克拉通岩石圈对流减薄的数值模拟

采用二维有限元数值模拟的方法研究了岩石圈的对流减薄过程,特别是克拉通岩石圈的对流减薄过程.模型的主要参数包括增厚岩石圈的宽度x、增厚倍数γ、以及与岩石圈组分变化导致的黏性和密度变化密切相关的黏性比(ηc)和浮力数(B)或等效密度变化(Δρtc).数值计算结果显示,地幔对流将逐渐减薄增厚的岩石圈部分,(1)当B=0和ηc=1时,即对一般地幔岩石圈,增厚岩石圈对流减薄的时间可表示为0.0073γ0.70 x0.26.将数值结果应用于地球,意味着增厚到300km的岩石圈,如宽度为300km,对流移除增厚部分回到初始平衡厚度120km大约需要225 Ma;如宽度为1500km,移除增厚部分大约需要342 Ma.(2)当B和ηc较小,克拉通岩石圈对流减薄过程与一般加厚岩石圈的对流减薄过程类似,但减薄时间受克拉通组分浮力和黏性比的影响而显著增长,克拉通岩石圈对流减薄的时间可表示为0.0057ηc0.52Δρ-0.21tcγ0.78ηc-0.36 x0.04.因而,对300km厚的克拉通岩石圈,如克拉通岩石圈的密度比周围地幔的密度低0.4%(即B=0.1),宽度1500km,若克拉通岩石圈黏性因组分影响比普通地幔岩石圈大10倍,其被对流减薄到120km大约需要1.18Ga.(3)当B和ηc增大到一定量时(如B≥0.2且ηc10),克拉通岩石圈被移除的过程将发生变化,由于组分浮力的影响,对流主要不是将克拉通岩石圈带到软流圈地幔中,而主要是将较厚的岩石圈物质向两边推送.在此情况下,克拉通岩石圈能长时间(3Ga)保持稳定.     

造山带下岩石圈地幔小尺度减薄的动力学成因

地质与地球物理观测数据表明青藏高原、安第斯山、以及帕米尔等典型造山高原之下均有明显的岩石圈地幔小尺度/分段式减薄现象.这些小尺度岩石圈减薄难以用经典的拆沉或对流减薄理论来解释,一方面,拆沉预示大尺度岩石圈地幔的剥离过程,而对流减薄则在黏度相对低的地幔岩石圈中发生,其主要以小尺度的局部增厚触发并仅减薄地幔岩石圈的底部区域.另一方面,拆沉或对流减薄模型都预测造山带尺度的地幔岩石圈拆离,都假设造山带岩石圈横向均一,然而实际的造山带岩石圈往往由多个不同的地块构成,块体之间岩性、物性、流变结构可能大有差别,即横向不均一性.这些造山带岩石圈地幔的横向不均一性,能否有效解释观测到的局部小尺度减薄现象？为此,我们构建了一系列高精度动力学数值模型,系统模拟了碰撞造山过程中岩石圈地幔的形变和不稳定性.结果表明,在塑性屈服强度很低的情况下,横向不均一的造山带岩石圈有发生分段式/小尺度减薄的可能性;其主要机理是由位错蠕变与强塑性作用所导致的应变集中使得地块间及壳幔间耦合弱化,从而使得较弱地块的岩石圈地幔在增厚时由于重力不稳定性而产生局部剥离,进而诱发小尺度软流圈上涌.模拟结果可以良好地解释发生在青藏高原东北缘、安第斯中部高原、以及帕米尔高原之下岩石圈的局部小尺度/分段式减薄现象.     

华北地区上地幔温度及岩石圈厚度分布研究

上地幔温度是控制地幔流变性和动力学过程的关键参数之一.本文利用高分辨率S波地震层析成像速度结果,基于岩石温度与地震波速度的关系,研究了华北地区上地幔50~300 km深度范围内的温度分布和"热"岩石圈厚度.为了验证结果的可靠性,本文用计算的上地幔60 km深度处的温度作为底面约束,得到了相应的地表热流.计算地表热流与观测地表热流之间符合程度较好,相对误差大部分都在地表热流观测误差范围之内.通过对上地幔的温度分布进行分析,我们研究发现:(1)在上地幔浅部,温度与地表构造之间有很好的对应关系.在小于170 km的深度上,温度呈现东高西低的分布态势.温度较高的区域集中在东部的河淮盆地、渤海湾盆地、华北平原和中部陆块的交界处、西部鄂尔多斯高原北缘的银川―河套地堑以及阴山地区,同时,这些地区的岩石圈厚度也相应较薄,大约为80~100 km;(2)西部的鄂尔多斯高原是整个华北地区岩石圈地幔温度最低的地区,比东部地区低200~400 ℃,岩石圈厚度相应最厚,平均岩石圈厚度达到140~150 km,最厚处超过160 km.(3)在170 km以下的软流圈地幔部分,温度分布发生反转,西部温度高于东部,表明东、西部陆块在地质历史时期经历了不同的深部地幔动力学过程.     

