Scattering objects in the lower mantle beneath northeastern China observed with a short-period seismic array

Precursor and coda portions of short-period PcP waves (reflected P wave from the core-mantle boundary, CMB) recorded at J-array stations in Japan were analyzed in order to extract weak scattered signals originating from small-scale heterogeneities in the lowermost mantle beneath northeastern China. Two nuclear explosions at Lop Nor in China detonated on 21 May 1992 (Mb=6.5) and 8 June 1996 (Mb=5.9) were used for our analysis.Three-dimensional grids above the CMB were defined in the area around the PcP bounce points beneath northeastern China to calculate theoretical travel times of scattered waves which propagate from the sources to each grid point and arrive at each station based on the IASP91 model. Subsequently the waveforms were aligned with respect to the theoretical travel times and the semblance (an amplitude dependent measure of coherency) was calculated for each grid point. In order to obtain a more accurate travel time correction, we applied a cross correlation method to PcP waveforms in order to reduce picking error of the PcP onset time. A cross convolution method was also applied so that the two events could be analyzed simultaneously without using unstable deconvolutions.We could identify regions with relative high semblance values in semblance contour maps at about 200 and 375 km above the CMB. Stacking waveforms with respect to the theoretical travel times for the grid points with relative high semblance values indicate coherent wavelets originating at those grid points, that is, they correspond to scattered waves originating from small-scale heterogeneities in the lowermost mantle. Our results indicate the existence of small-scale scattering objects in the D″ layer, especially in the depth range of 200 and 375 km above the CMB beneath northeastern China. Considering recent tomographic images of high velocity anomalies in this area, these scattering objects could be fragments of old oceanic crusts which have subducted through the lower mantle and have accumulated in the D″ layer beneath northeastern China.     

Heterogeneities in the mantle transition zone from observations of P-to-SV converted waves

The method of detection of P-to-SV converted waves from distant earthquakes (Vinnik, 1977) was applied to sets of long-period records from a few seismograph stations in Europe and the west of North America. The results obtained suggest that the converted phases related to the major boundaries in the mantle can be reliably detected and the depths of conversion evaluated with an accuracy of a few kilometres. The depth of the olivine-spinel transition is close to 400 km and no difference between the estimates for the north of Europe and the west of North America is found. The depth of the boundary separating the upper and lower mantle is close to 640 km, which is 30 km less than in the recent Earth-reference models. Fine S velocity stratification of this transition changes laterally from a high-gradient layer 50 km thick, terminated at the bottom by a sharp discontinuity, to a gradient layer 100 km or more thick without the discontinuity. A striking anomaly of the mantle transition zone is found in the Rio Grande rift area where a well pronounced boundary is found at 510 km depth.     

Scattered PKKP: Further evidence for scattering at a rough core-mantle boundary

PKKP signals from Novaya Zemlya recorded at LASA at distances around 60° show consistent anomalies in both slowness and azimuth. The observed anomaly suggests that the signal is a BC branch arrival, although the arrival time corresponds to the DF branch. The BC branch, however, does not extend back to this distance. The azimuth of approach is in the range 229–245°, instead of the expected 186°. These anomalies are associated only with PKKP; analysis of the core phases PKiKP and P′P′ (BC) from the same events show that they arrived at LASA with the appropriate slownesses and azimuths.The PKKP signals can be interpreted as “scattered” PKKP; the scattering occurs on underside reflection at the core-mantle boundary and is probably caused by topographic irregularities on the boundary itself. The calculated scattering region has a surface projection at about 60°S, 134°E, which is outside the diametral plane through source and receiver, and about 21° from the expected PKKP reflection point at 76°S, 95°E.Both the “direct” and “scattered” arms of the PKKP signal have a PK path close to that of the “C” end of the BC branch. The unexpectedly large amplitude of the arrival suggests that there may be a focusing of energy at C, which would indicate a change in velocity gradient just above the inner core boundary. The observations nevertheless require, on the scattering interpretation, lateral variations in the topography of the core-mantle boundary and a region of relatively large topography responsible for the anomalous PKKP observations.     

On the formation of a stably stratified layer near the core-mantle boundary

Within the framework of a model of liquid immiscibility in the outer core, we calculate a stably stratified layer about 11 km thick near the core-mantle boundary and discuss its reflection and scattering properties for seismic waves.     

