Modeling Seismic Attributes of Pn Waves using the Spectral-Element Method

To investigate the nature of Pn propagation, we have implemented the spectral-element method (SEM) for vertically and laterally varying media with and without attenuation. As a practical measure, essential features of the Pn waves are distilled into seismic attributes including arrival times, amplitudes and pulse frequencies. To validate the SEM simulations, we first compare the SEM results with reflectivity calculations of Braile and Smith (Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 40, 145–176, 1975) and then to the asymptotic results of ?erveny and Ravindra (Theory of Seismic Headwaves, University of Toronto Press, pp. 235–250, 1971). Models with random, laterally varying Moho structures are then simulated, where the amplitude and pulse frequency characteristics are found to be stable to small Moho interface perturbations. SEM calculations for models with different upper-mantle velocity gradients are next performed where it is found that interference effects can strongly influence the Pn amplitudes and pulses frequencies. For larger-scale, laterally varying structures, SEM models similar to that found along the Hi-CLIMB array in Tibet are then performed. It is observed that large-scale structures, along with small-scale structures, upper-mantle velocity gradients and attenuation, can all significantly affect the Pn attributes. Ambiguities between upper-mantle velocity gradients and attenuation are also found when using Pn amplitudes and pulse frequency attributes. These ambiguities may be resolved, to some degree, by using the curvature of the travel times at longer regional distance, however, this would also be complicated by lateral variability.     

Crustal structure beneath Qiangtang and Lhasa terrane from receiver function

To determine the crustal structure in central Tibet, we used teleseismic waveform data recorded by 18 stations in the INDEPTH-Ⅲ seismic array across the central Tibet from the central Lhasa terrane to the central Qiangtang terrane. The S-wave velocity structures beneath stations are determined by inverting the stacked radial receiver function using the GA method. The first order features in the receiver function are modeled. Our results show that the Moho in Qiangtang is about 8 km shallower than that in Lhasa terrane along the INDEPTH-Ⅲ profile. It maybe suggests the northward subduction of the Lhasa mantle lid beneath the Qiangtang terrane is affected by the India-Asia collision. We conclude that there exist low velocity zone in the middle crust across the northern Lhasa and Qiangtang terrane, which can be related to the high temperature upper mantle beneath that.     

基于P波三重震相研究青藏高原上地幔速度结构及其动力学意义

青藏高原因其复杂的结构和演化历史,一直都是研究大陆碰撞、构造运动及其动力学的热点区域。本文采用三重震相波形拟合技术,基于中国地震观测台网和大型流动台阵记录到的某地震P波垂向记录,获得了包括拉萨、南羌塘和松潘甘孜地块在内的青藏高原上地幔P波速度结构。结果表明:①拉萨和南羌塘地块下方地幔过渡带存在高速异常,推测是俯冲的印度板片滞留体,过渡带底部的板片残余温度较低,使得660-km相变滞后约3～8km。而松潘甘孜地块下方过渡带同样存在高速异常,可能是欧亚岩石圈发生拆沉进入地幔过渡带所致。这说明印度板块俯冲作用的影响已经到达地幔过渡带,其俯冲前缘位于班公怒江缝合带附近。②从拉萨、南羌塘到松潘甘孜地块,200km之上的地幔岩石圈高速盖层速度由南向北逐渐减小,松潘甘孜地块则出现盖层缺失。推测受小规模地幔对流或者热不稳定性的影响,在南羌塘和松潘甘孜地块,增厚的欧亚岩石圈发生拆沉作用,岩石圈被减薄和弱化,造成羌塘地块上地幔低速和松潘甘孜地块上地幔高速盖层缺失。拆沉的冷的欧亚岩石圈可能部分停留在410-km上方,使得410-km抬升约10km,部分沉入地幔过渡带,表现为松潘甘孜地块地幔过渡带中存在高速异常。低温造成660-km下沉约8km,导致地幔过渡带增厚。      

青藏高原中部地壳和上地幔各向异性分析

对布设于青藏高原中部INDEPTH-III宽频带数字地震台阵的41个台站记录的远震体波资料所提取出的P波接收函数和SKS波形资料做偏振分析,并采用以误差为权的叠加分析方法求得每一个台站的Pms和SKS快波偏振方向和快慢波的时间延迟,获得了从拉萨块体中部,经喀喇昆仑-嘉黎断裂系和班公湖-怒江缝合带,到羌塘块体中部的地壳和...     