Effective elastic thicknesses of the lithosphere in the Central Iberian Peninsula from heat flow: Implications for the rheology of the continental lithospheric mantle

The traditional view of the rheology of the continental lithosphere, sometimes known as the “jelly sandwich model”, consists of a strong upper crust, a weak lower crust, and a strong upper lithospheric mantle. Some authors argue, however, that the lithospheric mantle is weak and contributes little to the total strength and the effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere; this weakness is claimed to be due to the mantle being wet or subjected to temperatures higher than usually believed. This paper uses the relationship between rheology of the lithosphere and heat flow to calculate theoretical effective elastic thicknesses for three regions of the central Iberian Peninsula (the Duero Basin, the Spanish Central System and the Tajo Basin), taking into account the contribution of the crust and the lithospheric mantle, for dry and wet rheologies. We found that a wet peridotite rheology for the lithospheric mantle is generally consistent with independent (based on Bouguer coherence or flexural modeling) estimates of the effective elastic thickness for the study area, whereas a dry peridotite rheology cannot be reconciled with them. Moreover, the contribution of the mantle to the bending moment of the lithosphere, and therefore to both the effective elastic thickness and the total strength of the lithosphere, is important, and it may even be the dominant contribution. Therefore, the jelly sandwich model may be considered valid for the central Iberian Peninsula.     

利用S波接收函数研究华南块体的岩石圈结构

本文基于跨越华夏块体至四川盆地西部的130个线性流动地震台站及其附近90个固定台网台站的观测资料,采用S波接收函数波动方程叠后偏移方法,开展了华南大陆岩石圈结构研究.成像结果显示,研究区岩石圈结构复杂,不同构造单元之间差异显著,构造边界带附近小尺度变化强烈.150 km以上的厚岩石圈主要位于四川盆地,不足100 km的薄岩石圈主要分布于川东褶皱带和华夏块体.雪峰山下方岩石圈厚度显著增加,且以雪峰山为界岩石圈结构和性质存在着显著的东西差异.结合其它地球物理观测得到的地壳-上地幔结构信息,我们提出：（1）四川盆地还保留着厚而冷的克拉通岩石圈根,且岩石圈地幔具有结构分层特征;（2）雪峰山可能是扬子克拉通与华夏块体在西南部的边界;（3）雪峰山以东区域可能经历了岩石圈的减薄和改造,且华南岩石圈的减薄与华北相似,都主体发生在东部地区,造成现今南北重力梯度带两侧强烈的结构差异.研究结果为认识华南大陆的构造演化及其深部动力学提供了地震学约束.     

华南陆缘高热流区的壳幔温度结构与动力学背景

华南陆缘是我国重要的矿产、地热资源区.晚中生代以来,在太平洋板块西向俯冲,地幔热对流活动共同作用下,该区出现多期岩浆-热事件和大规模爆发式成矿作用.在前人研究基础上,本文利用地表热流观测资料、地震剪切波资料、重力位球谐系数,计算了壳-幔温度结构,分析了动力学背景.计算结果表明：华南陆缘东南沿海地带,地壳10 km以浅温度达200℃以上,居里点温度475℃,莫霍面平均温度550℃.地壳浅层较热,花岗岩中放射性元素衰变放热是地壳浅层地下水热活动的重要热源,但地壳总体温度不高,为"冷壳热幔"型热结构.地幔中,90 km深度,温度950~1250℃;120 km深度,温度1050~1400℃;150 km深度,温度1200~1450℃;220 km深度,温度1500~1700℃."热"岩石圈底界深度在110~150 km之间,西深东浅.岩石圈内,地幔应力场为挤压-伸展相间格局;岩石圈之下,地幔应力场为一个以南昌为中心、长轴NE-SW向的椭圆.分析认为,晚中生代以来,太平洋板块的西向俯冲,导致华南陆缘在区域性SE向地幔对流背景上叠加局域性不稳定热扰动,在175~85Ma期间,上地幔物质向上流动,形成不同的岩浆活动高峰期.同时,岩石圈地幔受俯冲洋壳流体的影响,含水量高,黏度小,在地幔流切向应力场作用下,岩石圈底界由西向东"波浪"状减薄.现今岩石圈之下仍具备地幔小尺度热对流温度条件,但除地表浅层外,地壳整体温度不高,岩石圈构造稳定.     