Probing mid-mantle heterogeneity using PKP coda waves

We investigate the utility of PKP coda waves for studying weak scattering from small-scale heterogeneity in the mid-mantle. Coda waves are potentially a useful probe of heterogeneity in the mid-mantle because they are not preferentially scattered near the CMB, as PKP precursors are, but are sensitive to scattering at all depths. PKP coda waves have not been used for this purpose historically because of interference with other late-arriving energy due to near-surface resonance and scattering. Any study of deep mantle scattering using coda waves requires the removal of near-surface effects from the data. We have analyzed 3624 recordings of PKP precursors and coda made by stations in the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Global Seismographic Network (GSN). To study the range and time dependence of the scattered waves, we binned and stacked envelopes of the recordings. We have considered precursors that arrive within a 20 s window before PKP and coda waves in a 60 s window after PKP. The PKP scattered waves increase in amplitude rapidly with range as predicted by scattering theory. At ranges below 125°, we predict and observe essentially no scattered energy preceding PKP. Coda amplitudes at these ranges are independent of range and provide an estimate of energy due to near-surface effects that we can expect at all ranges. We use the average coda amplitude at ranges from 120 to 125° to correct coda amplitudes at other ranges. PKP coda waves show a strong dependence on time and range and are clearly influenced by scattering in the lower mantle. PKP coda waves, however, do not provide a tighter constraint on the vertical distribution of mantle heterogeneity than is provided by precursors. This is due, in part, to relatively large scatter in coda amplitudes as revealed by a resampling analysis. Modeling using Rayleigh–Born scattering theory and an exponential autocorrelation function shows that PKP coda amplitudes are not highly sensitive to the vertical distribution of heterogeneity in the mantle. To illustrate this we consider single-scattering in two extreme models of mantle heterogeneity. One allows heterogeneity just at the CMB; the other includes heterogeneity throughout the mantle. The amplitudes of precursors are tightly constrained by our stack and support our earlier conclusion that small-scale heterogeneity is uniformly distributed throughout the lower mantle. The best-fit model includes 8 km scale length heterogeneity with an rms velocity contrast throughout the mantle of 1%.     

广东大亚湾周围地区地壳和上地幔结构的初步研究

在广东大亚湾周围地区,采用地震转换波法取得了该区地壳和上地幔结构的初步研究结果。在大亚湾地区的地壳中只能分出一个中间界面(界面C)和莫霍界面(M)。本区为两层地壳,地壳厚度为28—30公里。地壳和上地幔界面埋深变化不大,深断裂不发育,本区深部构造特征与地震活动性较高的华北地区相比有较大差别。     

海拉尔CTBTO地震台阵下方小尺度非均匀体研究

利用国际禁核组织在海拉尔布设的小孔径地震台阵的16个深远地震波资料,分离出了P波波场中不相干的尾波.频率域中对波场扰动的研究表明,在0.5～3.0 Hz的频率范围内,观测到的波场扰动可以利用P波在随机介质中的散射进行解释.不同远震事件得到的稳定结果表明,在该台阵下方34 km厚的地壳和110 km厚的岩石层中可能存在相关长度为2.0～7.4 km的散射体.     

利用P波“影区”特征探测青藏高原东部岩石层内低速层

选用我国西藏及其周边地区测震台网35个台站宽频带数字地震仪记录到的2014年10月7日云南普洱M_S6.1地震的波形资料,分析了垂直向分量初至P波的幅度特征.结果表明:在震中距处于5°-18°之间的P波初动幅度相对较小,存在“影区”特征,推测该“影区”是由青藏高原下方岩石层内低速层所引起的;通过试错法,多次对比不同模型的理论波形与观测波形的P波初动振幅随震中距的变化形态,最终确定在78 km深处存在一厚度为24 km的低速层,层内速度梯度约为-0.05/s.      

Seismic anisotropy beneath Tibet: evidence for eastward extrusion of the Tibetan lithosphere?

