Pure path attenuation measurements of long-period Rayleigh waves across the Tibet Plateau

A method is presented to derive pure path attenuation coefficients of Rayleigh waves, in the period range 30–90 s, across the Tibet Plateau, using events located within Tibet and observed at teleseismic distances. This method uses data from 2 events and 2 stations simultaneously, these being aligned along a great circle path, and, for relatively small events, is practically free of errors due to inaccurate knowledge of the source radiation patterns.In spite of large standard errors due to the impossibility of separating effects of anclasticity from spurious effects on amplitudes such as scattering or multipathing, results seem to indicate an anelastic model of the crust and upper mantle compatible with shear velocity models derived independently, with a thick crust and in particular, a thick high Q lid and thin low Q zone consistent with a shield like upper mantle beneath Tibet.     

Empirical model for estimating Fourier amplitude spectra of ground acceleration in Taiwan region

A collection of ground‐motion recordings (1070 acceleration records) of moderate (5.1⩽M_L⩽6.5) earthquakes obtained during the execution of the Taiwan Strong Motion Instrumentation Program (TSMIP) since 1991 was used to study source scaling model and attenuation relations for a wide range of earthquake magnitudes and distances and to verify the models developed recently for the Taiwan region. The results of the analysis reveal that the acceleration spectra of the most significant part of the records, starting from S‐wave arrival, can be modelled accurately using the Brune's ω‐squared source model with magnitude‐dependent stress parameter Δσ, that should be determined using the recently proposed regional relationships between magnitude (M_L) and seismic moment (M₀) and between M₀ and Δσ. The anelastic attenuation Q of spectral amplitudes with distance may be described as Q=225 ƒ^1.1 both for deep (depth more than 35 km) and shallow earthquakes. The source scaling and attenuation models allow a satisfactory prediction of the peak ground acceleration for magnitudes 5.1⩽M⩽6.5 and distances up to about 200 km in the Taiwan region, and may be useful for seismic hazard assessment. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Compressional-wave Q estimation from full-waveform sonic data

There is significant evidence that the anelastic loss of seismic energy is linked to petrophysical properties such as porosity, permeability and clay content. Thus, reliable estimation of anelastic attenuation from seismic data can lead to improved methods for the prediction of petrophysical properties. This paper is concerned with methods for the estimation of attenuation at sonic frequencies (5–30 KHz) from in situ data. Two independent methods have been developed and tested for estimating compressional‐wave attenuation from full‐waveform sonic data. A well‐established technique, the logarithm spectral ratio (LSR) method, is compared with a new technique, the instantaneous frequency (IF) method. The LSR method uses the whole spectrum of the seismic pulse whilst the IF method uses a carefully estimated value of instantaneous frequency which is representative of the centre frequency of the pulse. In the former case, attenuation estimation is based on the relative variation of amplitudes at different frequencies, whilst in the latter case it is based on the shift of the centre frequency of the pulse to lower values during anelastic wave propagation. The IF method does not assume frequency independence of Q which is a necessary assumption for the LSR method, and it provides a stable frequency log, the peak instantaneous frequency (PIF) log, which may be used as an indicator for attenuation under certain limitations. The development and implementation of the two methods is aimed at minimizing the effect of secondary arrivals, such as leaky modes, and involved a series of parameter tests. Testing of the two methods using full‐waveform sonic data of variable quality, obtained from a gas‐bearing sandstone reservoir, showed that the IF method is in general more stable and suitable for full‐waveform sonic data compared with the LSR method. This was evident especially in data sets with high background noise levels and wave‐interference effects. For good quality data, the two methods gave results that showed good agreement, whilst comparison with other log types further increased confidence in the results obtained. A significant decrease (approximately 5 KHz) in the PIF values was observed in the transition from an evaporite/shale sequence to the gas‐bearing sandstone. Average Q values of 54 and 51 were obtained using good quality data from a test region within the gas‐saturated sandstone reservoir, using the LSR and IF methods, respectively.     