Love and Rayleigh Wave Tomography of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Surrounding Areas

Surface wave data were initially collected from events of magnitude Ms ≥ 5.0 and shallow or moderate focal depth occurred between 1980 and 2002: 713 of them generated Rayleigh waves and 660 Love waves, which were recorded by 13 broadband digital stations in Eurasia and India. Up to 1,525 source-station Rayleigh waveforms and 1,464 Love wave trains have been processed by frequency-time analysis to obtain group velocities. After inverting the path-averaged group times by means of a damped least-squares approach, we have retrieved location-dependent group velocities on a 2° × 2°-sized grid and constructed Rayleigh- and Love-wave group velocity maps at periods 10.4–105.0 s. Resolution and covariance matrices and the rms group velocity misfit have been computed in order to check the quality of the results. Afterwards, depth-dependent SV- and SH-wave velocity models of the crust and upper mantle are obtained by inversion of local Rayleigh- and Love-wave group velocities using a differential damped least-squares method. The results provide: (a) Rayleigh- and Love-wave group velocities at various periods; (b) SV- and SH-wave differential velocity maps at different depths; (c) sharp images of the subducted lithosphere by velocity cross sections along prefixed profiles; (d) regionalized dispersion curves and velocity-depth models related to the main geological formations. The lithospheric root presents a depth that can be substantiated at ~140 km (Qiangtang Block) and exceptionally at ~180 km in some places (Lhasa Block), and which exhibits laterally varying fast velocity very close to that of some shields that even reaches ~4.8 km/s under the northern Lhasa Block and the Qiangtang Block. Slow-velocity anomalies of 7–10% or more beneath southern Tibet and the eastern edge of the Plateau support the idea of a mechanically weak middle-to-lower crust and the existence of crustal flow in Tibet.     

青藏高原INDEPTH-Ⅲ剖面地壳厚度与泊松比：地质与地球物理含义

对INDEPTH Ⅲ台站的接收函数进行扫描，利用Moho界面产生的转换波和多次波的走时信息，估计台站下方的地壳平均波速比VP/VS和地壳厚度.结果显示：（1）沿着INDEPTH Ⅲ剖面，地壳厚度整体变化不大，均为65±5km，其中拉萨地块Moho界面埋深较羌塘地体要深约5～6km.结合其他研究资料，我们推断，在整个班公-怒江缝合带存在约10km的Moho错断，为拉萨地体北缘的地幔盖层向北俯冲到羌塘地体之下所致.（2）青藏高原地壳平均波速比整体都较高，可能与青藏高原地壳广泛存在的流体/部分熔融岩浆有关.拉萨地体北部异常高的地壳VP/VS可能与嘉黎-崩错右旋走滑断裂相关；而另一个泊松比异常区位于羌塘中北部（st36～st40），它可能是由热的地幔引起的壳内部分熔融所致.     

Three-dimensional thermal structure of the Chinese continental crust and upper mantle

We invert S-wave velocities for the 3D upper-mantle temperatures, in which the position with a temperature crossing the 1300℃ adiabat is corresponding to the top of the seismic low velocity zone. The temperatures down to the depth of 80 km are then calculated by solving steady-state thermal conduction equation with the constraints of the inverted upper-mantle temperatures and the surface temperatures, and then surface heat flows are calculated from the crustal temperatures. The misfit between the calculated and observed surface heat flow is smaller than 20% for most regions. The result shows that, at a depth of 25 km, the crustal temperature of eastern China (500―600℃) is higher than that of western China (<500℃). At a depth of 100 km, temperatures beneath eastern and southeastern China are higher than the adiabatic temperature of 1300℃, while that beneath west China is lower. The Tarim craton and the Sichuan basin show generally low temperature. At a depth of 150 km, temperatures beneath south China, eastern Yangtze craton, North China craton and around the Qiangtang terrane are higher than the adiabatic temperature of 1300℃, but is the lowest beneath the Sichuan basin and the regions near the Indian-Eurasian collision zone. At a depth of 200 km, very low temperature occurs beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the south to the Tarim craton.     

