Shear-wave velocity structure of the western part of the Mediterranean Sea from Rayleigh-wave analysis

The lithospheric structure of the western part of the Mediterranean Sea is shown by means of S-velocity maps, for depths ranging from 0 to 35 km, determined from Rayleigh-wave analysis. The traces of 55 earthquakes, which occurred from 2001 to 2003 in and around the study area have been used to obtain Rayleigh-wave dispersion. These earthquakes were registered by 10 broadband stations located on Iberia and the Balearic Islands. The dispersion curves were obtained for periods between 1 and 45 s, by digital filtering with a combination of MFT and TVF filtering techniques. After that, all seismic events were grouped in source zones to obtain a dispersion curve for each source-station path. These dispersion curves were regionalized and after inverted according to the generalized inversion theory, to obtain shear-wave velocity models for rectangular blocks with a size of 1° × 1°. The shear velocity structure obtained through this procedure is shown in the S-velocity maps plotted for several depths. These maps show the existence of lateral and vertical heterogeneity. In these maps is possible to distinguish several types of crust with an average S-wave velocity ranging from 2.6 to 3.9 km/s. The South Balearic Basin (SBB) is more characteristic of oceanic crust than the rest of the western Mediterranean region, as it is demonstrated by the crustal thickness. We also find a similar S-wave velocity (ranging from 2.6 km/s at the surface to 3.2 km/s at 10 km depth) for the Iberian Peninsula coast to Ibiza Island, the North Balearic Basin (NBB) and Mallorca Island. In the lower crust, the shear velocity reaches a value of 3.9 km/s. The base of the Moho is estimated from 15 to 20 km under Iberian Peninsula coast to Ibiza Island, continues towards NBB and increases to 20–25 km beneath Mallorca Island. While, the SBB is characterized by a thinner crust that ranges from 10 to 15 km, and a faster velocity. A gradual increase in velocity from the north to the south (especially in the upper 25 km) is obtained for the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. The base of the crust has a shear-wave velocity value around of 3.9 km/s for the western Mediterranean Sea area. This area is characterized by a thin crust in comparison with the crustal thickness of the eastern Mediterranean Sea area. This thin crust is related with the distensive tectonics that exists in this area. The low S-wave velocities obtained in the upper mantle might be an indication of a serpentinized mantle. The obtained results agree well with the geology and other geophysical results previously obtained. The shear velocity generally increases with depth for all paths analyzed in the study area.     

Structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of the Yanshan Belt and adjacent regions at the northeastern boundary of the North China Craton from Rayleigh Wave Dispersion Analysis

We have used Rayleigh wave dispersion analysis and inversion to produce a high resolution S-wave velocity imaging profile of the crust and uppermost mantle structure beneath the northeastern boundary regions of the North China Craton (NCC). Using waveform data from 45 broadband NCISP stations, Rayleigh wave phase velocities were measured at periods from 10 to 48 s and utilized in subsequent inversions to solve for the S-wave velocity structure from 15 km down to 120 km depth. The inverted lower crust and uppermost mantle velocities, about 3.75 km/s and 4.3 km/s on average, are low compared with the global average. The Moho was constrained in the depth range of 30–40 km, indicating a typical crustal thickness along the profile. However, a thin lithosphere of no more than 100 km was imaged under a large part of the profile, decreasing to only ~ 60 km under the Inner Mongolian Axis (IMA) where an abnormally slow anomaly was observed below 60 km depth. The overall structural features of the study region resemble those of typical continental rift zones and are probably associated with the lithospheric reactivation and tectonic extension widespread in the eastern NCC during Mesozoic–Cenozoic time. Distinctly high velocities, up to ~ 4.6 km/s, were found immediately to the south of the IMA beneath the northern Yanshan Belt (YSB), extending down to > 100-km depth. The anomalous velocities are interpreted as the cratonic lithospheric lid of the region, which may have not been affected by the Mesozoic–Cenozoic deformation process as strongly as other regions in the eastern NCC. Based on our S-wave velocity structural image and other geophysical observations, we propose a possible lithosphere–asthenosphere interaction scenario at the northeastern boundary of the NCC. We speculate that significant undulations of the base of the lithosphere, which might have resulted from the uneven Mesozoic–Cenozoic lithospheric thinning, may induce mantle flows concentrating beneath the weak IMA zone. The relatively thick lithospheric lid in the northern YSB may serve as a tectonic barrier separating the on-craton and off-craton regions into different upper mantle convection systems at the present time.     

