The velocity structure of the upper mantle in the transition zone from the East European Platform to Western Europe from seismic noise data

The surface wave tomography from ambient seismic noise recorded at stations in Western Europe (WE) and on the East European Platform (EEP) revealed the structure of the crust and upper mantle in the transitional zone from the Precambrian platform to the younger geological units in Western Europe. The Tornquist-Teisseyre Line separating these structures is clearly traced as a transition zone from the high velocities beneath EEP to the low velocities beneath WE in the crust and upper mantle, which extends to a depth of 150?C170 km. Below 200 km the relationship between the velocities beneath EEP and WE becomes the opposite. A similar relationship between the velocities in the upper mantle down to a depth of 300 km is observed on the southern boundary, where EEP borders on the northern segment of the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt.     

Velocity structure of the upper mantle of the East European platform according to seismic noise data

Cross-correlation functions of noise are constructed on 119 interstation paths from seismic noise records at stations of Eastern Europe. Dispersion curves of the group velocity of Rayleigh waves obtained from the cross-correlation functions are used for constructing the three-dimensional distribution of the velocity of transverse waves on the East European platform and in adjacent regions by methods of surface-wave tomography. The mean velocity in the crust is minimum in the region of the Caspian depression and Black Sea basin (<3.3 km/s) and maximum in the Baltic shield area (>3.7 km/s). The upper mantle beneath the Baltic and Ukrainian shields is characterized by increased velocity and the absence of the asthenospheric layer. Reduced velocities are noted in the upper mantle of the Black Sea basin. A low-velocity anomaly in the shape of a vertical column is revealed at depths of 200–300 km in the central part of the Dnieper-Donets aulacogen, which confirms the existence of a paleorift in this region.     

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．      

Upper mantle heterogeneity in the northern part of Eurasia

A two dimensional velocity model of the upper mantle has been compiled from a long-range seismic profile crossing the West Siberian young plate and the old Siberian platform. It revealed considerable horizontal and vertical heterogeneity of the mantle. A sharp seismic boundary at a depth of 400 km outlines the high-velocity gradient transition zone, its base lying at a depth of 650 km. Several layers with different velocities, velocity gradients and wave attenuation are distinguished in the upper mantle. They likewise differ in their inner structure. For instance, the uppermost 50–70 km of the mantle are divided into blocks with velocities from 7.9–8.1 to 8.4–8.6 km s^?1.Comparison of the travel-time curves for the Siberian long-range profile with those compiled from seismological data for Europe distinguished large-scale upper mantle inhomogeneities of the Eurasian continent and allowed for the correlation of tectonic features and geophysical fields. The velocity heterogeneity of the uppermost 50–100 km of the mantle correlates with the platform age and heat flow, i.e., the young plates of Western Europe and Western Siberia have slightly lower velocities and higher heat flows than the ancient East European and Siberian platforms. At greater depths (150–250 km) the upper mantle velocities increase from the ocean to the inner parts of the continent. The structure of the transition zone differs significantly beneath Western Europe and the other parts of Eurasia. The sharp boundary at a depth of 400 km, traced throughout the whole continent as the boundary reflecting intensive waves, transforms beneath Western Europe into a gradient zone. This transition zone feature correlates with positions of the North Atlantic-west Europe geoid and heat-flow anomalies.     

Crust and upper mantle structure of the Ailao Shan-Red River fault zone and adjacent regions

Using arrival data of the body waves recorded by seismic stations, we reconstructed the velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle beneath the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the northwestern continental margin of the South China Sea through a travel time tomography technique. The result revealed the apparent tectonic variation along the Ailao Shan-Red River fault zone and its adjacent regions. High velocities are observed in the upper and middle crust beneath the Ailao Shan-Red River fault zone and they reflect the character of the fast uplifting and cooling of the metamorphic belt after the ductile shearing of the fault zone, while low velocities in the lower crust and near the Moho imply a relatively active crust-mantle boundary beneath the fault zone. On the west of the fault zone, the large-scale low velocities in the uppermost mantle beneath western Yunnan prove the influence of the mantle heat flow on volcano, hot spring and magma activities, however, the upper mantle on the eas     

Deep structure of the East European platform according to seismic data

The paper presents a review and analysis of new seismic data related to the structure of the mantle beneath the East European platform. Analysis of observations of long-range profiles revealed pronounced differences in the structure of the lower lithosphere beneath the Russian plate and the North Caspian coastal depression. The highest P-velocities found at depths around 100 km are in the range 8.4–8.5 km s^?1. Deep structure of the Baltic shield is different from the structures of both these regions. No evidence of azimuthal anisotropy in the upper mantle was found. A distribution of P-velocity in the upper mantle and in the transition zone consistent with accurate travel-time data was determined. The model involves several zones of small and large positive velocity gradients in the upper mantle, rapid increases of velocity near 400 and 640 km depths and an almost constant positive velocity gradient between the 400 and 640 km discontinuities. The depth of the 640 km discontinuity was determined from observations of waves converted from P to SV in the mantle.     

