Electrical conductivity anomalies in the earth

Anomalies of short-period geomagnetic variations have been found in various regions over the world. It is known that such anomalies arise from electromagnetic induction within an electrical conductivity anomaly or from local perturbation of induced electric currents by a conductivity anomaly. In order to investigate a regional electric state in the Earth, conductivity anomaly (CA) studies based on anomalous behaviors of geomagnetic variations have been extensively undertaken, as well as studies based on magnetotelluries in which induced currents are directly used.Some of the geomagnetic variation anomalies, however, turned out to be caused by surface conductors, such as sea water and sediments. Anomalies of this sort have been intensively studied and classified into coast, island, peninsula, and strait effects in the case of sea effects. Three-dimensional conduction or channelling of induced electric currents is sometimes observed in the cases of sediments and some crustal conductivity anomalies. However, anomalies of such surface origins often provide some information of the underground conductivity structure.Electrical conductivity anomalies can be classified into two types: anomalies originating in the crust and in the upper mantle. Many of crustal anomalies are well correlated with metamorphic belts, fracture zones, and hydrated layers, and magnetic and gravity anomalies are also often found over the conductivity anomalies. Most of mantle anomalies have been interpreted mainly in terms of high temperature and partial melting, since conductivity anomalies coincide well with anomalies in heat flow and seismic wave velocities.     

Correlations between electrical and elastic properties of solid–liquid composites with interfacial energy-controlled equilibrium microstructures

Electrical conductivity and seismic velocity are studied for plausible pore geometries in the Earth's interior for reliable quantitative analysis of experimental data such as seismic tomography and magnetotelluric explorations. Electrical conductivity of a two-phase system with equilibrium, interfacial energy-controlled phase geometry is calculated for the dihedral angles θ = 40°–100° that are typical for rock–aqueous fluid and θ = 20°–60° for rock–melt systems of lower crust and upper mantle for the case of tetrakaidecahedral grains. Electrical conductivity vs. seismic velocity correlations are acquired by combining of the simulated electrical conductivities with the seismic velocity calculated with the help of equilibrium geometry model Takei [Takei, Y., Effect of pore geometry on V_P/V_S: From equilibrium geometry to crack. J. Geophys. Res. 107 (2002): 10.1029/2001JB000522.] for the same pore geometries. The results show that electrical conductivity gradually decreases reaching zero when seismic velocities reach seismic velocities of intact rock for rock–melt systems, while for rock–aqueous fluid systems with θ ≥ 60° conductivity drops to zero at velocities up to 10% smaller. This can explain the seeming discrepancy of the low seismic velocity region, attributed to the high fluid fraction, and the low electrical conductivity of the same region, which is sometimes faced at collocated electromagnetic and seismic experiments.     

Seismic activity and deep conductivity structure of the Eastern Carpathians

We present results of a study of the seismicity and the geoelectric structure of the Eastern Carpathians. After the evaluation of the seismicity, new methods of processing and analyzing seismic data are developed, which allow constructing an averaged horizontal-layered velocity model of the crust in the Carpathian region of Ukraine, tracing the seismic active faults and localizing the seismic events both in horizontal and in vertical direction with a better precision. For the study of the conductivity structure beneath the Eastern Carpathians, the collected magnetovariation and magnetotelluric data are used. The depth of electrical conductivity anomalies are estimated and the resulting quasi-3D model of the conductivity structure beneath the Carpathians is compared with the seismicity in the depth range of 10 ± 2.5 km. The comparison suggests possible geological mechanisms: the seismic events occur mainly in resistive solid rock domains which surround aseismic high-conductivity zones, consisting of at least partially melted material. Aqueous fluids, or a joint effect of several mechanisms, may also play an active role in this distribution.     

The thermal structure of subduction zones constrained by seismic imaging: Implications for slab dehydration and wedge flow