S-wave velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle under southeastern China by surface wave dispersion analysis

Group velocity dispersion data of fundamental-mode Rayleigh and Love waves for 12 wave paths within southeastern China have been measured by applying the multiple-filter technique to the properly rotated three-component digital seismograms from two Seismic Research Observatory stations, TATO and CHTO. The generalized surface wave inversion technique was applied to these group velocity dispersion data to determine the S-wave velocity structures of the crust and upper mantle for various regions of southeastern China. The results clearly demonstrate that the crust and upper mantle under southeastern China are laterally heterogeneous. The southern China region south of 25°N and the eastern China region both have a crustal thickness of 30 km. The eastern Tibet plateau along the 100°E meridian has a crustal thickness of 60 km. Central China, consisting mainly of the Yangtze and Sino-Korean platforms, has a crustal thickness of 40 km. A distinct S-wave low-velocity layer at 10–20 km depth in the middle crust was found under wave paths in southeastern China. On the other hand, no such crustal low-velocity layer is evident under the eastern Tibet plateau. This low-velocity layer in the middle crust appears to reflect the presence of a sialic low-velocity layer perhaps consisting of intruded granitic laccoliths, or possibly the remnant of the source zone of widespread magmatic activities known to have taken place in these regions since the late Carboniferous.     

S-wave velocity structure of the North China from inversion of Rayleigh wave phase velocity

We constructed the S-wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle (10–100 km) beneath the North China based on the teleseismic data recorded by 187 portable broadband stations deployed in this region. The traditional two-step inversion scheme was adopted. Firstly, we measured the interstation fundamental Rayleigh wave phase velocity of 10–60 s and imaged the phase velocity distributions using the Tarantola inversion method. Secondly, we inverted the 1-D S-wave velocity structure with a grid spacing of 0.25° × 0.25° and constructed the 3-D S-wave velocity structure of the North China. The 3-D S-wave velocity model provides valuable information about the destruction mechanism and geodynamics of the North China Craton (NCC). The S-wave velocity structures in the northwestern and southwestern sides of the North–South Gravity Lineament (NSGL) are obviously different. The southeastern side is high velocity (high-V) while the northeastern side is low velocity (low-V) at the depth of 60–80 km. The upwelling asthenosphere above the stagnated Pacific plate may cause the destruction of the Eastern Block and form the NSGL. A prominent low-V anomaly exists around Datong from 50 to 100 km, which may due to the upwelling asthenosphere originating from the mantle transition zone beneath the Western Block. The upwelling asthenosphere beneath the Datong may also contribute to the destruction of the Eastern Block. The Zhangjiakou-Penglai fault zone (ZPFZ) may cut through the lithosphere and act as a channel of the upwelling asthenosphere. A noticeable low-V zone also exists in the lower crust and upper mantle lid (30–50 km) beneath the Beijing–Tianjin–Tangshan (BTT) region, which may be caused by the upwelling asthenosphere through the ZPFZ.     

P,S wave velocity model of the crust and upper most mantle of Albania region

This paper describes the one-dimensional (1D) velocity model computed by VELEST in the SEISAN seismic analysis system, inverting re-picked P-wave and S-wave arrival times recorded during 2002–2006 by the Albanian, Montenegro, Thessalonica and Macedonia seismic networks. The re-picked data yield P-wave and S-wave velocities proved to be more suitable compared to bulletin data for this detailed inversion study. Seismic phases recorded by the Albania seismic network and integrated with data from the Montenegro, Thessalonica and Macedonia networks are used to prepare the Albanian seismic bulletin. Earthquake hypocenters from the Albanian bulletins have also location errors that are negligible for civil protection purposes, large scale seismotectonic analyses and more accurate hypocentral determinations which are necessary for detailed seismotectonic and geodynamic studies.It was noted that the smoothness of the velocity variation increased with depth. A velocity of 5.5 km/s was calculated for the upper crust, 6.1 km/s was calculated for the middle crust and 6.9 km/s was computed for the lower crust. P wave velocity was 7.85 km/s at depth of 50 km and for the upper mantle it is 8.28 km/s. Using the improved velocity model, the earthquakes which occurred in Albania in the past 5 years were able to be relocated, achieving constrained hypocentral determinations for events in Albania. The interpretation of the 1 D velocity models infers interesting features of the deep structure of Albania. These results represent an important step towards more detailed seismotectonic analyses.     