Crustal and upper mantle velocity model along the DOBRE-4 profile from North Dobruja to the central region of the Ukrainian Shield: 2. geotectonic interpretation

This part of the paper addresses the geotectonic interpretation of the velocity model obtained from the results of seismic studies under the DOBRE-4 project in Ukraine. The velocity field does not show distinct lateral changes from the Precambrian platform towards the younger tectonic structures in the southwest. Hence, based on the seismic data alone, it is not possible to recognize the tectonic units that are known on the surface. The Moho has an undulating pattern over an interval with a length of ~150 km. The amplitude of the undulations reaches 8 to 17 km. The similar wavelike behavior, although on a shorter spatial scale and lower amplitude, is also typical of the upper crust and upper mantle. The presence of several separate horizons in the folded crust revealed by the velocity model is consistent with the presence of the folded systems which have different extensions on the different depth levels in the Earth’s crust. This situation is believed to be typical of folding on the lithospheric scale and to reflect the rheological stratification of the crust. The DOBRE-4 velocity section of the crust and adjacent part of the mantle promotes a clearer view of the geodynamical model describing the formation of the southwestern part of East European Platform in the Early Precambrian from the plate’s tectonic standpoint.     

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.     

中国西部三维速度结构及其各向异性

本文用覆盖中国的358条勒夫面波路径资料,研究了10.45-113.80s范围内中国西部的三维SH波速度结构.结果表明,各构造单元的SH波速度结构均有明显的差别.作为稳定块体的塔里木盆地,壳内重力分异程度较高,上、中、下地壳厚度差别小,壳内无明显的低速层,地壳平均速度比较小;上地幔低速层埋深大且层中速度大;区内横向变化小.构造活动区如天山、青藏高原,其突出的特征是下地壳厚度大且速度大,上地幔盖层速度值相当高.这与西伯利亚、印支板块的挤压有密切的关系.青藏高原东部及其北、东边缘地区壳内存在低速层,上地幔低速层埋深浅,一些地区存在壳幔过渡层.面波各向异性研究表明,青藏高原、天山及印支板块北缘下存在明显的各向异性,以构造边缘地区及上地幔低速层附近最为突出.印度板块、西伯利亚板块与中国大陆间的碰撞引起强大的水平压力和一定的下插作用,是造成青藏高原隆起、地壳增厚、天山隆起的最根本的因素,同时也促成壳幔中辉石、橄榄石的定向排列和物质运移,因而出现明显的各向异性现象.     

延怀盆地及其邻区地壳上地幔速度结构的宽频带地震台阵研究

在沙城以东的延庆盆地及其邻近区域内布设了由GDS－1000宽频带数字地震仪组成的流动地震台阵，利用台阵记录的宽频带远震P波波形数据和非线性接收函数反演方法获得了延怀盆地内0-80km深度范围的地壳、上地幔S波速度结构．利用计算机三维彩色剖分显示技术研究了台阵下地壳、上地幔速度结构的横向非均匀变化。结果表明，研究区域内的地壳厚度为40km左右，壳幔界面有4km左右的上下起伏．地表沉积盖层在延庆盆地中心附近厚度约1km，而在向盆地外围延伸的方向上相对变薄．研究区域内上地壳S波速度结构较复杂，而下地壳与上地幔则相对比较均匀．其上地壳最突出的特点是在10km深度附近有明显的S波低速层．在延庆盆地下方，它延伸到6-20km的深度范围．在延庆盆地南侧，该低速层有从西往东逐渐减弱的趋势．研究区域内的地震基本上都发生在延庆盆地下方上地壳低速体外围．据此推断，延庆盆地及其临近区域内的地震活动与该区域地壳内的热状态有密切关系．     

The deep and shallow structure,composition and its relation to earthquakes in Chaoyang — Yixian seismic region

This paper describes synthetically the seismic activity, deep and shallow structures and rock dynamic features in and near Chaoyang—Yixian region. It is supposed that there is a low velocity layer in middle crust and the three-layered crustal velocities are all lower than that in both sides of the region. There exists uplifts of upper mantle and asthenosphere-low resistance layer. It is also studied the composition of matter of three-layered crust, low velocity layer, upper mantle and asthenosphere. In the end the direct relations between the deep and shallow structure, composition and the seismic activity and new activities of faults in this region are discussed.     