Attenuation of multiple ScS waves beneath the Japanese Arc

36 pairs of multiply-reflected ScS waves from deep earthquakes around Japan are analyzed to investigate the anelastic properties of the mantle on the continental and oceanic sides of the dipping slab. The average Q-value for shear waves passing through the mantle on the oceanic side is found to be 226 in the frequency range 10–40 mHz. This Q-value is in good agreement with the Q models SL8 (Anderson and Hart, 1978) and QBS (Sailor and Dziewonski, 1978) which have been derived from free oscillation data. Assuming that the Q-value for the mantle deeper than 400 km on the continental side of the Japanese Arc is the same as that for the model SL8, we obtain a value of Q = 53 in the upper mantle above the dipping slab beneath the Sea of Japan. Higher Q-values are obtained for the mantle behind the northern Izu-Bonin arc.     

Modelling of viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media using decoupled fractional Laplacians

A new wave equation is derived for modelling viscoacoustic wave propagation in transversely isotropic media under acoustic transverse isotropy approximation. The formulas expressed by fractional Laplacian operators can well model the constant-Q (i.e. frequency-independent quality factor) attenuation, anisotropic attenuation, decoupled amplitude loss and velocity dispersion behaviours. The proposed viscoacoustic anisotropic equation can keep consistent velocity and attenuation anisotropy effects with that of qP-wave in the constant-Q viscoelastic anisotropic theory. For numerical simulations, the staggered-grid pseudo-spectral method is implemented to solve the velocity–stress formulation of wave equation in the time domain. The constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method is used to cope with spatial variable-order fractional Laplacians for efficient modelling in heterogeneous velocity and Q media. Simulation results for a homogeneous model show the decoupling of velocity dispersion and amplitude loss effects of the constant-Q equation, and illustrate the influence of anisotropic attenuation on seismic wavefields. The modelling example of a layered model illustrates the accuracy of the constant fractional-order Laplacian approximation method. Finally, the Hess vertical transversely isotropic model is used to validate the applicability of the formulation and algorithm for heterogeneous media.     

Q and its effect on the observation of upper mantle travel-time branches

There is broad agreement among various seismological studies that the upper mantle has two regions where high positive velocity gradients or transition zones exist. The presence of these zones implies that two major triplications should exist in the travel-time curve for distances less than 30°. Approximately 200 earthquakes from the New Guinea, New Britain, and Solomon Island regions recorded at the Warramunga Array were analyzed using adaptive processing methods in an attempt to identify the positions of the later arrival branches. From measurements made along the first 20 sec of the arrivals, a retrogade travel-time branch associated with the “650-km” discontinuity was clearly identified as extending from 21° to 26°, and some evidence was found near 16° for the lower portion of the triplication associated with the “400-km” discontinuity. A careful search revealed however that the upper portions of the replicated travel-time branches were missing. There were no observed values ofdt/dΔ in the 12–13 sec/deg range for Δ greater than 20°. In this study it was found that if anelastic effects (Q) were not taken into consideration or ifQ were kept constant, the models derived from observed travel-time data all predicted large amplitude arrivals where non existed. The difficulty with the first triplication was resolved by the introduction of a lowQ region at depths of 85–315 km. This region may be associated with “the low-velocity region” but it is not necessary to decrease the P velocity to explain the observations.The difficulty with the second triplication was resolved by the introduction of a layer at a depth of 575–657 km which has no velocity gradient and a value ofQ significantly less than that for the material just below the “650-km” discontinuity. This layer may well represent the return path for an upper mantle convection cell.     

CodaQ as a combination of scattering and intrinsic attenuation: Numerical simulations with the boundary integral method

Numerical modelling ofSH wave seismograms in media whose material properties are prescribed by a random distribution of many perfectly elastic cavities and by intrinsic absorption of seismic energy (anelasticity) demonstrates that the main characteristics of the coda waves, namely amplitude decay and duration, are well described by singly scattered waves in anelastic media rather than by multiply scattered waves in either elastic or anelastic media. We use the Boundary Integral scheme developed byBenites et al. (1992) to compute the complete wave field and measure the values of the direct waveQ and coda wavesQ in a wide range of frequencies, determining the spatial decay of the direct wave log-amplitude relation and the temporal decay of the coda envelope, respectively. The effects of both intrinsic absorption and pure scattering on the overall attenuation can be quantified separately by computing theQ values for corresponding models with (anelastic) and without (elastic) absorption. For the models considered in this study, the values of codaQ ^–1 in anelastic media are in good agreement with the sum of the corresponding scatteringQ ^–1 and intrinsicQ ^–1 values, as established by the single-scattering model ofAki andChouet (1975). Also, for the same random model with intrinsic absorption it appears that the singly scattered waves propagate without significant loss of energy as compared with the multiply scattered waves, which are strongly affected by absorption, suggesting its dominant role in the attenuation of coda waves.     