Deep Structure and Distribution of Earthquake in the Manzhouli-Suifenhe Geotransect Region

1.IntroductionTheManzhouli-SuifenheGeoscienceTransect(M-SGT)isinthenortheastChina,acrosstheprovincesofInnerMongoliaandHeilongiiang.Geologically,itissitllatedamongtheplatesofNorthChina,SiberiaandWesternPacific.ThewholeIengthoftheM-SGTisaboutl3Ookm,whichcrossesmanytectonicunits(Fig.l).ItisclearthatitstectonicsitUationisuniqueanditsgeologicstructUreiscomplex.Deepearthquakeshappenfrequentlya1ongthetransect.Therefore,itisarepresentativeprofileofnortheastChinaandtheNortheastAsia.TheM-S…     

Structure of the uppermost mantle from long-range seismic observations in southern Germany and the Rhinegraben area

The crustal structure has been determined in the area between the Lorraine, the Bohemian massif and the northern Alps with considerable detail in recent years. But up to now little has been known about the velocity—depth structure of the uppermost mantle in this area. The situation changed recently when two recent seismic events near the northern and southern end of the Rhinegraben rift system were recorded to distances of 400 km. The explosions at the westernmost shotpoint of the international alpine refraction profile in 1975 were also observed in the Rhinegraben area up to the same distance. Earlier refraction seismic experiments between Steinbrunn near Basle and Boehmischbruck at the western border of the Bohemian massif also reach distances of 400 km. All these data lead to the rather high P-wave velocities of 8.5–8.6 km/s at depths between 40 and 50 km. These velocities are considerably higher than the average velocities of 8.2 km/s under other areas of western and central Europe, as for example the Bretagne in northwestern France and the North German Plain. There are indications of a minor velocity inversion in the uppermost mantle between Steinbrunn and Boehmischbruck. From the dispersion of surface waves there is good evidence that the regional high P-wave velocities are limited to a certain depth range only. This indicates rather pronounced lateral variations of the velocity—depth structure in the uppermost mantle of central Europe.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987113001369

The 3-D P- and S-wave velocity models of the upper crust beneath Southwest Iberia are determined by inverting arrival time data from local earthquakes using a seismic tomo~raphy method. We used a total of 3085 P- and 2780 S-wave high quality arrival times from 886 local earthquakes recorded by a per- manent seismic network, which is operated by the Institute of Meteorology （IM）, Lisbon, Portugal. The computed P- and S-wave velocities are used to determine the 3-D distributions of Vp/Vs ratio. The 3-D velocity and Vp/Vs ratio images display clear lateral heterogeneities in the study area. Significant veloc- ity variations up to ~6% are revealed in the upper crust beneath Southwest lberia, At 4 km depth, both P- and S-wave velocity take average to high values relative to the initial velocity model, while at 12 km, low P-wave velocities are clearly visible along the coast and in the southern parts. High S-wave velocities at 12 km depth are imaged in the central parts, and average values along the coast; although some scattered patches of low and high S-wave velocities are also revealed. The Vp/Vs rztio is generally high at depths of 4 and 12 km along the coastal parts with some regions of high Vp/Vs ratio in the north at 4 km depth, and low Vp/Vs ratio in the central southern parts at a depth of 12 km, The imaged low velocity and high Vp/Vs ratios are related to the thick saturated and unconsolidated sediments covering the region; whereas the high velocity regions are generally associated with the Mesozoic basement rocks.     