Experimental models of extension of continental lithosphere weakened by percolation of asthenospheric melts

Analogue models are used to investigate extension of a continental lithosphere weakened by asthenospheric melts percolating through the upper mantle, a process that has been hypothesised to control the opening of the Ligurian Tethys. Models were performed in a centrifuge apparatus and reproduced, by using materials such as sand and viscous mixtures, extension of 60-km thick, three-layer continental lithosphere floating above the asthenosphere. The percolated lithospheric mantle was assumed to be characterised by a rheological behaviour similar to that of the asthenosphere. Two sets of experiments investigated the influence on deformation of (1) the thickness of the percolated mantle and the associated strength contrast between the normal and weakened lithosphere, and (2) the lateral width of the weakened zone. Model results suggest that mantle percolation by asthenospheric melts is able to promote strong localised thinning of the continental lithosphere, provided that a significant thickness of the lithospheric mantle is weakened by migrating melts within a narrow region. Strain localisation is maximised for percolation of the whole lithospheric mantle and strong strength contrast between the normal and weakened lithosphere. Under these conditions, the thickness of the lithosphere may be reduced to less than 12 km in 3 Ma of extension. Conversely, localised thinning is strongly reduced if the thickness of the percolated zone is ≤1/3 of the thickness of the whole lithospheric mantle and/or the lithosphere is weakened over wide regions. Overall, model results support the working hypothesis that mantle percolation by asthenospheric melts is a controlling factor in the transition from distributed continental deformation to localised oceanic spreading.     

海洋热流与地幔上升流

从洋中脊上升的地慢物质带上来的大量热量,使在洋中脊裂谷处的海底热流及温度最高,向海沟逐渐减小．由于热胀冷缩,海底地势在洋中脊处最高．作者根据板块模型由一维运动物体的热传导方程推出裂谷处上升物体的温度分布公式．用此分布公式作为垂直边的边界条件,严格地求解了运动板块的二维运动物体热传导方程．用此方程研究了各参数与观测量之间的关系．通过改变公式中的参数值,使计算的理论曲线与实测海底热流一年龄及海底深度一年龄曲线拟合,从而求出了板块的厚度Ｌ＝９７ｋｍ,地幔上升速度ｕ＝３．ｇｍｍ／ａ,热膨胀系数ａ＝３．３７×１０－５／℃及温度分布．该方法克服了在洋中脊处理论热流值趋于无限大的问题,并可以计算出地幔上升流的速度及宽度．     

New constraints on lithospheric thickness of the Iranian plateau using converted waves

The study of mantle lithosphere plays a key role to reveal predominant tectonic setting process of a region. The current geological and tectonic setting of Iran is due to the ongoing continental–continental collision of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. We applied a combined P and S receiver function analysis to the teleseismic data of nine permanent broadband seismic stations of the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology located in different tectonic zones of Iranian plateau. More than 4 years of data were used to estimate the thickness of the crust and mantle lithosphere. According to our results, the crust is 50 km thick beneath the Zagros fold and thrust belt (ZFTB). We found the maximum Moho depth of approximately 70 km under the Sanandaj-Sirjan zone (SSZ) indicating the overthrusting of the crust of Central Iran onto the Zagros crust along the main Zagros thrust (MZT). Below the northeasternmost part of the Urumieh–Dokhtar Magmatic Arc (UDMA) and Central Iran, the Moho becomes shallower and lies at 40 km depth. Towards northeast, beneath the Alborz zone, the crust is 55 km thick. Based on S receiver functions, we provided new insights into the thickness of the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheres. The location of the boundary between these plates was estimated to be beneath the SSZ, which is slightly shifted northeastward relative to the surficial expression of the MZT. Furthermore, the Arabian plate is characterized by the relatively thick lithosphere of about 130 km beneath the ZFTB reaching 150 km beneath the SSZ, where the thickest crust was also observed. This may imply that the shortening across the Zagros is accommodated by lithospheric thickening. In contrast, UDMA and Central Iran are recognized by the thin lithosphere of about 80–85 km. This thin lithosphere may be associated with the asthenospheric upwelling caused by either lithospheric delamination or Neo-Tethys slab detachment beneath the Zagros collision zone.     