Thermal models of subduction zones often base their slab–wedge geometry from seismicity at mantle depths and, consequently, cannot be used to evaluate the relationship between seismicity and structure. Here, high-resolution seismic observations from the recent Broadband Experiment Across the Alaska Range (BEAAR) constrain, in a rare instance, the subducting slab geometry and mantle wedge temperature independent of seismicity. Receiver functions reveal that the subducting crust descends less steeply than the Wadati-Benioff Zone. Attenuation tomography of the mantle wedge reveals a high Q and presumably cold region where the slab is less than 80 km deep. To understand these two observations, we generate thermal models that use the improved wedge geometry from receiver functions and that incorporate temperature- and strain-rate-dependent olivine rheology. These calculations show that seismicity within the subducting crust falls in a narrow belt of pressure–temperature conditions, illuminating an effective Clapeyron slope of 0.1 K/MPa at temperatures of 450–750 °C. These conditions typify the breakdown of high-pressure hydrous minerals such as lawsonite and suggest that a single set of dehydration reactions may trigger intermediate-depth seismicity. The models also require that the upper, cold nose of the mantle wedge be isolated from the main flow in the mantle wedge in order to sustain the cold temperatures inferred from the Q tomography. Possibly, sufficient mechanical decoupling occurs at the top of the downgoing slab along a localized shear zone to 80 km depth, considerably deeper than inferred from thrust zone seismicity.     

A study on 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in Sichuan -Yunnan region, China

Many evidences indicate that the collision of two plates deformed strongly the crust of the SYR, and the deformation has been continued up to the present. In addition, the SYR is in the south segment of the South-North Seismic Zone of China, which is one of the regions in the Chinese mainland, where the seismic activity is very high, and the strong earthquakes frequently occurred. Since the 1970s, a series of large earthquakes with magnitude M>7.0 occurred in SYR, such as the 1970 Tongha…     

川滇地区地壳上地幔三维速度结构研究

根据云南和四川地震台网174个台站记录的4625个区域地震初至Ｐ波和Ｓ波走时资料，并结合其它深部地球物理资料，确定了川滇地区地壳上地幔三维速度结构．在上地壳速度异常分布中，四川盆地为正异常，川西高原为负异常，龙门山断裂带为正、负异常的边界．龙门山断裂、鲜水河断裂以及红河断裂等，在下地壳和上地幔的速度异常中仍显示出构造分界特征，说明它们可能穿透了莫霍界面．腾冲火山区和攀西构造带在50km深度上呈现负速度异常，与上地幔温度和物质组成的差异相联系．川滇地区地壳结构的总体特征是:地壳和上地幔的低平均速度，地壳厚度变化剧烈，地壳和（或）上地幔存在高导层、高热流值．这些同印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞的构造背景有关．川滇菱形块体在地壳内总体上为正常或正异常速度，而其边界的深大走滑断裂存在负速度异常，它有助于地壳块体沿断裂的侧向挤出．在主要的地震带上，中下地壳的负速度异常与地震活动性相关．多数强烈地震发生在具有正速度异常或正常速度分布的上中地壳深度上，而其下方则通常是负速度异常带．      

渤海海峡及周边区域地壳结构的层析成像特征

渤海海峡是连接中国东部山东半岛和辽东半岛的重要途径,其跨海通道的地壳稳定性研究受到高度关注.本文利用地震层析成像方法重建三维P波速度模型,揭示了渤海海峡及周边区域地壳和上地幔的构造特征.结果表明,渤海海峡的速度结构存在明显的非均匀性,海峡北部地壳速度较高,结构较为完整,断层活动不明显,与现今较弱的地震活动相吻合,但是地壳底部存在低速薄层,它有可能成为地壳和上地幔之间的滑脱带,需要开展进一步的研究加以确认.相比之下,海峡南部地壳速度偏低,附近区域地震活动频繁,与张家口—蓬莱断裂带通过于此有着密切的联系,该断裂持续不断的地震活动对海峡南部的地壳结构产生了较大的影响.在渤海南部,郯庐断裂带东、西两侧的地壳结构明显不同,西侧速度偏高,东侧至渤海海峡速度偏低,这一特征可能与此地区广泛发育的断层和地震活动有关.另外,受华北克拉通破坏及地幔上涌的影响,渤海地区地壳深部和上地幔速度偏低,郯庐断裂带及渤海海峡附近显示出深部热流的活动迹象,反映了岩石圈减薄和软流圈的局部抬升.     