Seismic structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of South America and surrounding oceanic basins

We present a new set of contour maps of the seismic structure of South America and the surrounding ocean basins. These maps include new data, helping to constrain crustal thickness, whole-crustal average P-wave and S-wave velocity, and the seismic velocity of the uppermost mantle (P_n and S_n). We find that: (1) The weighted average thickness of the crust under South America is 38.17 km (standard deviation, s.d. ±8.7 km), which is ∼1 km thinner than the global average of 39.2 km (s.d. ±8.5 km) for continental crust. (2) Histograms of whole-crustal P-wave velocities for the South American crust are bi-modal, with the lower peak occurring for crust that appears to be missing a high-velocity (6.9–7.3 km/s) lower crustal layer. (3) The average P-wave velocity of the crystalline crust (P_cc) is 6.47 km/s (s.d. ±0.25 km/s). This is essentially identical to the global average of 6.45 km/s. (4) The average P_n velocity beneath South America is 8.00 km/s (s.d. ±0.23 km/s), slightly lower than the global average of 8.07 km/s. (5) A region across northern Chile and northeast Argentina has anomalously low P- and S-wave velocities in the crust. Geographically, this corresponds to the shallowly-subducted portion of the Nazca plate (the Pampean flat slab first described by Isacks et al., 1968), which is also a region of crustal extension. (6) The thick crust of the Brazilian craton appears to extend into Venezuela and Colombia. (7) The crust in the Amazon basin and along the western edge of the Brazilian craton may be thinned by extension. (8) The average crustal P-wave velocity under the eastern Pacific seafloor is higher than under the western Atlantic seafloor, most likely due to the thicker sediment layer on the older Atlantic seafloor.     

Lower-crust S-wave velocity beneath western Yunnan Province from waveform inversion of dense seismic observations

We use teleseismic body waveforms to explore S-wave layered velocity structures beneath 30 portable digital seismic stations deployed around western Yunnan Province. Results show that the Moho depth in this region is ∼40 km and decreases in general from north to south, consistent with previous geophysical studies. Associated with this lateral variation of the Moho depth, the lower crust above the Moho discontinuity has a 15–25 km thick zone with an S-wave velocity lower than that of the upper crust. This lower velocity zone might be interpreted as a lower crust weak channel, which may mechanically partially decouple the upper-crust deformation from the underlying mantle. Thus, the inverted S-wave velocity structure could provide new evidence for the lateral flow of lower crust in the build-up of the south-eastern Tibetan plateau.     

Upper crustal seismic structure of the Mazury complex and Mazowsze massif within East European Craton in NE Poland

The large-scale seismic experiment POLONAISE '97 (POlish Lithospheric ONsets—An International Seismic Experiment) was carried out in May 1997 in Poland, Lithuania, and Germany. Its main purpose was to investigate the structure of the crust and the uppermost mantle in the region of the Trans European Suture Zone (TESZ) that lies between the East European Craton (EEC) and the Palaeozoic Platform. This paper covers the interpretation of seismic data along the NW–SE-trending, 180-km-long profile P5 located on the EEC. The recordings were of a high quality with seismic energy clearly visible along the whole profile. We have not found waves refracted below the upper crust in first arrivals. In the NW part of the profile, we have delineated a high-velocity body with the P-wave velocity in the range of 6.5–6.75 km/s in the upper crust. It corresponds to the K trzyn anorthosite massif within the Mazury complex. The Mazowsze massif is rather uniformly characterized by P-wave velocities 5.9–6.05 and 6.2–6.35 km/s in two layers, respectively. Sufficient S-wave data were available to estimate the V_p/V_s ratio (as well as the Poisson ratio), being 1.80 (0.277) in the high-velocity body and 1.67 (0.220) in the upper crust.Apart from the 2-D model along the profile, results of 3-D modelling in the area of the P5 profile are presented. Using off-line recordings, we got P-wave velocity field up to 8 km/s below the P5 profile at the depth of about 40 km as well as horizontal extent of the high-velocity body.     