青藏高原上地幔速度结构及其动力学性质

利用地震层析成像结果分析了中国西部地区的上地幔速度结构,发现青藏高原北部至东南边缘上地幔顶部速度普遍偏低;随着深度的增加,低速区主要分布在羌塘、松潘—甘孜和云南西部地区,而印度大陆、塔里木、柴达木、鄂尔多斯和四川盆地均显示出较高的速度.上述速度分布与青藏高原及周边地区的岩石层结构和深部动力性质密切相关:其中羌塘地区的低速异常反映了青藏北部的地幔上涌和局部熔融,起因于印度大陆岩石层的向北俯冲;松潘—甘孜地区的低速异常与青藏东部的深层物质流动及四川盆地刚性岩石层的阻挡有关;而滇西地区的低速异常可能受到印缅块体向东俯冲作用的影响.以上三个区域构成青藏高原和周边地区的主要地幔异常区.相比之下,印度大陆、塔里木、柴达木、鄂尔多斯和四川盆地的高速异常反映了大陆构造稳定地区的岩石层地幔特点.根据速度变化推测,地幔上涌和韧性变形并非贯穿整个青藏高原,而是主要集中在羌塘、松潘—甘孜和滇西地区,上述构造效应不仅导致岩石层厚度减薄且引发了火山和岩浆活动.     

Crustal structure beneath the Hi-CLIMB seismic array in the central-western Tibetan Plateau from the improved H-κ-c method

The Hi-CLIMB seismic array is located in the central-western Tibetan Plateau. The H-κ-c method (Li JT et al., 2019) was applied to receiver function data on the HiCLIMB, which corrects the back-azimuthal variations in the arrival times of Ps and crustal multiples caused by crustal anisotropy and dipping interfaces before performing H-κstacking. Compared to the traditional H-κ method, the H-κstacking results after harmonic corrections showed considerable improvements, including greatly reduced errors, significantly less scattered H (crustal thickness) and κ (crustal vP/vS ratio) values, and clearer patterns of H and κ in different Tibetan blocks. This demonstrates that the H-κ-c method works well even for regions with complex crustal structures, such as the Tibetan Plateau, when there are helpful references from nearby stations or other constraints. The variation in crustal thickness agrees with previous studies but tends to be relatively shallower beneath most of the plateau. Two regions with particularly high crustal vP/vS were observed, namely, one in the northern Himalaya block and beneath the YarlungZangbo suture, and the other in the Qiangtang block. Their correlation with mid-crust low S velocities from previous studies suggests the possible presence of fluid or partial melt in the two regions, which may have implications for the crustal flow model. In contrast, the Lhasa block had relatively lower crustal vP/vS and relatively higher crustal S velocity within the plateau, which is interpreted to be mechanically stronger than the Himalaya and Qiangtang blocks, and without mid-crust partial melt.     

