但是有待深化和进一步开展调查；简要介绍了青藏高原近些年来开展深部调查的情况和取得的主要最新成果。

A brief introduction of nation-wide deep profiling and deep drilling, carried out in Russia, USA and China respectively is given in this paper. It is suggested that deep exploration is a significant development following regional geological survey. Understanding of the four-dimensional structure of crust and upper mantle enables people to get structural pattern of earth shallow depths (at least down to 100 km) in detail, allowing deepening people´s knowledge of earth. The results of deep exploration, thus, can provide multi-purpose services, and it is of completely new significance, for example, in predictive evaluation of mineral resources, in study of geological environment, in theoretical study of continental dynamics, and so on.

Taking the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as an example, the paper introduces newest results of deep exploration in the Plateau, such as the fine structure of crust, which is characterized by structural complexity of upper crust and strong rheological property of lower crust. There is a the limitation of downward extension of the surface dislocation, and no trans-lithosphere faults exist there. It is found out that hidden or half-hidden large decollements or thrusts are the restrictions for downward continuation of the faults above. Some buried partial melting layers or magmatic chamber or magmatic rock zone are discovered, and it is of great significance for geothermal evaluation and prospecting prognosis. The stability of Moho undulation in depth is verified, and existence of large faults is not determined. For the first time the newest results of high-resolution seismic tomographic imaging of teleseism body waves are introduced. It is suggested that after the collision of Indian lithosphere mantle with Asian lithosphere, i. e . with downward movement of the Indian lithosphere mantle at a steep angle to the north, it was detached into upper and lower layers. While the lower layer was sub ducting down to asthenosphere, the upper layer extended to the north of Wenquan, where it was dislocated and fell into asthenosphere. A test integrated interpretation, in which the deep detection results were interpreted in consideration with GPS and leveling survey, was made in this paper.