A study on 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in Sichuan-Yunan region, China

Based on the first arrival P and S data of 4 625 regional earthquakes recorded at 174 stations dispersed in the Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, the 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in the region is determined, incorporating with previous deep geophysical data. In the upper crust, a positive anomaly velocity zone exists in the Sichuan basin, whereas a negative anomaly velocity zone exists in the western Sichuan plateau. The boundary between the positive and negative anomaly zones is the Longmenshan fault zone. The images of lower crust and upper mantle in the Longmenshan fault, Xianshuihe fault, Honghe fault and others show the characteristic of tectonic boundary, indicating that the faults likely penetrate the Moho discontinuity. The negative velocity anomalies at the depth of 50 km in the Tengchong volcanic area and the Panxi tectonic zone appear to be associated with the temperature and composition variations in the upper mantle. The overall features of the crustal and the upper mantle structures in the Sichuan-Yunnan region are the lower average velocity in both crust and uppermost mantle, the large crustal thickness variations, and the existence of high conductivity layer in the crust or/and upper mantle, and higher geothermal value. All these features are closely related to the collision between the India and the Asia plates. The crustal velocity in the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block generally shows normal value or positive anomaly, while the negative anomaly exists in the area along the large strike-slip faults as the block boundary. It is conducive to the crustal block side-pressing out along the faults. In the major seismic zones, the seismicity is relative to the negative anomaly velocity. Most strong earthquakes occurred in the upper-mid crust with positive anomaly or normal velocity, where the negative anomaly zone generally exists below. Foundation item: National Scientific and Technological Development Program (95-973-02-02), the Climb Program (95-S-05-01) of National Scientific and Technological Ministry of China, and the State Natural Sciences Foundation of China (49874021). Contribution No. 02FE2004, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau.     

利用噪声研究地下介质速度结构及其变化在中国大陆的应用

背景噪声层析成像技术已被广泛应用于地壳和上地幔速度结构的研究,这种方法不依靠地震的发生和人工源爆破,只需记录连续的噪声信号而无需产生信号,因为噪声穿过地下介质时会携带信息,然后通过利用台站记录到的连续背景噪声数据进行互相关计算和叠加,即可得到台站间的经验格林函数,从而获取对地下结构的认识。这种方法已经很好地应用于中国的东北地区、华北克拉通、青藏高原以及华南地区,并成功地揭示了这些地区地壳与上地幔顶部的速度结构。此外近年来,一些学者还利用噪声互相关技术研究地下介质地震波速度随时间的变化,通过对汶川大地震前后连续噪声记录的研究发现,大震发生后呈现同震波速降低和震后波速逐渐恢复的特点,这表明可以通过观测地震波特性的变化来监测地下应力的变化,从而为大震的预测预防工作提供科学依据。本文主要综述了近些年来背景噪声技术及其在中国大陆地区的应用。     

南极地震学研究进展

归纳总结了在南极开展地震学研究中的各种主要方法及其研究成果,较全面地介绍了南极地震学研究的现状与进展．首先对南极地震活动性作了简单的介绍,然后分别介绍了利用面波和体波研究地壳上地幔结构的主要成果,最后从地震各向异性的角度归纳介绍了南极大陆部分区域面波方位各向异性及剪切波分裂研究的主要成果．研究表明,南极大陆地震活动性较低、地震强度较小,仅在横贯南极山脉区域、维多利亚地、阿黛利地、威尔克斯地等有较明显的地震活动; 横贯南极山脉将南极大陆分为东南极和西南极两个不同的地质构造区域,东南极地壳和上地幔地震波速度偏高,西南极则偏低;上地幔各向异性较为明显并普遍存在,且西南极各向异性强度稍高于东南极克拉通．      

The relation of seismicity to lithospheric density inhomogeneities in the Russian Far East

A well-defined relationship has been identified between the belts, zones and areas of higher seismicity in the Russian Far East on the one hand and, on the other, maxima in the gradient of surface density of spherical sources that give rise to gravity anomalies (μ _z ) equivalent to quasi-isometric density inhomogeneities in the lower crust and upper mantle. The highest epicenter density is observed in the marginal parts of maxima of the μ _z parameter, these parts being interpreted as boundaries of rigid (sialic metamorphic and oceanic mafic) tectonic blocks and plates. The overwhelming majority of crustal seismicity is spatially related to uplifts of the asthenospheric layer reflected in the minima of the μ _z parameter, and is concentrated in uplifted crustal blocks. In addition to the linear type of seismicity due to deep-seated faults, the crust shows a concentrically zonal type of epicenter location associated with plume-generated central-type features (the Olekma-Stanovoi seismic zone). It is shown that seismic fields can be ranked by the depths of earthquake source zones using 3D models, μ _z (x,y,z).     