Regional ground‐motion prediction equations for amplitude‐, frequency response‐, and duration‐based parameters for Greece

Although all of the main properties of a ground motion cannot be captured through a single parameter, a number of different engineering parameters has been proposed that are able to reflect either one or more ground‐motion characteristics concurrently. For many of these parameters, especially regarding Greece, there are relatively few or no predictive models. In this context, we present a set of new regionally‐calibrated equations for the prediction of the geometric mean of the horizontal components of 10 amplitude‐, frequency response‐, and duration‐based parameters for shallow crustal earthquakes. These equations supersede previous empirical relationships for Greece since their applicability range for magnitude, and epicentral distance has been extended down to M_w 4 and up to 200 km, respectively, the incorporation of a term accounting for anelastic attenuation has been investigated, while their development was based on a ground‐motion dataset spanning from 1973 to 2014. For all ground‐motion parameters, we provide alternative optimal equations relative to the availability of information on the different explanatory variables. In all velocity‐based and contrary to the acceleration‐based parameters, the anelastic attenuation coefficient was found statistically insignificant when it was combined with the geometric decay and the coefficient accounting for saturation with distance. In the regressions where the geometric decay coefficient simultaneously incorporated the contribution of anelastic attenuation, its increase was found to be much less considerable in the velocity‐based than in the acceleration‐based parameters, implying a stronger effect of anelastic attenuation on the parameters that are defined via the acceleration time history.     

Coda wave analysis for distinguishing attenuation due to isotropic scattering from attenuation due to absorption

When the quality factorQ is taken into account in attenuation studies, it is necessary to know the relative losses of wave energy due to scattering and to anelastic absorption. The coda is the most important phenomenon now known which is related to elastic scattering of seismic waves. Utilizing coda, this study presents relationships which give theQ factors of the medium around the recording station and discriminate between attenuations arising from elastic scattering (under the assumption of isotropic scattering) and those arising from anelastic absorption. This work proposes a technique for separately determining the attenuation due to isotropic scattering and that due to absorption from the observed envelope of coda waves.     

The estimation of spectra from time‐frequency transforms for use in attenuation studies

We introduce the signal dependent time–frequency distribution, which is a time–frequency distribution that allows the user to optimize the tradeoff between joint time–frequency resolution and suppression of transform artefacts. The signal‐dependent time–frequency distribution, as well as the short‐time Fourier transform, Stockwell transform, and the Fourier transform are analysed for their ability to estimate the spectrum of a known wavelet used in a tuning wedge model. Next, the signal‐dependent time–frequency distribution, and fixed‐ and variable‐window transforms are used to estimate spectra from a zero‐offset synthetic seismogram. Attenuation is estimated from the associated spectral ratio curves, and the accuracy of the results is compared. The synthetic consisted of six pairs of strong reflections, based on real well‐log data, with a modeled intrinsic attenuation value of 1000/Q = 20. The signal‐dependent time–frequency distribution was the only time–frequency transform found to produce spectra that estimated consistent attenuation values, with an average of 1000/Q = 26±2; results from the fixed‐ and variable‐window transforms were 24±17 and 39±10, respectively. Finally, all three time–frequency transforms were used in a pre‐stack attenuation estimation method (the pre‐stack Q inversion algorithm) applied to a gather from a North Sea seismic dataset, to estimate attenuation between nine different strong reflections. In this case, the signal‐dependent time‐frequency distribution produced spectra more consistent with the constant‐Q model of attenuation assumed in the pre‐stack attenuation estimation algorithm: the average L1 residuals of the spectral ratio surfaces from the theoretical constant‐Q expectation for the signal‐dependent time‐frequency distribution, short‐time Fourier transform, and Stockwell transform were 0.12, 0.21, and 0.33, respectively. Based on the results shown, the signal‐dependent time‐frequency distribution is a time–frequency distribution that can provide more accurate and precise estimations of the amplitude spectrum of a reflection, due to a higher attainable time–frequency resolution.     