Strong seismic anisotropy beneath Tibet has recently been reported from the study of SKS shear wave splitting. The fast split waves are generally polarized in an easterly direction, close to the present day direction of motion of the Tibetan crust relative to stable Eurasia, as deduced from Holocene slip rates on the major active faults in and around Tibet. This correlation may be taken to suggest that the whole Tibetan lithosphere is being extruded in front of indenting India and that the anisotropic layer is the deforming asthenosphere, that accommodates the motion of the Tibetan lithosphere relative to the fixed mantle at depth. Uncertainties about this motion are at present too large to bring unambiguous support to that view. Assuming that this view is correct however, a simple forward model is used to compute theoretical delay times as a function of the thickness of the anisotropic layer. The observed delay times would require a 50–100 km thick anisotropic layer beneath south-central Tibet and an over 200 km thick layer beneath north-central Tibet, where particularly hot asthenosphere has been inferred. This study suggests that the asthenospheric anisotropy due to present absolute block motion might be dominant under actively deforming continents.     

西藏高原当雄-亚东地带地壳与上地幔结构和速度分布的爆炸地震研究

本文概述了在西藏高原长达450公里左右的南北向测线上取得九次湖中水下爆炸地震记录的处理结果。通过数字处理、拟合和反演等计算,得出了该地区地壳与上地幔的成层结构和速度分布。 结果表明,该区整个沉积岩层厚约3-5公里,雅鲁藏布江以北到当雄地带,地壳巨厚达70-73公里;江南地区为68-45公里,并逐渐向南翘起。在成层地壳介质中发现下地壳中存在低速层,厚约10公里,速度为5.64公里/秒。分析认为,高原地形与巨厚地壳的形成是印度洋板块与欧亚板块碰撞以及长期挤压和内部物质运移的结果。     

The scattering of seismic waves through a crust and upper mantle with random lateral and vertical inhomogeneities

The propagation of seismic waves through Earth models with slightly random lateral and vertical inhomogeneities superimposed on one composed of layers with vertical velocity gradients was investigated. The maximum deviation of velocity from a mean value at a given depth and a correlation distance derived from a two-dimensional smoothing filter were two parameters used to vary the amplitude and size of the velocity anomalies. The resulting models show short discontinuous reflectors scattered about at various depths throughout the model, and are thus in agreement with many deep seismic reflection experiments. On the other hand numerical experiments using ray-tracing techniques showed that the effect of the lateral and vertical velocity anomalies is to scatter the energy, and break up the continuous travel-time lines from vertical gradient models into travel-time segments with different slopes similar to those observed in many long range seismic refraction experiments, and to those resulting from layering effects in the media. Many of the numerical experiments which modelled the random crust produced a Pg segment and a P* segment with an apparent Conrad discontinuity at a depth of 10–20 km, this apparent depth being related to the correlation distance.When a seismic wave propagates through a heterogeneous Earth the amount of its energy which is converted into scattered energy will be a function of the inhomogeneous characteristics of the medium through which it has passed. If a ray passes through a homogeneous Earth the energy arriving at an array station should be relatively coherent whereas if the ray encounters lateral and vertical inhomogeneities its energy will be incoherent and much more complex. A series of coherency measurements done on array recordings of earthquakes at various distances showed that large lateral and vertical variations in complexity exist for different ray paths through the Earth with the region below the 650 km discontinuity in the mantle tending to be much simpler than the region just below the lithosphere.     

Inhomogeneities near the core-mantle boundary evidenced from scattered waves: A review

Statistical properties of small-scale inhomogeneities (wavelengths between 20 and 70 km) near the core-mantle boundary are inferred from scattered core waves. Observations of scattered core waves at large seismic arrays and worldwide networks indicate that the inhomogeneities have a global nature with similar characteristics. However, there may exist a few regions having markedly stronger or weaker strengths. Scattering by volumetric inhomogeneities of about 1% inP-wave velocity in the lower mantle or by about 300 m of topographic relief of the core-mantle boundary can explain the observations. At present it is not possible to rule out either of these two alternatives, or a combination of both.     

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.     