Numerical models of subduction of the oceanic crust with basaltic plateaus

Light continents and islands characterized by a crustal thickness of more than 30 km float over a convective mantle, while the thin basaltic oceanic crust sinks completely in subduction zones. The normal oceanic crust is 7 km thick. However, anomalously thick basaltic plateaus forming as a result of emplacement of mantle plumes into moving oceanic lithospheric plates are also pulled into the mantle. One of the largest basaltic plateaus is the Ontong Java plateau on the Pacific plate, which arose during the intrusion of a giant superplume into the plate ～100 Myr ago. Notwithstanding its large thickness (averaging ～30 km), the Ontong Java plateau is still experiencing slow subduction. On the basis of numerical modeling, the paper analyzes the oceanic crust subduction process as a function of the mantle convection vigorousness and the density, thickness, viscosity, and shape of the crust. Even a simplified model of thermocompositional convection in the upper mantle is capable of explaining the observed facts indicating that the oceanic crust and sediments are pulled into the mantle and the continental crust is floating on the mantle.     

Rheology of the mantle and tectonics of the oceanic lithospheric plates

The modern concepts of the rheology of viscous mantle and brittle lithosphere, as well as the results of the numerical experiments on the processes in a heated layer with a viscosity dependent on pressure, temperature, and shear stress, are reviewed. These dependences are inferred from the laboratory studies of olivine and measurements of postglacial rebound (glacial isostatic adjustment) and geoid anomalies. The numerical solution of classical conservation equations for mass, heat, and momentum shows that thermal convection with a highly viscous rigid lithosphere develops in the layer with the parameters of the mantle with the considered rheology under a temperature difference of 3500 K, without any special additional conditions due to the self-organization of the material. If the viscosity parameters of the lithosphere correspond to dry olivine, the lithosphere remains monolithic (unbroken). At a lower strength (probably due to the effects of water), the lithosphere splits into a set of separate rigid plates divided by the ridges and subduction zones. The plates submerge into the mantle, and their material is involved in the convective circulation. The results of the numerical experiment may serve as direct empirical evidence to validate the basic concepts of the theory of plate tectonics; these experiments also reveal some new features of the mantle convection. The probable structure of the flows in the upper and lower mantle (including the asthenosphere), which shows the primary role of the lithospheric plates, is demonstrated for the first time.     

Thickness and thermal history of continental crust and root zones

The survival to the present of the Archean nuclei of Precambrian shields requires special explanation if, as seems likely, the rate of heat flow out of the earth was two or three times greater in the late Archean (2.5 b.y. ago) than at present, since such a high heat flux would have melted the base of the Archean crust. It is proposed that there must have existed beneath stable continental crust a root zone (or lithosphere, or tectosphere) at least 200 km thick which has acted as a thermal buffer between the crust and the convecting mantle; this is virtually the same model as has been proposed to explain the present distribution of heat flow between continents and oceans. The strong temperature dependence of silicate rheology insures that the mantle temperature at the base of the root zone was no more than about 150°C higher in the late Archean than at present; the greater Archean heat flux would have been removed mainly through faster sea-floor spreading. To have survived, the root zone must be mechanically and chemically distinct from the rest of the mantle, and its formation was probably intimately related to the differentiation and stabilization of the continental crust.     

The mid-ocean ridge axial valley as a steady-state neck

In this paper the mid-ocean ridge axial valley is modelled as a steady-state lithospheric neck in which lithospheric stretching balances lithospheric accretion. Conversely, the axial high is a steady-state lithospheric bulge. The lithosphere is modelled as a thin plate with a Newtonian rheology. It is shown that an axial valley will occur if the rate of viscosity increase away from the ridge axis is faster than the rate at which accretion decreases. An axial high will occur if the opposite condition holds. This is consistent with the observation that axial valleys occur at low spreading rates and axial highs at high spreading rates. By fitting our model to profiles across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise and assuming the lithospheric thickness at the ridge axis to be 5 km, we find accretion widths of 6–8 km. We find the width over which there is a significant increase in lithospheric viscosity to be also 6–8 km.     