Electromagnetic evidence for lateral inhomogeneities within the Earth's upper mantle

The composition of the upper mantle is of great significance to our understanding of plate tectonics and global evolution. Information about the physical properties of the Earth at upper mantle depths, including lateral variations in electrical conductivity, can be deduced from measurements of the electric and magnetic fields at the Earth's surface. Electromagnetic methods appear to give poorer resolution than do some other methods, for example seismics, but as they are sensitive to quite different properties of a medium they provide a different and complementary class of information.The basic theory of electromagnetic sounding methods is briefly reviewed below, and evidence regarding lateral conductivity inhomogeneities in the Earth's upper mantle is examined. While lateral electrical conductivity inhomogeneities appear to be the rule rather than the exception, the interpretation of electromagnetic data still presents difficulties and the results from many regions are not as yet unambiguous. Where the data are of sufficient resolution, a rapid increase in electrical conductivity can usually be identified within the upper mantle. The depth to this highly conductive zone is different in different tectonic environments, but is broadly consistent between analogous but widely separated tectonic environments. A comparatively shallow conducting region is found beneath the ocean lithosphere. The depth of this region is dependent on lithospheric age. Many of the more shallow conducting regions in both continental and oceanic environments are associated with high heat flow values and seismic low velocity zones. These highly conducting regions may be zones of partial melt.     

Array Triplication Data Constraining Seismic Structure and Composition in the Mantle

Seismic data recorded in the upper mantle triplication distance range between 10° and 30° are generated by wave propagation through complex upper mantle structure. They can be used to place constraints on seismic velocity structures in the upper mantle, key seismic features near the major discontinuities, and anisotropic structure varying with depth. In this paper, we review wave propagation of the upper mantle triplicated phases, how different key seismic features can be studied using upper mantle triplicated data, and the importance of those seismic features to the understanding of mantle temperature and composition. We present two examples of using array triplicated phases to constrain upper mantle velocity structures and detailed features of a certain discontinuity, with one for a shallow event and the other for deep events. For the shallow event, we present examples of how the array triplication data can be used to constrain several key properties of the upper mantle: existence of a lithospheric lid, existence of a low velocity zone beneath the lithospheric lid, and P/S velocity ratio as a function of depth. For deep events, we show examples of how array triplication data can be used to constrain the detailed structures of a certain discontinuity: velocity gradients above and below the discontinuity, velocity jumps across the discontinuity and depth extents of different velocity gradients. We discuss challenges of the upper mantle triplication study, its connection to other approaches, and its potential for further studying some other important features of the mantle: the existence of double 660-km discontinuities, existence of low-velocity channels near major discontinuities and anisotropy varying with depth.     

Effect of hydration on the elasticity of mantle minerals and its geophysical implications

Recent studies have shown that major nominally anhydrous minerals in the Earth’s mantle, such as olivine, pyroxene and garnet, can incorporate considerable amounts of water as structurally bound hydroxyl. Even a small amount of water is present in mantle minerals, it can strongly affect a number of physical properties, including density, sound velocity, melting temperature, and electrical conductivities. The presence of water can also influence the dynamic behavior, lead to lateral velocity heterogeneities, and affect the material circulation of the Earth’s deep interior. In particular, seismic studies have reported the existence of low-velocity zones in various locations of the Earth’s upper mantle and transition zone, which has been expected to be associated with the presence of water in the region. In the past two decades, the effect of water on the elasticity and sound velocities of minerals at relevant pressure-temperature (P-T) conditions of the Earth’s mantle attracted extensive interests. Combining the high P-T experimental and theoretical mineralogical results with seismic observations provides crucial constraints on the distribution of water in the Earth’s mantle. In this study, we summarize recent experimental and theoretical mineral physics results on how water affects the elasticity and sound velocity of nominally anhydrous minerals in the Earth’s mantle, which aims to provide new insights into the effect of hydration on the density and velocity profile of the Earth’s mantle, which are of particular importance in understanding of water distribution in the region.     