青藏高原东部的Pn波层析成像研究

利用INDEPTH/ASCENT台阵和其它布设在青藏高原的流动宽频带地震仪数据,反演了青藏高原东部和周边区域的上地幔顶层Pn波速度以及台站延迟.研究区域的平均Pn波速度是8.1 km/s,略高于中国大陆的平均Pn波速度.低速区主要分布在羌塘地块的西部和松潘-甘孜地块,高温异常的岩石圈上地幔很可能是导致这一低速区的原因.班公-怒江缝合带东端区域的Pn波速度达到8.35 km/s,这一高速区可能与向北俯冲的印度板块(东端)有关.另一Pn波高速区分布在祁连山和昆仑山之间,主要由柴达木盆地和共和盆地及其周边地区,两个并不完全连续的高速异常区组成,它可能对应于特提斯洋闭合时北部增生的克拉通地体;在后来的欧亚板块与印度板块的碰撞中,这一地体有可能阻挡了青藏高原向北的生长.相对密集的台站提供了高分辨率的速度结构横向分布和地壳厚度变化.台站延迟显示青藏高原北部和东部的地壳存在显著的减薄--松潘-甘孜地块东北缘的地壳厚度仅为约50 km,而羌塘地块东部唐古拉山地壳最厚,达到75 km,这可能是由于印度-欧亚板块碰撞引起的羌塘地块内部变形增厚所致.     

印度板块岩石圈地幔向北俯冲到羌塘地体之下的远震P波层析成像证据

利用PASSCAL、INDEPTH Ⅱ、INDEPTH Ⅲ、HIMNT等研究计划,及中国新疆地学断面和国家973项目在青藏高原布设的流动台站记录的到时数据,以及自1990年1月到2004年2月全球地震事件的震相报告,作者对覆盖印度大陆的恒河平原和整个青藏高原的305个地震台站记录的9649个远震事件,共139021条P波初至到时资料进行了层析成像反演．结果表明：印度岩石圈地幔在不同的位置向北俯冲的形态不同,但俯冲前缘都到达羌塘地体之下．沿88°E剖面显示,厚约100 km的印度岩石圈地幔从南部的恒河平原向北一直俯冲到青藏高原之下．在主边界逆冲断裂之下100 km深度处以约22°角度开始向北俯冲,俯冲最前缘到达羌塘地体的中部地区约34°N,之后进入上地幔深处．而沿北东方向的剖面则显示,印度岩石圈地幔以近水平的角度俯冲到青藏高原之下,向北越过班公－怒江缝合带,到达33°N附近,然后以大角度近乎垂直地向下俯冲断离,并引起地幔热物质的上涌,形成羌塘地体之下大规模的低速带．     

The Lhasa Terrane: Record of a microcontinent and its histories of drift and growth

The Lhasa Terrane in southern Tibet has long been accepted as the last geological block accreted to Eurasia before its collision with the northward drifting Indian continent in the Cenozoic, but its lithospheric architecture, drift and growth histories and the nature of its northern suture with Eurasia via the Qiangtang Terrane remain enigmatic. Using zircon in situ U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopic and bulk-rock geochemical data of Mesozoic–Early Tertiary magmatic rocks sampled along four north–south traverses across the Lhasa Terrane, we show that the Lhasa Terrane has ancient basement rocks of Proterozoic and Archean ages (up to 2870 Ma) in its centre with younger and juvenile crust (Phanerozoic) accreted towards its both northern and southern edges. This finding proves that the central Lhasa subterrane was once a microcontinent. This continent has survived from its long journey across the Paleo-Tethyan Ocean basins and has grown at the edges through magmatism resulting from oceanic lithosphere subduction towards beneath it during its journey and subsequent collisions with the Qiangtang Terrane to the north and with the Indian continent to the south. Zircon Hf isotope data indicate significant mantle source contributions to the generation of these granitoid rocks (e.g., ~ 50–90%, 0–70%, and 30–100% to the Mesozoic magmatism in the southern, central, and northern Lhasa subterranes, respectively). We suggest that much of the Mesozoic magmatism in the Lhasa Terrane may be associated with the southward Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan seafloor subduction beneath the Lhasa Terrane, which likely began in the Middle Permian (or earlier) and ceased in the late Early Cretaceous, and that the significant changes of zircon ε_Hf(t) at ~ 113 and ~ 52 Ma record tectonomagmatic activities as a result of slab break-off and related mantle melting events following the Qiangtang–Lhasa amalgamation and India–Lhasa amalgamation, respectively. These results manifest the efficacy of zircons as a chronometer (U–Pb dating) and a geochemical tracer (Hf isotopes) in understanding the origin and histories of lithospheric plates and in revealing the tectonic evolution of old orogenies in the context of plate tectonics.     