High-resolution estimates of lithospheric thickness from Missouri to Massachusetts, USA

This paper presents a new three-dimensional (3-D) model, NA00, of the S-velocity of the upper mantle beneath North America. The model differs from its predecessor NA95 in that it exploits seismograms recorded by a recent dense, broadband array, MOMA, and from independent measurements of North American crustal thickness. Model NA00 is derived by fitting the waveforms of broadband seismic S and surface waves recorded by the MOMA array and inverting them together with the database of waveform fits used for NA95 and the crustal thickness estimates. It is demonstrated that including data from the dense, broadband MOMA array yields a resolving power beneath the array that is of unprecedented quality and relatively constant over a large depth range. This improved resolution provides a unique opportunity for quantifying the structure of the upper mantle in and below the lower, thick Precambrian lithosphere. The high-resolution seismic structure of the imaged high-velocity lithosphere is compared with the thermal structure (estimated from heat flow), compositional structure (estimated from xenoliths and electrical conductivity) and the elastic structure (estimated from gravity and topography). There is a remarkable agreement between the seismic, thermal, and compositional estimates. The seismic lithosphere is 180 km thick below Missouri and Illinois, 200 km thick below Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, practically undefined below New York, and 80 km below Massachusetts and the Atlantic continental shelf. The thick lithosphere is underlain by a layer with lower S-velocities that could represent a relatively low-viscosity channel. However, the S-velocities in this layer are much higher than those of typical oceanic asthenosphere.     

Crustal and upper-mantle structure in the central United States of America from body-wave spectra,surface-wave dispersion,travel-time residuals and synthetic seismograms

Regional variations of the velocity structure down to a depth of about two hundred kilometers in the central United States are investigated by a combined use of body-wave spectra, surface-wave dispersion, travel-time residuals and synthetic seismograms. With minor adjustments to models obtained in a preceding study of body-wave transfer ratios the revised models FLO74, OXF74 and SHA74 are proposed which reasonably satisfy all data in the above four kinds of methods. These models retain the same characteristic feature of the deepening of the low-velocity zone from the Gulf of Mexico to the Interior Plain nearly along 89°N longitude while decreasing its thickness and increasing its velocities as in the preceding models. The low-velocity zone is about 50 km thick ranging in depth from about 150 to 200 km around a junction of the Interior Plain with the Interior Highlands, about 80 km thick from about 120 to 200 km in the Coastal Plain, and about 90 km thick from about 90 to 180 km in the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. Although it is not clear what relation, if any, exists between the above characteristic feature of the low-velocity zone and the recurrent relief of intra-plate stress along the central Mississippi Valley, an intricate crustal structure found along the valley northwest of the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers is apparently related to the occurrence of historical earthquakes. Comparisons of synthetic seismograms of the above models with teleseismic records of deep earthquakes reveal that the undulations in a time interval of over 100 sec between the onsets of the P and pP phases on long-period records are good surface expression of the underlying layered structure below the station and are not associated with the source. Relevant future high-quality data promise a comprehensive elucidation of the fine configuration of structure in the crust and upper mantle.     

Precursors to PP

The results of a theoretical study of the interpretation of precursors to PP (Δ ～ 100°) in terms of scattering by small-scale random irregularities in the crust and uppermost mantle are presented. These results are compared with observational data from two nuclear explosions recorded at the Warramunga array and three earthquakes recorded at the NORSAR array. This comparison reveals that the scattering interpretation offers a plausible and adequate explanation of the detailed observational data, namely: onset times, duration, slowness, azimuth and amplitude variations. The scattering interpretation of PP precursors, along with a similar interpretation of precursors to PKPPKP, removes the need for postulating several sharp-reflecting discontinuities in the uppermost few hundred kilometers of the crust and upper mantle.     

长白山火山区壳幔S波速度结构研究

利用面波层析成像和远震接收函数方法对长白山地区的地壳上地幔速度结构进行了研究。结果表明:长白山火山区附近存在岩石圈减薄、上地幔软流圈增厚以及上地幔S波速度降低等与上地幔高温物质有关的现象,它表明长白山的岩浆系统一直延伸到上地幔软流圈范围。天池火山区地壳内部存在明显的S波低速层,在离天池火山口较近的WQD台附近,低速层顶部埋深约8km,厚度近20km,S波最小速度约2.2km/s。在距离天池火山北部50km的EDO台地壳中没有明显的低速层。火山区S波速度结构总体表现出距离天池越近,地壳的V_P/V_S越大,低速层的厚度和幅度增加的特征,表明天池火山口附近地壳内部存在高温物质或岩浆囊。CBS台站不同方位的接收函数及反演结果表明,地表低速层厚度以及莫霍面深度存在随方位的变化。地表低速层在南部方向明显较厚,莫霍面深度在南部天池火山口方向存在小幅度抬升。CBS台站附近特殊的近地表速度结构可能是该台站记录的火山地震波形主频较低的主要因素。天池火山口附近莫霍面的小幅度抬升意味着存在与火山作用有关的壳幔物质交换通道     