基于Love波相速度反演南北地震带地壳上地幔结构

收集了南北地震带区域地震台网中292个地震台站2008年1月至2011年3月期间的地震波形数据,由频时分析方法提取了Love波相速度频散曲线,经过反演得到了研究区内的Love波相速度分布.根据Love波纯路径频散,采用线性反演方法对0.25°×0.25°的网格点进行了一维S波速度结构反演,利用线性插值获取了南北地震带地区的三维S波速度结构.结果显示了松潘—甘孜地体和川滇菱形块体地区的下地壳具有明显的S波低速层分布,该异常分布特征支持解释青藏高原隆升及其地壳物质运移的下地壳流模型.在100至120km深度上,川滇菱形块体西北部呈现较强的S波高速异常,这可能是印度岩石圈板块沿喜马拉雅东构造结下插至该区域所致,该区域下地壳的低速软弱物质与上地幔的高速强硬物质形成了鲜明对比,暗示了地壳和上地幔可能具有不同的构造运动和变形方式,这为该区域的壳幔动力学解耦提供了条件.     

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.     

新疆及其毗邻地区地震层析成像

利用新疆地震台网及其毗邻地区的国外地震台站提供的地震Ｐ波到时数据，重建了新疆及其毗邻地区地壳上地幔的三维速度图像．主要结果是：１．研究区地壳上地幔的地震波速度存在明显的横向不均匀性．这种不均匀性出现在不同构造单元之间，也出现在各构造单元之内．２．一般来说，研究区域内盆地是上地幔的隆起区，褶皱系是上地幔的坳陷区．３．岩石层厚度和软流层的深度与全球的平均结果有较大不同．４．海洋岩石层或大陆岩石层板块在兴都库什和克什米尔与中国交界地区的消减明显存在．５．地壳上地幔物质运动比较剧烈，有部分熔融物质上涌到地壳中部或更浅的深度．     

环渤海地区的地震层析成像与地壳上地幔结构

利用环渤海地区的天然地震P波到时资料,采用纬度和经度方向分别为05°×06°的网格划分,反演了该地区地壳上地幔的三维P波速度结构.初步结果表明,环渤海地区地壳上地幔的速度结构具有明显的横向不均匀性：京津唐地区地壳中上部的速度异常反映了浅表层的地质构造特征,造山带和隆起区对应于高速异常,坳陷区和沉积盆地对应于低速异常;地壳下部出现大规模的低速异常与华北地区广泛存在的高导层相对应,估计与壳内的滑脱层和局部熔融、岩浆活动有关;莫霍面附近的速度异常反映了地壳厚度的变化及壳幔边界附近热状态的差异;上地幔顶部大范围的低速异常可能是上地幔软流层热物质大规模上涌所致.     

中天山地区的Pn波速度结构与各向异性

利用宽频带流动地震台阵GHENGIS和吉尔吉斯地震台网KNET记录的地震波走时数据,反演了中天山地区的Pn波速度结构和各向异性.结果表明,中天山上地幔顶部平均速度偏低,具有构造活动地区的特点和明显的横向非均匀性;中天山南部地幔上涌区的Pn波速度非常低,表明存在较高的热流活动.Pn波速度的变化与地震分布有着密切的对应关系：地震大都发生在中天山北部Pn波高速区上方,而南部的Pn波低速区上方几乎没有地震.这一现象说明地幔上涌引起高温极大地降低了岩石层地幔的强度,并以热传导的方式进入地壳使其失去地震破裂强度而发生韧性变形.中天山北部和南部的各向异性也存在一定的差异,南部各向异性的快波方向为近南北方向,与SKS波的各向异性特征基本一致,反映了地幔物质的迁移方向;北部各向异性的快波方向呈向南凸出的旋转趋势,估计与哈萨克地台南缘楚河盆地地壳块体向天山挤入造成应力场的改变和岩石层变形有关.     