High-frequency P- and S-wave Attenuation in the Earth

—Investigations of the spectral characteristics of teleseismic body waves revealed that the spectral falloff rate between 1 Hz and 10 Hz is primarily controlled by anelastic attenuation along the path. In addition, the amount of high-frequency energy in teleseismic body waves is far above the level expected on the basis of Q estimates at low frequencies, thus leading to the idea of frequency dependence in Q. Q variations in the earth’s mantle can be investigated by mapping out the variations of high frequency (4 - 10 Hz) energy relative to the low frequency (1 - 3 Hz) energy in teleseismic P waves, and similar ratios at lower frequencies in teleseismic S waves. Because of the extreme sensitivity of spectral content of short-period body waves to Q variations, large uncertainties in other factors affecting spectral content can be tolerated in such studies. With the increasing number and density of broadband seismic stations recording at high sampling rates, tomographic studies of Q at high frequencies become possible.     

Frequency–wavenumber modelling and migration of 2D GPR data in moderately heterogeneous dispersive media

An algorithm for modelling and migrating ground penetrating radar (GPR) data in moderately heterogeneous dispersive media is presented. The method is based on wavefield extrapolation in the frequency–wavenumber (f–k) domain, from the solution of the 2D Maxwell's equations. The wavefield is extrapolated by a phase-shift technique using a constant relative permittivity K and a quality factor Q. It is then modified by a correction term to handle the lateral K and Q variations. The spatial distribution of the K and Q-factor values, representing the given model parameters, is introduced into the algorithm by a regular grid parametrization. The radar wave dispersion and attenuation, induced by relaxation processes, are taken into account by a linear frequency-dependent Q model, and expressed by a complex wavenumber in the propagation equation. A synthetic case and a field data set illustrate the potential of the method for frequencies of 300, 500 and 900 MHz. In the first case, a typical civil engineering problem is considered. The frequency dependence of the wave velocity and attenuation is well illustrated. The synthetic data are afterwards migrated using the initial model parameters. The results show the importance of using spatially varying model parameters in the migration processes. The second case concerns an application of the method to a real data set. In order to adjust the model parameters, a forward modelling sequence is performed until the best match between the measured and the synthetic data is achieved. A depth migration is then applied to the data, and the result is compared with the initial model parameters. In conclusion, we assess the contributions of the method to industrial applications, by discussing the performance of the algorithm compared with its limitations.     

Evolution processes of Ordovician–Devonian arc system in the South‐Kitakami Massif and its relevance to the Ordovician ophiolite pulse

The South Kitakami Massif is one of the oldest geological domains in Japan having Silurian strata with acidic pyroclastic rocks and Ordovician–Silurian granodiorite–tonalite basement, suggesting that it was matured enough to develop acidic volcanisms in the Silurian period. On the northern and western margin of the South Kitakami Massif, an Ordovician arc ophiolite (Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite) and high‐pressure and low‐temperature metamorphic rocks (Motai metamorphic rocks) exhumed sometime in the Ordovician–Devonian periods are distributed. Chronological, geological, and petrochemical studies on the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite, Motai metamorphic rocks, and other early Paleozoic geological units of the South Kitakami Massif are reviewed for reconstruction of the South Kitakami arc system during Ordovician to Devonian times with supplementary new data. The reconstruction suggests a change in the convergence polarity from eastward‐ to westward‐dipping subduction sometime before the Late Devonian period. The Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite was developed above the eastward‐dipping subduction through three distinctive stages. Two separate stages of overriding plate extension inducing decompressional melting with minor involvement of slab‐derived fluid occurred before and after a stage of melting under strong influence of slab‐derived fluids. The first overriding plate extension took place in the back‐arc side forming a back‐arc basin. The second one took place immediately before the ophiolite exhumation and near the fore‐arc region. We postulate that the second decompressional melting was triggered by slab breakoff, which was preceded by slab rollback inducing trench‐parallel wedge mantle flow and non‐steady fluid and heat transport leaving exceptionally hydrous residual mantle. The formation history of the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite implies that weaker plate coupling may provide preferential conditions for exhumation of very hydrous mantle. Very hydrous peridotites involved in arc magmatism have not yet been discovered except for in the Cambrian–Ordovician periods, suggesting its implications for global geodynamics, such as the thermal state and water circulation in the mantle.     

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.     