Structural characteristics off Miyagi forearc region, the Japan Trench seismogenic zone, deduced from a wide-angle reflection and refraction study

The Japan Trench subduction zone, located east of NE Japan, has regional variation in seismicity. Many large earthquakes occurred in the northern part of Japan Trench, but few in the southern part. Off Miyagi region is in the middle of the Japan Trench, where the large earthquakes (M > 7) with thrust mechanisms have occurred at an interval of about 40 years in two parts: inner trench slope and near land. A seismic experiment using 36 ocean bottom seismographs (OBS) and a 12,000 cu. in. airgun array was conducted to determine a detailed, 2D velocity structure in the forearc region off Miyagi. The depth to the Moho is 21 km, at 115 km from the trench axis, and becomes progressively deeper landward. The P-wave velocity of the mantle wedge is 7.9–8.1 km/s, which is typical velocity for uppermost mantle without large serpentinization. The dip angle of oceanic crust is increased from 5–6° near the trench axis to 23° 150 km landward from the trench axis. The P-wave velocity of the oceanic uppermost mantle is as small as 7.7 km/s. This low-velocity oceanic mantle seems to be caused by not a lateral anisotropy but some subduction process. By comparison with the seismicity off Miyagi, the subduction zone can be divided into four parts: 1) Seaward of the trench axis, the seismicity is low and normal fault-type earthquakes occur associated with the destruction of oceanic lithosphere. 2) Beneath the deformed zone landward of the trench axis, the plate boundary is characterized as a stable sliding fault plain. In case of earthquakes, this zone may be tsunamigenic. 3) Below forearc crust where P-wave velocity is almost 6 km/s and larger: this zone is the seismogenic zone below inner trench slope, which is a plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts. 4) Below mantle wedge: the rupture zones of thrust large earthquakes near land (e.g. 1978 off Miyagi earthquake) are located beneath the mantle wedge. The depth of the rupture zones is 30–50 km below sea level. From the comparison, the rupture zones of large earthquakes off Miyagi are limited in two parts: plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts and below mantle wedge. This limitation is a rare case for subduction zone. Although the seismogenic process beneath the mantle wedge is not fully clarified, our observation suggests the two possibilities: earthquake generation at the plate boundary overridden by the mantle wedge without serpentinization or that in the subducting slab.     

2D model of the crust and uppermost mantle along rift profile, Siberian craton

A two-dimensional model of the crust and uppermost mantle for the western Siberian craton and the adjoining areas of the Pur-Gedan basin to the north and Baikal Rift zone to the south is determined from travel time data from recordings of 30 chemical explosions and three nuclear explosions along the RIFT deep seismic sounding profile. This velocity model shows strong lateral variations in the crust and sub-Moho structure both within the craton and between the craton and the surrounding region. The Pur-Gedan basin has a 15-km thick, low-velocity sediment layer overlying a 25-km thick, high-velocity crystalline crustal layer. A paleo-rift zone with a graben-like structure in the basement and a high-velocity crustal intrusion or mantle upward exists beneath the southern part of the Pur-Gedan basin. The sedimentary layer is thin or non-existent and there is a velocity reversal in the upper crust beneath the Yenisey Zone. The Siberian craton has nearly uniform crustal thickness of 40–43 km but the average velocity in the lower crust in the north is higher (6.8–6.9 km/s) than in the south (6.6 km/s). The crust beneath the Baikal Rift zone is 35 km thick and has an average crustal velocity similar to that observed beneath the southern part of craton. The uppermost mantle velocity varies from 8.0 to 8.1 km/s beneath the young West Siberian platform and Baikal Rift zone to 8.1–8.5 km/s beneath the Siberian craton. Anomalous high Pn velocities (8.4–8.5 km/s) are observed beneath the western Tunguss basin in the northern part of the craton and beneath the southern part of the Siberian craton, but lower Pn velocities (8.1 km/s) are observed beneath the Low Angara basin in the central part of the craton. At about 100 km depth beneath the craton, there is a velocity inversion with a strong reflecting interface at its base. Some reflectors are also distinguished within the upper mantle at depth between 230 and 350 km.     

Crustal and upper mantle S-wave velocity structure beneath the Bransfield Strait (West Antarctica) from regional surface wave tomography