Great-circle Rayleigh wave attenuation and group velocity,Part IV: Regionalization and pure-path models for shear velocity and attenuation

Pure-path averages for group velocities and specific attenuation have been calculated from individual observations and from path averages for two regionalizations; one original to this study and the other previously devised by Wu. Both are based on four upper-mantle provinces: ocean basin, continent, island arc and mid-ocean ridge. Pure-path group velocities and specific attenuation have also been calculated for combinations of regions and provide well separated regional measurements for such composite regions.Shear-velocity models for pure and combined regions have been derived by a controlled Monte Carlo inversion procedure and indicates that a low-velocity zone is required beneath the oceans, but is not required beneath continents. Models have been produced for pure and combined ocean, ocean-ridge, continent and continent-arc provinces.Q^?1_R determined from pure-path average group velocities and attenuation coefficients has been regionalized successfully for 2- and 3-region combinations. The resulting pure-path Q^?1_R for continents is much lower than that for ocean basins and ocean-ridge provinces. Inversion of Q^?1_R for ocean-ridge provinces shows that the average Q_β for the upper 200 km of these regions is between 85 and 100.     

羌塘地块中部南北向断裂的构造特征及其动力学意义

青藏高原内部除大规模的东西向走滑断裂以外,另一个显著的地质特征就是在藏南及高原腹地广泛发育东西向的伸展构造,形成走向近南北的断裂构造,如亚东一谷露裂谷带及双湖断裂.伸展构造已经成为青藏高原地质研究的一个焦点问题.在羌塘地块89°E附近存在明显的低重力、负磁、深度达300 km的低速异常及连通壳幔的高导异常,且地表伴生大规模的新生代火山岩,这些特殊的地质及地球物理场特征的发生位置与地表双湖断裂的位置基本对应.本文通过卫星重力数据的多尺度小波分析结果发现,双湖断裂之下,存在一明显由上地壳一直向下延伸至地幔深部的低重力异常,说明双湖断裂向下延伸深度大,且上下连通性好.结合已有的地质和地球物理资料,认为由于双湖断裂的存在,使得深部幔源岩浆沿断裂构造薄弱带上涌,从而导致羌塘地块之下壳幔温度的升高及大规模部分熔融的发生.     

Crustal structure variation along 30°N in the eastern Tibetan Plateau and its tectonic implications

We determined crustal structure along the latitude 30°N through the eastern Tibetan Plateau using a teleseismic receiver function analysis. The data came mostly from seismic stations deployed in eastern Tibet and western Sichuan region from 2004 to 2006. Crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio at each station were estimated by the H–k stacking method. On the profile, the mean crustal thickness and Vp/Vs ratio were found to be 62.3 km and 1.74 in the Lhasa block, 71.2 km and 1.79 near the Bangong–Nujiang suture, 66.3 km and 1.80 in the Qiangtang block, 59.8 km and 1.81 in the Songpan–Garze block, and 42.9 km and 1.76 in the Yangtze block, respectively. The estimated crustal thicknesses are consistent with predictions based on the topography and the Airy isostasy, except near the Bangong–Nujiang suture and in the Qiangtang block where the crust is 5–10 km thicker than predicted, indicating that the crust may be denser, possibly due to mafic underplating. We also inverted receiver functions for crustal velocity structure along the profile, which reveals a low S-wave velocity zone in the lower crust beneath the eastern Tibetan Plateau, although the extent of the low-velocity zone varies considerably. The low-velocity zone, together with previous results, suggests limited partial melting and localized crustal flow in the lower crust of the eastern Tibetan Plateau.     

