Seismic evidence for a sharp lithospheric base persisting to the lowermost mantle beneath the Caribbean

Broad-band data from South American earthquakes recorded by Californian seismic networks are analysed using a newly developed seismic wave migration method—the slowness backazimuth weighted migration (SBWM). Using the SBWM, out-of-plane seismic P -wave reflections have been observed. The reflection locations extend throughout the Earth's lower mantle, down to the core–mantle boundary (CMB) and coincide with the edges of tomographically mapped high seismic velocities. Modelling using synthetic seismograms suggests that a narrow (10–15 km) low- or high-velocity lamella with about 2 per cent velocity contrast can reproduce the observed reflected waveforms, but other explanations may exist. Considering the reflection locations and synthetic modelling, the observed out-of-plane energy is well explained by underside reflections off a sharp reflector at the base of the subducted lithosphere. We also detect weaker reflections corresponding to the tomographically mapped top of the slab, which may arise from the boundary between the Nazca plate and the overlying former basaltic oceanic crust. The joint interpretation of the waveform modelling and geodynamic considerations indicate mass flux of the former oceanic lithosphere and basaltic crust across the 660 km discontinuity, linking processes and structure at the top and bottom of the Earth's mantle, supporting the idea of whole mantle convection.     

Cross-dependence of finite-frequency compressional waveforms to shear seismic wave speeds

Seismic tomography has been one of the primary tools to image the interior of the earth and other elastic structures. To date the inversions of compressional ( P ) and shear ( S ) wave speeds have been carried out separately under the assumption that P traveltimes are affected only by the P wave speed of the elastic media and S traveltimes by the S wave speed. Using numerical and analytical solutions, we show that for finite-frequency seismic waves, S wave speed perturbations may have significant effects on P waveforms. This suggests that when waveform-derived traveltime and amplitude anomalies are used in tomographic inversions, the P -wave measurements should be related to not only P wave speed perturbations but also S wave speed perturbations.     

The shear-wave velocity structure in the upper mantle beneath Eurasia

We develop an approach that allows us to invert for the mantle velocity structure within a finely parametrized region as a perturbation with respect to a low-resolution, global tomographic model. We implement this technique to investigate the upper-mantle structure beneath Eurasia and present a new model of shear wave velocity, parametrized laterally using spherical splines with ∼2.9° spacing in Eurasia and ∼11.5° spacing elsewhere. The model is obtained from a combined data set of surface wave phase velocities, long-period waveforms and body-wave traveltimes. We identify many features as narrow as few hundred kilometres in diameter, such as subducting slabs in eastern Eurasia and slow-velocity anomalies beneath tectonically active regions. In contrast to regional studies in which these features have been identified, our model encompasses the structure of the entire Eurasian continent. Furthermore, including mantle- and body-wave waveforms helped us constrain structures at depths larger than 250 km, which are poorly resolved in earlier models. We find that up to +9 per cent faster-than-average anomalies within the uppermost ∼200 km of the mantle beneath cratons and some orogenic regions are separated by a sharp gradient zone from deeper, +1 to +2 per cent anomalies. We speculate that this gradient zone may represent a boundary separating the lithosphere from the continental root, which might be compositionally distinct from the overlying lithosphere and remain stable either due to its compositional buoyancy or due to higher viscosity compared with the suboceanic mantle. Our regional model of anisotropy is not significantly different from the global one.     

Crustal and uppermost mantle structure in southern Africa revealed from ambient noise and teleseismic tomography

Rayleigh wave phase velocity maps in southern Africa are obtained at periods from 6 to 40 s using seismic ambient noise tomography applied to data from the Southern Africa Seismic Experiment (SASE) deployed between 1997 and 1999. These phase velocity maps are combined with those from 45 to 143 s period which were determined previously using a two-plane-wave method by Li & Burke. In the period range of overlap (25–40 s), the ambient noise and two-plane-wave methods yield similar phase velocity maps. Dispersion curves from 6 to 143 s period were used to estimate the 3-D shear wave structure of the crust and uppermost mantle on an 1°× 1° grid beneath southern Africa to a depth of about 100 km. Average shear wave velocity in the crust is found to vary from 3.6 km s^–1 at 0–10 km depths to 3.86 km s^–1 from 20 to 40 km, and velocity anomalies in these layers correlate with known tectonic features. Shear wave velocity in the lower crust is on average low in the Kaapvaal and Zimbabwe cratons and higher in the surrounding Proterozoic terranes, such as the Limpopo and the Namaqua-Natal belts, which suggests that the lower crust underlying the Archean cratons is probably less mafic than beneath the Proterozoic terranes. Crustal thickness estimates agree well with a previous receiver function study of Nair et al. . Archean crust is relatively thin and light and underlain by a fast uppermost mantle, whereas the Proterozoic crust is thick and dense with a slower underlying mantle. These observations are consistent with the southern African Archean cratons having been formed by the accretion of island arcs with the convective removal of the dense lower crust, if the foundering process became less vigorous in arc environments during the Proterozoic.     