Seismic scattering at the top of the mantle Transition Zone

We document strong seismic scattering from around the top of the mantle Transition Zone in all available high resolution explosion seismic profiles from Siberia and North America. This seismic reflectivity from around the 410 km discontinuity indicates the presence of pronounced heterogeneity in the depth interval between 320 and 450 km in the Earth’s mantle. We model the seismic observations by heterogeneity in the form of random seismic scatterers with typical scale lengths of kilometre size (10-40 km by 2-10 km) in a 100-140 km thick depth interval. The observed heterogeneity may be explained by changes in the depths to the α-β-γ spinel transformations caused by an unexpectedly high iron content at the top of the mantle Transition Zone. The phase transformation of pyroxenes into the garnet mineral majorite probably also contributes to the reflectivity, mainly below a depth of 400 km, whereas we find it unlikely that the presence of water or partial melt is the main cause of the observed strong seismic reflectivity. Subducted oceanic slabs that equilibrated at the top of the Transition Zone may also contribute to the observed reflectivity. If this is the main cause of the reflectivity, a substantial amount of young oceanic lithosphere has been subducted under Siberia and North America during their geologic evolution. Subducted slabs may have initiated metamorphic reactions in the original mantle rocks.     

青藏高原北部异常SKS分裂成因的初步探讨——被熔体强化的岩石圈各向异性

当人们试图解释青藏高原异常的剪切波分裂成因时,以下的问题让人们感到困惑:(1)为什么异常大的SKS分裂延时(1.91-2.4s)出现在青藏高原北部Sn波缺失区;(2)为什么分裂延时突变(1.47s和1.09s)出现在Sn波缺失区的边缘;(3)为什么快波极化方向(FPD)与地表大规模的构造走向之间存在约20°-30°的偏差. 本文在综合分析流变学实验和岩石物理学实验研究成果、青藏高原地质和地球物理资料的基础上,提出青藏高原北部地震波各向异性受岩石圈地幔主要矿物的晶格优选方位(LPO)和熔体的定向分布(MPO)的双重控制,并模拟计算了MPO对青藏高原北部岩石圈地幔各向异性强度的贡献. 研究结果表明,由MPO强化的青藏高原北部岩石圈地幔各向异性强度可达10髎,相应的各向异性层厚度平均为94km. 该结果为研究区SKS分裂的成因解释以及造山带深部地质过程的研究提供了新的约束条件.     

Contrasting rifted margin styles south of Greenland: implications for mantle plume dynamics

We present new and reprocessed seismic reflection data from the area where the southeast and southwest Greenland margins intersected to form a triple junction south of Greenland in the early Tertiary. During breakup at 56 Ma, thick igneous crust was accreted along the entire 1300-km-long southeast Greenland margin from the Greenland Iceland Ridge to, and possibly 100 km beyond, the triple junction into the Labrador Sea. However, highly extended and thin crust 250 km to the west of the triple junction suggests that magmatically starved crustal formation occurred on the southwest Greenland margin at the same time. Thus, a transition from a volcanic to a non-volcanic margin over only 100–200 km is observed. Magmatism related to the impact of the Iceland plume below the North Atlantic around 61 Ma is known from central-west and southeast Greenland. The new seismic data also suggest the presence of a small volcanic plateau of similar age close to the triple junction. The extent of initial plume-related volcanism inferred from these observations is explained by a model of lateral flow of plume material that is guided by relief at the base of the lithosphere. Plume mantle is channelled to great distances provided that significant melting does not take place. Melting causes cooling and dehydration of the plume mantle. The associated viscosity increase acts against lateral flow and restricts plume material to its point of entry into an actively spreading rift. We further suggest that thick Archaean lithosphere blocked direct flow of plume material into the magma-starved southwest Greenland margin while the plume was free to flow into the central west and east Greenland margins. The model is consistent with a plume layer that is only moderately hotter, 100–200°C, than ambient mantle temperature, and has a thickness comparable to lithospheric thickness variations, 50–100 km. Lithospheric architecture, the timing of continental rifting and viscosity changes due to melting of the plume material are therefore critical parameters for understanding the distribution of magmatism.