Geological,tomographic, kinematic and geodynamic constraints on the dynamics of sinking slabs

We use geodynamic models with imposed plate velocities to test the forward-modeled history of subduction based on a particular plate motion model against alternative seismic tomography models. We utilize three alternative published reference frames: a hybrid moving hotspot-palaeomagnetic, a hybrid moving hotspot-true polar wander corrected-palaeomagnetic, and a Subduction Reference Frame, a plate model including longitudinal shifts of subduction zones by matching subduction volumes imaged by P-wave tomography, to assess which model best predicts present day mantle structure compared with seismic tomography and volumetrically derived subduction history. Geodynamic modeling suggests paleo-longitudinal corrections applied to the Subduction Reference Frame result in lower mantle slab material beneath North America and East Asia accumulating up to 10–15° westward of that imaged by tomography, whereas the hybrid models develop material offset by 2–9°. However, the Subduction Reference Frame geodynamic model produces slab material beneath the Tethyan Domain coinciding with slab volumes imaged by tomography, whereas the hybrid reference frame models do not, suggesting regional paleo-longitudinal corrections are required to constrain slab locations. We use our models to test inferred slab sinking rates in the mantle focusing on well-constrained regions. We derive a globally averaged slab-sinking rate of 13 ± 3 mm/yr by combining the ages of onset and cessation of subduction from geological data and kinematic reconstructions with images of subducted slabs in the mantle. Our global average slab-sinking rate overlaps with the 15–20 mm/yr rate implied by mantle convection models using a lower mantle viscosity 100 times higher than the upper mantle.     

Three-dimensional crustal velocity structure model of the middle-eastern north China Craton (HBCrust1.0)

Lithosphere thinning and destruction in the middle-eastern North China Craton (NCC), a region susceptible to strong earthquakes, is one of the research hotspots in solid earth science. All 42 seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction profiles have been completed in the middle-eastern NCC. We collect all the 2-D profiling results and perform gridding of the velocity and interface depth data, building a 3-D crustal velocity structure model for the middle-eastern NCC, named HBCrust1.0, by using the Kriging interpolation method. Our result shows that the first-arrival times calculated by HBCust1.0 fit well with the observations. The result demonstrates that the upper crust is the main seismogenic layer, and the brittle-ductile transition occurs at depths near interface C (the interface between upper and lower crust). The depth of interface Moho varies beneath the source area of the Tangshan earthquake, and a low-velocity structure is found to extend from the source area to the lower crust. Based on these observations, it can be inferred that stress accumulation responsible for the Tangshan earthquake may have been closely related to the migration and deformation of the mantle materials. Comparisons of the average velocities of the whole crust, the upper and the lower crust show that the average velocity of the lower crust under the central part of the North China Basin (NCB) in the east of the craton is obviously higher than the regional average. This high-velocity probably results from long-term underplating of the mantle magma.     

华东地区SKS波分裂研究

本文搜集整理了华东地区6个区域地震台网的宽频带数字地震台站SKS波记录资料, 使用最小切向能量的网络搜索法, 得到了华东地区157个台站下方上地幔各向异性参数。 测算结果表明, 华东地区各向异性快波偏振方向主体为NW—SE向、 南部近E—W向, 逐渐呈旋转趋势, 与绝对板块运动方向一致; 其各向异性主要来自于上地幔, 地壳与沉积层对各向异性影响较小; 研究区内地下浅部与深部物质的运动模式基本一致, 壳幔变形存在垂直连贯变形的特征。     

Seismic tomography beneath the orogenic belts and adjacent basins of northwestern China

Three-dimensional velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath orogenic belts and adjacent basins of the northwestern continent of China are reconstructed by seismic tomography, based on arrival data of P wave recorded in seismic networks in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu of China and Kyrgyzstan. The velocity images of upper crust demonstrate the tectonic framework on the ground surface. High velocities are observed beneath orogenic belts, and low velocities are observed in the basins and depressions that are obviously related to unconsolidated sediments. The velocity image in mid-crust maintains the above features, and in addition low velocities appear in some earthquake regions and a low velocity boundary separates the western Tianshan Mts. from eastern Tianshan Mts. The orogenic belts and the northern Tibetan plateau have a Moho depth over 50 km, whereas the depths of the Moho in basins and depressions are smaller than 50 km. The velocity images of upper mantle clearly reveal the colliding relationship and location of deep boundaries of the continental blocks in northwestern China, indicating a weakness of the upper mantle structure of orogenic belts. The top depth of upper mantle asthenosphere varies from place to place. It seems shallower under the northern Tibetan plateau, Altay and Qilian Mts., and deeper under the Tarim and Tianshan regions. Hot mantle probably rose to the bottom of some orogenic belts along tectonic boundaries when continental blocks collided to each other. Therefore their dynamic features are closely correlated to the formation and evolution of orogenic belts in northwestern China.