Regional surface wave tomography in the sub-Antarctic Scotia Sea is helpful in revealing the nature of the crust and the S-wave seismic velocity profile beneath the Bransfield Strait. The joint use of our regional network, global seismographic network stations and local temporary arrays provide better lateral resolution than that obtained in our previous studies concerning the Scotia Sea region.Tomographic analysis of data obtained using 10 broad band seismic stations and more than 300 regional events, shows that the Bransfield Basin is characterised by a strong group velocity reduction of 8% with respect to the surrounding areas, in the period range from 15 s to 50 s.The crustal and upper mantle models of the eastern, central and western Bransfield Basin are obtained by joint inversion of Rayleigh and Love local dispersion curves from 15 s to 50 s. In addition our data set is expanded to a broader period interval (1–80 s), in central Bransfield Strait in order to better constrain the upper mantle and shallow crust.The main results can be summarized as follows: (a) the crust thins distinctly from W toward E; the variation is consistent with the type of volcanism, earthquake distribution and bathymetric observations, (b) low upper mantle velocities (soft lid) extend down to depths exceeding 70 km as a consequence of elevated temperatures, (c) the crust beneath the central Bransfield Basin displays continental characteristics with a gradually increasing S-wave velocity distribution versus depth analogous to the East African Rift structure of Kenya, (d) negative velocity gradients are present in the lower crust beneath the eastern Bransfield Basin; these could be interpreted as magmatic bodies originating from decompression melting of the mantle.     

3D structure of the Earth's crust beneath the northern part of the Bohemian Massif

The SUDETES 2003 wide-angle refraction/reflection experiment covered the area of the south-western Poland and the northern Bohemian Massif. The good quality data that were gathered combined with the data from previous experiments (POLONAISE'97, CELEBRATION 2000) allowed us to prepare a 3D seismic model of the crust and uppermost mantle for this area. We inverted travel times of both refracted and reflected P waves using the JIVE3D package. This allowed us to obtain a model of P-wave velocity distribution as well as the shape of major boundaries in the crust. We also present a detailed uncertainty analysis for both the boundary depths and the velocity field. In doing the uncertainty analysis we found an interesting, strong dependence between uncertainty and inversion scheme (order of used phases). We also compared the model with surface geology and found good correlation between velocity inhomogeneities in the uppermost crust (down to 2 km) and major geological units. The higher velocity lower crust (6.9–7.2 km/s) could result from remelting of the lower crust or magmatic underplating.     

Radial anisotropy in the crust and upper mantle beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding regions

Relative SV and SH wave speeds are generally attributed to radial seismic anisotropy which can be used as the indicator of crust/mantle deformation styles. Surface wave data were initially collected from events of magnitude Ms  5.0 and shallow or moderate focal depth occurring between 1980 and 2002: 713 of them generated Rayleigh waves and 660 Love waves, which were recorded by 13 broadband digital stations in Eurasia and India. Up to 1525 source-station Rayleigh waveforms and 1464 Love wave trains were earlier analysed by multiple filtering to obtain Love- and Rayleigh wave group velocity curves in the broad period range 10–105 s. We have performed tomographic inversion to obtain period-dependent group velocity and further shear wave velocity at 2° × 2°-sized grid-cells of a mesh covering the model region, after averaging azimuthal effects. Horizontally and vertically varying shear-wave velocities are observed, but the models of isotropic seismic velocity in the crust and upper mantle cannot fit simultaneously the inverted group-velocity dispersion curves due to the discrepancy in the transmission velocities of Love and Rayleigh waves, whose likely origin is the existence of radial anisotropy in the continental crust and topmost mantle. The strength of radial anisotropy computed from the Love–Rayleigh discrepancy and its spatial extent beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are shown as maps of percentage anisotropy at various depths down to 170 km and cross-sections along five profiles of reference. Areas in which radial anisotropy is in excess of 6% are found in the crust and upper mantle underlying most of the plateau, and even up to 10% in some places. The strength and spatial configuration of radial anisotropy seem to indicate the existence of a regime of horizontal compressive forces in the frame of the convergent Himalayan–Tibetan orogen, the laterally variation of the lithospheric rheology and the differential movement as regards the compressive driving forces.     