新马德里地震带的岩石圈强度与板内形变

提出一个简单的假说来解释为什么在相对稳定的板块内部地区会存在高地震活动区与高构造形变区．首先,对于大多数板内地区而言,特别是大陆地盾地区与老的海洋盆地,下地壳与上地幔的温度相当低,那里的岩石相对坚硬在这些地区不可能发生明显的岩石圈变形,因为岩石图累积强度大大超过板块驱动力．相反,如果下地壳与上地幔温度相对较高,板块驱动力则主要由上地壳承受,因为下地壳与上地幔相对软弱在这种地区,由于岩石圈累积强度与板块驱动力大小相当,构造形变相对较快．本文将这种假说应用在位于美国中部的新马德里地震带与周围地区．地震带内部热流密度值约为60mw／m2,略高于本区背景热流密度值45mW／m2．计算得到的地温梯度与实验室结果所揭示的延性流动定律表明,在地震带内下地壳与上地幔相当软弱,板内应力主要由上地壳传递．那里的形变速率相对较高．与此相反,在周围地区热流值相对较低,岩石四累积强度大大超过板块驱动力,构造应力由地壳与上地幔共同承受热流值的大小和下地壳上地幔的受力状态是决定地震活动性在地震带内与周围地区强烈对比的主要因素．     

小江断裂带周边地区三维P波速度结构及其构造意义

作为青藏高原的东南边界,小江断裂带在高原物质的侧向逃逸中发挥着重要的作用.本文利用流动地震台阵及固定台站的走时观测资料,对小江断裂带及周边区域的壳幔三维P波速度结构进行了研究.结果表明,在中上地壳,小江断裂带内部主要为低速异常,其东侧主要为高速异常.在中下地壳,小江断裂带中部为低速异常,北部和南部主要为高速异常,其中北部的高速异常可延伸到地表附近,南部的高速异常可一直延伸到上地幔.我们推测,小江断裂带中部的低速异常与深部热作用有关;北部的高速异常可能是晚古生代地幔柱活动导致大量基性和超基性幔源物质侵入地壳引起的,它的存在对青藏高原物质向南逃逸起到了一定的阻挡作用,可能是导致川滇活动块体北部次级块体快速抬升的重要因素;南部顶界面向北倾斜的高速异常体对川滇活动块体向南滑移起到了进一步的阻挡作用,导致其上覆的中上地壳低速异常区发生较强的变形和强烈的地震活动,同时在上地幔深度范围起到了稳定的作用,使其南部区域的介质受青藏高原物质向南挤出的影响明显减小.     

全球地壳、上地幔电导率经向分布特征

计算了对应于各个ＵＴ小时的２４个经度带的Ｓ_q地下感应场对外部施感场的响应函数，应用Ｓｃｈｍｕｃｋｅｒ＇ｓＡｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅＥｕｒｉｓｔｉｃ反演方法，计算了这些经度带的地下等效层及其电导率分布，得到了地壳－上地幔电导率经向分布的大致图案。对该结果的分析研究得出，全球电导率经向分布存在着极大的不均匀性，在０－４００ｋｍ深度范围内，太平洋和大西洋为低导区；欧亚大陆与美洲大陆为高导区。电导率分布特征与岩石层结构有明显的相关性：在俯冲带，低导区由海洋向大陆下插入；在大洋中脊表现为高导电性。反演结果与地震层析成像结果的比较表明，地下高电导区和低电导区的位置分别对应于地震波低速区和高速区。     

Crust-mantle structure feature and the seismic activity of the main tectonic units in the North Tanlu fault zone

IntroductionThe Northern Tanlu fault zone (from Yingkou to Luobei) crosses the northeast mainland ofChina. Because of its large scale, long history activity and controlling earthquakes prominently, itis paid closely attention by geologists, and a imp amount of geological survey has been done inthese years (Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Liaoning Province, 1989; Bureau ofGeology and Mineral Resources of Jinn Province, 1988; Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Heilongi…     

Study on crust-mantle tectonics and its velocity structure along the Beijing-Huailai-Fengzhen profile

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Velocity properties of the lithosphere in the ocean-continent transition zone in the Kamchatka region from seismic tomography data

Arrival times of P and S waves from local earthquakes in the Kamchatka area of the Kurile-Kamchatka Island Arc are used for calculating a spatial model of the elastic wave velocity distribution to a depth of 200 km. The lithosphere is shown to be strongly stratified in its velocity properties and laterally heterogeneous within the mantle wedge and seismic focal zone. A lower velocity layer (an asthenospheric wedge) is identified at depths of 70–130 km beneath the Eastern Kamchatka volcanic belt. The morphology of the Moho interface and the velocity properties of the crust are studied. The main tectonic structures of the region are shown to be closely interrelated with deep velocity heterogeneities. Regular patterns in the statistics of the earthquakes are analyzed in relation to variations in the elastic wave velocities in the focal layer. A mechanism of lithospheric block displacements along weakened zones of the lower crust and upper mantle is proposed.