流变边界层及其对华北克拉通热/地震岩石圈底界差异的意义

二维热传导/对流数值模型显示,纯传导的固体岩石圈与纯对流的流体软流圈之间存在一过渡层,即流变边界层,其间传导与对流共同作用来传递热量.流变边界层厚度主要由软流圈黏性系数（η）控制,而受固体岩石圈厚度及热状态影响很小.随着η从1×10²¹Pa·s降低至1×10¹⁹ Pa·s,流变边界层也随之减薄,流变边界层的厚度与lg（η）成正比. 流变边界层的存在是造成热岩石圈与地震岩石圈厚度差异的重要因素. 全球典型克拉通岩石圈的对比结果表明,地震岩石圈厚度普遍大于热岩石圈厚度,二者的差异多数在70~90 km,很好地验证了流变边界层的存在. 研究发现二者的差异在华北克拉通自西向东逐渐减小：由西部鄂尔多斯的约80 km减少至渤海湾盆地的约20 km. 反映出华北克拉通岩石圈下部流变边界层厚度自西向东减薄,意味着软流圈黏性系数自西向东逐渐降低.这可能与中生代太平洋俯冲脱水形成的低黏大地幔楔有关,从一侧面印证了太平洋俯冲对华北克拉通破坏的影响.     

The structure of thermal convection and geotherms beneath a continent and ocean

The formation of the thermal cross section of the lithosphere and mantle upon the interaction between the mantle convection and the immobile continent surrounded by the oceanic lithosphere is studied by numerical modeling. The convective temperature and velocity fields and then the averaged geotherms for subcontinental and suboceanic regions up to the boundary with the core are calculated from the solution of convection equations with a jump in viscosity in the continental zone. Using the experimental data on the solidus temperature in the rocks of the upper mantle, the average thickness of the continental and oceanic lithosphere is estimated at 190 and 30 km, respectively. The effect of a hot spot formed in the subcontinental upper mantle at a depth of 250–500 km, which has not been previously noted, is revealed. Although the temperature in this zone is typically assumed to be close to adiabatic, the calculations show that it is actually higher than adiabatic by up to 200°C. The physical mechanism responsible for this effect is associated with the accumulation of convective heat beneath the thermally insulating layer of the continental lithosphere. The revealed anomalies can be important in studying the phase and mineral transformations at the base of the lithosphere and in the regional geodynamical reconstructions.     

郯庐断裂带中南段的岩石圈精细结构

郯庐断裂带是中国东部规模最大的构造活动带,有着复杂的形成演化历史,对中国东部的区域构造、岩浆活动、矿产资源的形成和分布以及现代地震活动都有重要控制作用.2010年在郯庐断裂带中南段的江苏宿迁市附近,采用深地震反射探测方法对郯庐断裂带及其两侧地块的岩石圈结构进行了解剖.结果表明,该区莫霍面和岩石圈底界均向西倾,其中,地壳厚度约为31~36km,岩石圈厚度约为75~86km,且岩石圈厚度在郯庐断裂带下方出现突变.郯庐断裂带在剖面上表现为由多条主干断裂组成的花状构造,其内部发育有断陷盆地和挤压褶皱,具有伸展、挤压和走滑并存的构造形迹,暗示郯庐断裂带的形成和演化经历了多期复杂的构造活动.这一断裂带错断了近地表沉积层,向下切割莫霍面和岩石圈地幔,属岩石圈尺度的深大断裂构造系统.软流圈高温高压热物质沿断裂带的上涌、岩浆底侵或热侵蚀作用造成岩石圈出现拉张伸展和岩石圈减薄,并可能使岩石圈组构及其物质成分发生改变.本项研究结果不但可进一步加深对郯庐断裂带深、浅部结构的认识,而且还可为分析研究华北克拉通东部的深部过程和浅部构造响应提供资料约束.     