Upper mantle structure of the Saharan Metacraton

The ∼500,000 km² Saharan Metacraton in northern Africa (metacraton refers to a craton that has been mobilized during an orogenic event but that is still recognisable through its rheological, geochronological and isotopic characteristics) is an Archean–Paleoproterozoic cratonic lithosphere that has been destabilized during the Neoproterozoic. It extends from the Arabian–Nubian Shield in the east to the Trans-Saharan Belt in the west, and from the Oubanguides Orogenic Belt in the south to the Phanerozoic cover of North Africa. Here, we show that there are high S-wave velocity anomalies in the upper 100 km of the mantle beneath the metacraton typical of cratonic lithosphere, but that the S-wave velocity anomalies in the 175–250 km depth are much lower than those typical of other cratons. Cratons have possitive S-wave velocity anomalies throughout the uppermost 250 km reflecting the presence of well-developed cratonic root. The anomalous upper mantle structure of the Saharan Metacraton might be due to partial loss of its cratonic root. Possible causes of such modification include mantle delamination or convective removal of the cratonic root during the Neoproterozoic due to collision-related deformation. Partial loss of the cratonic root resulted in regional destabilization, most notably in the form of emplacement of high-K calc-alkaline granitoids. We hope that this work will stimulate future multi-national research to better understand this part of the African Precambrian. Specifically, we call for efforts to conduct systematic geochronological, geochemical, and isotopic sampling, deploy a reasonably-dense seismic broadband seismic network, and conduct systematic mantle xenoliths studies.     

利用不规则网格地震层析成像研究2008年日本岩手地震及岛弧火山活动(英文)

为了深入了解日本东北俯冲带的地震构造及火山活动,利用布设在日本列岛上密集地震台网所记录到的高质量浅震及深震到时数据,反演求得了该区域地壳及上地幔的三维P波和S波速度结构。为了最大程度地利用地震数据提取模型空间中更为精细的速度结构信息,采用不规则网格模型采进行地震层析成像反演。所得的高分辨率成像结果清晰地显示,2008年岩手地震(M 7.2)位于高低速异常的转换区,而且震源区的地壳介质非均匀性极强。在震源区的下地壳及上地幔顶部存在着明显的低速异常,可能代表了岛弧岩浆和流体在该深度处的储集。研究结果表明,2008年岩手地震的产生受到了来自上地幔楔的岩浆和流体的影响,且这些岩浆和流体与俯冲太平洋板块的脱水作用有着密切的联系。     

利用背景噪声反演鄂尔多斯块体及其南缘地区地壳速度结构

文中利用分布在鄂尔多斯块体及其南部周缘地区的53 个宽频带地震固定台站的连续波形记录,采用双台互相关计算 方法由背景噪声提取瑞利波格林函数,经时频分析获得相速度和群速度频散曲线,并分别计算了汾渭地堑、秦岭北缘、鄂 尔多斯块体内部和六盘山地区4 个不同构造区的平均频散曲线,进而反演了各构造区的地壳上地幔一维横波速度结构。结 果显示：地壳厚度在汾渭地堑为34 km,在秦岭北缘地区和鄂尔多斯块体均为40 km,在六盘山地区最厚,达49~50 km;相 应的上地幔顶部横波速度分别为4.20,4.2,4.30 和4.15 km/s;地壳内结构浅部特征差异最大,在地壳中部六盘山地区的速 度较低,下部地壳不同地区的波速较一致。     

Structure of young East Pacific Rise lithosphere from ambient noise correlation analysis of fundamental- and higher-mode Scholte-Rayleigh waves

Inter-station Green's functions estimated from ambient noise studies have been widely used to investigate crustal structure. However, most studies are restricted to continental areas and use fundamental-mode surface waves only. In this study, we recover inter-station surface (Scholte-Rayleigh) wave empirical Green's function (EGFs) of both the fundamental- and the first-higher mode using one year of continuous seismic noise records on the vertical component from 28 ocean bottom seismographs deployed in the Quebrada/Discovery/Gofar transform faults region on the East Pacific Rise. The average phase-velocity dispersion of the fundamental mode (period band 2–30 s) and the first-higher mode (period band 3–7 s) from all EGFs are used to invert for the 1-D average, shear-velocity structure in the crust and uppermost mantle using a model-space search algorithm. The preferred shear-velocity models reveal low velocities (4.29 km/s) between Moho and 25 km depth below sea-surface, suggesting the absence of a fast uppermost mantle lid in this young (0–2 Myr) oceanic region. An even more pronounced low-velocity zone, with shear velocities ～3.85 km/s, appears at a depth between 25–40 km below sea-surface. Along with previous results, our study indicates that the shear velocity in the uppermost oceanic mantle increases with increasing seafloor age, consistent with age-related lithospheric cooling.