Determination of source,path and site parameters based on non-linear inversion of accelerometric data in Greece

Source, propagation path and site conditions are the factors affecting seismic ground motion. Consequently, recordings acquired at a seismic station are formed by the convolution of these three factors. In this work S-wave acceleration Fourier spectra of earthquakes recorded at local and regional scale, by the ITSAK accelerometric network for the period 2010–2016, are modeled as a product of source, propagation path (including geometric and anelastic attenuation) and site effects. The data set consists of 136 crustal earthquakes occurred in the broader Aegean area, with magnitudes 4.2?≤?M_w?≤?6.5 and epicentral distances 20 km?≤?R?≤?350 km, recorded at 112 broadband accelerometric stations installed at sites with various geologic conditions. Based on this data set, an iterative Gauss–Newton inversion method to solve the non-linear problem and retrieve the different terms of source, propagation path and site, is applied. This method uses an initial input model trying to find the best and at the same time a stable solution for the inverted parameters, which are, moment magnitude (M_w), corner frequency (f_c), attenuation quality factor (Q_s?=?Q_of^α), slope of the geometric attenuation (1/R^γ) and site transfer function (S(f)). The initial values of the starting model can be either known from other studies or inferred within a reasonable range. Depending on the level of knowledge on these input parameters, the associated standard deviation can be adjusted (large values for unknown parameters or small values for parameters which are well constrained). Results of the analyses exhibit satisfactory agreement of estimated source parameters with those proposed by seismological centers in Greece and propagation path properties similar to the ones determined in relevant previous studies for the same region. In addition, the site transfer functions obtained by the non-linear inversion are comparable with those calculated for the same sites using either standard spectral ratio or horizontal-to-vertical spectral ration (HVSR—receiver function) techniques. The aforementioned results are encouraging for reliable earthquake source parameters, propagation path properties and site effect assessment, in areas of intermediate to high seismicity.     

Estimating permeability from field measurements of seismic attenuation in fractured chalk

Broadband (100–4000 Hz) cross‐hole seismic data have been acquired at a borehole test site where extensive hydrological investigations have previously been performed, including in situ estimates of permeability. The rock type is homogeneous chalk and fractures and bedding planes have been identified from well logs. High values of seismic attenuation, Q= 22 ≤ 27 ≤ 33, were observed over a 10 m depth interval where fracture permeability values of 20–50 darcy had been recorded. An attempt has been made to separate the attenuation due to scattering and intrinsic mechanisms. The estimated values of intrinsic attenuation, Q= 31 ≤ 43 ≤ 71, have been reproduced using a number of current theories of seismic‐wave propagation and fluid‐flow‐induced seismic attenuation in cracked and fractured media. A model that considers wavelength‐scale pressure gradients is the preferred attenuation mechanism. Model parameters were obtained from the hydro‐geological and seismic data. However, we conclude that it is not possible to use seismic Q to measure rock permeability remotely, principally because of the inherent uncertainties arising from model parameterisations.     

Adsorption Kinetic Modeling of Safranin onto Rice Husk Biomatrix Using Pseudo‐first‐ and Pseudo‐second‐order Kinetic Models: Comparison of Linear and Non‐linear Methods

Batch kinetic studies were carried out for the removal of safranin from aqueous solution using a biomatrix prepared from rice husk. The adsorption kinetic data were modeled using the pseudo‐first‐order and pseudo‐second‐order kinetic equations. The linear and non‐linear forms of these two widely used kinetic models were compared in this study. In order to determine the best‐fitting equation, the coefficient of determination (r²), the sum of the squares of the errors (SSE), sum of the absolute errors (SAE), average relative error (ARE), hybrid fractional error function (HYBRID), Marquardt's percent standard deviation (MPSD), and the Chi‐squared test (χ²) were used as error analysis methods. Results showed that the non‐linear forms of pseudo‐first‐order and pseudo‐second‐order models were more suitable than the linear forms for fitting the experimental data. Non‐linear method is thus more appropriate for estimating the kinetic parameters and should primarily be used to describe adsorption kinetics.     