Effect of the oceanic lithosphere velocity on free convection in the asthenosphere beneath mid-ocean ridges

The paper presents results obtained in experiments on a horizontal layer heated from below in its central part and cooled from above; the layer models the oceanic asthenosphere. Flow velocity and temperature profiles are measured and the flow structure under boundary layer conditions is determined (at Rayleigh numbers Ra > 5 × 10⁵). The flow in the core of a plane horizontal layer heated laterally and cooled from above develops under conditions of a constant temperature gradient averaged over the layer thickness. The flow core is modeled by a horizontal layer with a moving upper boundary and with adiabatic bounding surfaces under conditions of a constant horizontal gradient of temperature. Exact solutions of free convection equations are found for this model in the Boussinesq approximation. Model results are compared with experimental data. Temperature and flow velocity ranges are determined for the boundary layer regime. Based on the experimental flow velocity profiles, an expression is found for the flow velocity profile in a horizontal layer with a mobile upper boundary heated laterally and cooled from above. Free convection velocity profiles are obtained for the asthenosphere beneath a mid-ocean ridge (MOR) with a mobile lithosphere. An expression is obtained for the tangential stress at the top of the asthenosphere beneath an MOR and the total friction force produced by the asthenospheric flow at the asthenosphere-lithosphere boundary is determined.     

Modeling of Wide-Angle Seismic Attributes Using the Gaussian Beam Method

In this study, observed seismic attributes from shot gather 11 of the SAREX experiment are used to derive a preliminary velocity and attenuation model for the northern end of the profile in southern Alberta. Shot gather 11 was selected because of its prominent Pn arrivals and good signal to noise ratio. The 2-D Gaussian beam method was used to perform the modeling of the seismic attributes including travel times, peak envelope amplitudes and pulse instantaneous frequencies for selected phases. The preliminary model was obtained from the seismic attributes from shot gather 11 starting from prior tomographic results. The amplitudes and instantaneous frequencies were used to constrain the velocity and attenuation structure, with the amplitudes being more sensitive to the velocity gradients and the instantaneous frequencies more sensitive to the attenuation structure. The resulting velocity model has a velocity discontinuity between the upper and lower crust, and lower velocity gradients in the upper and lower crust compared to earlier studies. The attenuation model has Q _p ^-1 values between 0.011 and 0.004 in the upper crust, 0.0019 in the lower crust and a laterally variable Q _p ^-1 in the upper mantle. The Q _p ^-1 values are similar to those found in Archean terranes from other studies. Although the results from a single gather are non-unique, the initial model derived here provides a self-consistent starting point for a more complete seismic attribute inversion for the velocity and attenuation structure.     

Crustal structure beneath the eastern part of the Coast Ranges (Diablo Range) of central California from explosion seismic and near earthquake data

Seismic refraction and near earthquake data of the U.S. Geological Survey for central California have been compiled into record sections along profiles and interpreted in terms of crustal structure. The profiles are located northeast of the San Andreas fault of central California and run parallel to the general structures. For the explosion seismic line through the centre of the Diablo Range, an uppermost layer (Franciscan formation) with P velocities of 3.6–5.0 km s^?1 decreases in thickness towards the northwest. The lower boundaries of layers with constant velocities of 5.75 and 6.8 km s^?1 are found at almost constant depths of 12 and 21 km, respectively. Between 21 and 26 km depth a well-defined low-velocity zone appears whose velocity is estimated as ～ 5.3 km s^?1 with the aid of a hedgehog inversion and the calculation of amplitudes. This zone is underlain by a layer 3–5 km thick with a velocity of 7.6 km s^?1. The upper-mantle velocity beneath the Moho at 29–30 km depth is 8.2 km s^?1. The near earthquake profiles, located ～ 20 km southwest and parallel to the explosion seismic line, follow more or less the Hayward and Calaveras fault systems. The velocity-depth distribution derived for the earthquake data is very similar to that found beneath the Diablo Range. However, the low-velocity zone at 21–26 km depth does not seem to exist everywhere along the line. The Moho is not disturbed beneath the Calaveras, Hayward and Silver Creek faults; it rises slightly from the Diablo Range towards the southwest.     

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.     

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.