亚洲中部地区岩石圈均衡补偿深度和弹性板模型反演结果分析

简要叙述了岩石圈均衡补偿深度和弹性板复合补偿的理论与方法;求出了亚洲中部地区岩石圈均衡的最佳补偿深度为75km,通过线性反演得到该区岩石圈弹性板复合补偿模型的基本参数。指出粘滞系数较低的上地幔75km附近存在的低粘滞度的软流层,可能是达到该区大范围岩石圈均衡的大体部位,并对亚洲中部地区大陆弹性板机制等问题进行了讨论。     

Hydrating laterally extensive regions of continental lithosphere by flat subduction: A pilot study from the North American Cordillera

It has been suggested that much of the lithopheric mantle beneath the Colorado Plateau was hydrated by the dehydration of the Farallon plate when it was undergoing low angle subduction during the Laramide orogeny. If correct, low angle subduction could be a viable mechanism for weakening laterally extensive regions of continental lithosphere, allowing such lithosphere potentially to be recycled back into the Earth's interior and into the asthenospheric mantle wedge. To test this hypothesis, we model the release of water during prograde metamorphism of a flat-subducting Farallon plate by considering a thermal model for flat subduction and tracking open-system metamorphic phase equilibria. Our model indicates that significant amounts of water can be laterally transported ∼700 km inboard of the trench, close to the width of the North American Cordillera. The amount of water released is shown here to have been large enough to influence the rheology of the overriding North American lithosphere and the potential for melting at its base. Anomalously high S-velocities in the lithospheric mantle supports our modeled calculations of laterally extensive weakening at the base of the continental lithosphere.     

Edge-driven convection

We consider a series of simple calculations with a step-function change in thickness of the lithosphere and imposed, far-field boundary conditions to illustrate the influence of the lithosphere on mantle flow. We consider the effect of aspect ratio and far-field boundary conditions on the small-scale flow driven by a discontinuity in the thickness of the lithosphere. In an isothermal mantle, with no other outside influences, the basic small-scale flow aligns with the lithosphere such that there is a downwelling at the lithospheric discontinuity (edge-driven flow); however, the pattern of the small-scale flow is strongly dependent on the large-scale thermal structure of a much broader area of the upper mantle. Long-wavelength temperature anomalies in the upper mantle can overwhelm edge-driven flow on a short timescale; however, convective motions work to homogenize these anomalies on the order of 100 million years while cratonic roots can remain stable for longer time periods. A systematic study of the effect of the boundary conditions and aspect ratio of the domain shows that small-scale, and large-scale flows are driven by the lithosphere. Edge-driven flow produces velocities on the order of 20 mm/yr. This is comparable to calculations by others and we can expect an increase in this rate as the mantle viscosity is decreased.     

中国西部及邻区岩石圈S波速度结构面波层析成像

本文利用瑞利波群速度频散资料和层析成像方法,研究了中国西部及邻近区域(20°N—55°N,65°E—110°E)的岩石圈S波速度结构.结果表明这一地区存在三个以低速地壳/上地幔为特征的构造活动区域:西蒙古高原—贝加尔地区,青藏高原,印支地区.西蒙古高原岩石圈厚度约为80 km,上地幔低速层向下延伸至300 km深度,说明存在源自地幔深部的热流活动.缅甸弧后的上地幔低速层下至200 km深度,显然与印度板块向东俯冲引起俯冲板片上方的热/化学活动有关.青藏高原地壳厚达70 km,边缘地区厚度也在50 km以上并且具有很大的水平变化梯度,与高原平顶陡边的地形特征一致.中下地壳的平均S波速度明显低于正常大陆地壳,在中地壳20~40 km深度范围广泛存在速度逆转的低速层,这一低速层的展布范围与高原的范围相符.这些特征说明青藏高原中下地壳的变形是在印度板块的北向挤压下发生塑性增厚和侧向流动.地幔的速度结构呈现与地壳显著不同的特点.在高原主体和川滇西部地区上地幔顶部存在较大范围的低速,低速区范围随深度迅速减小;100 km以下滇西低速消失,150 km以下基本完全消失.青藏高原上地幔速度结构沿东西方向表现出显著的分段变化.在大约84°E以西的喀喇昆仑—帕米尔—兴都库什地区,印度板块的北向和亚洲板块的南向俯冲造成上地幔显著高速;84°E—94°E之间上地幔顶部速度较低,在大约150~220 km深度范围存在高速板片,有可能是俯冲的印度岩石圈,其前缘到达昆仑—巴颜喀拉之下;在喜马拉雅东构造结以北区域,存在显著的上地幔高速区,可能阻碍上地幔物质的东向运动.川滇西部岩石圈底界深度与扬子克拉通相似,约为180 km,但上地幔顶部速度较低.这些现象表明青藏高原岩石圈地幔的变形/运动方式可能与地壳有本质的区别.