Global anisotropic phase velocity maps for higher mode Love and Rayleigh waves

It is well established that the Earth's uppermost mantle is anisotropic, but there are no clear observations of anisotropy in the deeper parts of the mantle. Surface waves are well suited to observe anisotropy since they carry information about both radial and azimuthal anisotropy. Fundamental mode surface waves, for commonly used periods up to 200 s, are sensitive to structure in the first few hundred kilometres, and therefore, do not provide information on anisotropy below. Higher mode surface waves have sensitivities that extend to and beyond the transition zone, and should thus give insight about azimuthal anisotropy at greater depths. We have measured higher mode Love and Rayleigh phase velocities using a model space search approach, which provides us with consistent relative uncertainties from measurement to measurement and from mode to mode. From these phase velocity measurements, we constructed global anisotropic phase velocity maps. Prior to inversion, we determine the optimum relative weighting for anisotropy. We present global azimuthal phase velocity maps for higher mode Rayleigh waves (up to the sixth higher mode) and Love waves (up to the fifth higher mode) with corresponding average model uncertainties. The anisotropy we derive is robust within the uncertainties for all modes. Given the ray theoretical sensitivity kernels of Rayleigh and Love wave modes, the source of anisotropy is complex, but mainly located in the asthenosphere and deeper. Our models show a good correspondence with other studies for the fundamental mode, but we have been able to achieve higher resolution.     

Impact of regional mantle flow on subducting plate geometry and interplate stress: insights from physical modelling

Physical models of subduction investigate the impact of regional mantle flow on the structure of the subducted slab and deformation of the downgoing and overriding plates. The initial mantle flow direction beneath the overriding plate can be horizontal or vertical, depending on its location with respect to the asthenospheric flow field. Imposed mantle flow produces either over or underpressure on the lower surface of the slab depending on the initial mantle flow pattern (horizontal or vertical, respectively). Overpressure promotes shallow dip subduction while underpressure tends to steepen the slab. Horizontal mantle flow with rates of 1–10 cm yr⁻¹ provides sufficient overpressure on a dense subducting lithosphere to obtain a subduction angle of  ∼60°  , while the same lithospheric slab sinks vertically when no flow is imposed. Vertical drag force (due to downward mantle flow) exerted on a slab can result in steep subduction if the slab is neutrally buoyant but fails to produce steep subduction of buoyant oceanic lithosphere. The strain regime in the overriding plate due to the asthenospheric drag force depends largely on slab geometry. When the slab dip is steeper than the interplate zone, the drag force produces negative additional normal stress on the interplate zone and tensile horizontal stress in the overriding plate. When the slab dip is shallower than the interplate zone, an additional positive normal stress is produced on the interplate zone and the overriding plate experiences additional horizontal compressive stress. However, the impact of the mantle drag force on interplate pressure is small compared to the influence of the slab pull force since these stress variations can only be observed when the slab is dense and interplate pressure is low.     

Seismic tomographic imaging of P- and S-waves velocity perturbations in the upper mantle beneath Iran

The inverse tomography method has been used to study the P - and S -waves velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle underneath Iran. The method, based on the principle of source–receiver reciprocity, allows for tomographic studies of regions with sparse distribution of seismic stations if the region has sufficient seismicity. The arrival times of body waves from earthquakes in the study area as reported in the ISC catalogue (1964–1996) at all available epicentral distances are used for calculation of residual arrival times. Prior to inversion we have relocated hypocentres based on a 1-D spherical earth's model taking into account variable crustal thickness and surface topography. During the inversion seismic sources are further relocated simultaneously with the calculation of velocity perturbations. With a series of synthetic tests we demonstrate the power of the algorithm and the data to reconstruct introduced anomalies using the ray paths of the real data set and taking into account the measurement errors and outliers. The velocity anomalies show that the crust and upper mantle beneath the Iranian Plateau comprises a low velocity domain between the Arabian Plate and the Caspian Block. This is in agreement with global tomographic models, and also tectonic models, in which active Iranian plateau is trapped between the stable Turan plate in the north and the Arabian shield in the south. Our results show clear evidence of the mainly aseismic subduction of the oceanic crust of the Oman Sea underneath the Iranian Plateau. However, along the Zagros suture zone, the subduction pattern is more complex than at Makran where the collision of the two plates is highly seismic.     

Surface wave tomography of the western United States from ambient seismic noise: Rayleigh and Love wave phase velocity maps

We present the results of Rayleigh wave and Love wave phase velocity tomography in the western United States using ambient seismic noise observed at over 250 broad-band stations from the EarthScope/USArray Transportable Array and regional networks. All available three-component time-series for the 12-month span between 2005 November 1 and 2006 October 31 have been cross-correlated to yield estimated empirical Rayleigh and Love wave Green's functions. The Love wave signals were observed with higher average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than Rayleigh wave signals and hence cannot be fully explained by the scattering of Rayleigh waves. Phase velocity dispersion curves for both Rayleigh and Love waves between 5 and 40 speriod were measured for each interstation path by applying frequency–time analysis. The average uncertainty and systematic bias of the measurements are estimated using a method based on analysing thousands of nearly linearly aligned station-triplets. We find that empirical Green's functions can be estimated accurately from the negative time derivative of the symmetric component ambient noise cross-correlation without explicit knowledge of the source distribution. The average traveltime uncertainty is less than 1 s at periods shorter than 24 s. We present Rayleigh and Love wave phase speed maps at periods of 8, 12, 16,and 20 s. The maps show clear correlations with major geological structures and qualitative agreement with previous results based on Rayleigh wave group speeds.