Intrinsic absorption and scattering attenuation in the southern part of the Netherlands

We present the first systematic study of attenuation derived from the S-wave coda in the frequency range 1-32 Hz for the southern part of the Netherlands and its surroundings. For this we used two methods, the codaQ (Q _c) method and the Multiple Lapse Time Window (MLTW) method. In the interpretation of the results both single and multiple scattering in a half space are considered. Our aim is to validate these interpretations in our region and to try to identify theeffects of attenuation due to intrinsic absoprtion (Q _i)and scattering attenuation (Q _s). For this we analyzedmore than 100 3-component high-quality digital seismograms from 43 crustalevents and 23 different stations in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.Coda Q results show smaller Q _c (=Q ₀fⁿ) values for epicentral distances shorter than 25 km (Q ₀=90) compared to larger epicentral distances (Q ₀=190), but similar frequency dependence (f^-0.9). Interpretation of MLTW results provided a seismic albedo smaller then 0.5, suggesting that the intrinsic absorption dominates over scattering in this region. Both Q _i and Q _s show similar frequency dependences as Q _c. These results are comparable to those obtained in other areas, but we also show that more sophisticated models are required to remove ambiguities in the interpretation. For short lapse times and shortevent-station distances we find for the simple half space model a correspondinginterpretation of both methodologies, where Q _c correspondsto Q _t, suggesting that a model with single scattering in ahalf space is appropriate. For long lapse times and long event station distances, however, we find that the S-wave coda is, most probably, too much influenced by crust-mantel heterogenities and more sophisticated Qinversion models using larger data sets are required for more reliable attenuation estimates.     

Space-time variations of the shear wave attenuation field in the upper mantle of seismic and low seismicity areas

This paper deals with characteristics of the short period S-wave attenuation field in the rupture zones of 37 large and great earthquakes with M _s = 7.0–8.6, as well as in low seismicity areas. We estimate the effective quality factor from Sn and Lg coda envelopes in two time intervals (Q ₁ and Q ₂). The quantity Q ₁ is a measure of shear wave attenuation in the uppermost mantle, at depths of down to approximately 200–250 km, while Q ₂ is relevant to deeper horizons of the upper mantle. We studied variations in the attenuation field in the rupture zone of the 1950 Assam earthquake. We examined the parameters Q ₁, Q ₂, and Q ₁/Q ₂ as functions of the time ΔT elapsed after a large earthquake. It is shown that the parameter Q ₂ in rupture zones is practically independent of ΔT, while the quantities Q ₁ and Q ₁/Q ₂ increase until ΔT ～ 20–25 years, especially rapidly for normal, normal-oblique, and strike-slip earthquake mechanisms. This analysis provides evidence that, as ΔT increases, so does the quality factor in the upper mantle for shear waves. It is supposed that this is related to the rise of mantle fluids to the crust. Geodynamic mechanisms are discussed that can support a comparatively rapid “drying” of the upper mantle beneath earthquake rupture zones.     

Elastic-anelastic Regional Structures for the Iberian Peninsula Obtained from a Rayleigh Wave Tomography and a Causal Uncoupled Inversion

The elastic and anelastic structure of the lithosphere and asthenosphere of the Iberian Peninsula is derived by means of tomographic techniques applied to local phase and group velocities and local attenuation coefficients of Rayleigh wave fundamental mode. The database consists of surface wavetrains recorded at the broadband stations located in the Iberian Peninsula on the occasion of the ILIHA project. Path-averaged phase and group velocities and attenuation coefficients were previously obtained by standard filtering techniques of surface wavetrains and, subsequently, local dispersion curves were computed according to the Yanovskaya-Ditmar formulation. First, a principal component analysis (PCA) and the average linkage (AL) clustering algorithm are applied to these local values in order to classify the Iberian Peninsula in several rather homogeneous domains from the viewpoint of the similarity of the corresponding local dispersion curves, without previous seismotectonic constraints. Second, averaged phase and group velocities and attenuation coefficients representing each homogeneous region are used to derive the respective elastic and anelastic models of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. This purpose is achieved by using the uncoupled causal inversion of phase and group velocities and attenuation coefficients. The main features of the homogeneous regions are discussed by taking as reference the Hercynic, Alpine and Neogene domains of the Iberian Peninsula, and two questions affecting the reliability of the elastic-anelastic models are revised. First, the coherence of the shear-velocity and Q_β⁻¹ models obtained by causal uncoupled inversion for each region is analysed. Second, the influence of the causal phase and group velocities on the shear-velocity models is evaluated by comparing elastic and anelastic models derived from causal uncoupled inversion with those deduced from non-causal inversion.