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.     

可可西里岩石圈向北俯冲到柴达木地幔的地震学证据

利用中美德INDEPTH IV合作项目2007—2009年间布置于青藏高原中、北部140个宽频地震台站记录到的天然地震数据,经过接收函数成像处理,获得了3条穿过昆仑—阿尼玛卿缝合带清晰的壳幔结构图像.结果显示柴达木南缘莫霍面位于约50 km深度,羌塘地块、可可西里地块、东昆仑造山带莫霍面位于约65 km深度,昆仑—阿尼玛卿缝合带以北约50 km存在莫霍面深度突变.在可可西里和柴达木岩石圈地幔之间观测到北倾界面,这可能是可可西里岩石圈向北俯冲到柴达木地幔之下的证据.可可西里地块地壳内宽缓的负转换震相带是低速带的反映,其向北挤入到东昆仑山下发生挤压增厚,可能是东昆仑山隆升的原因;由于刚性柴达木岩石圈的阻挡,物质向东改向,则可能是该地区向东旋转的构造应力场产生的原因.本文研究结果不支持亚洲岩石圈地幔在东昆仑—柴达木交界处向南俯冲,据此,我们提出了新的东昆仑造山模式.

     

Remelting of subducted continental lithosphere: Petrogenesis of Mesozoic magmatic rocks in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt

The Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt was formed by the Triassic continental collision between the South China Block and the North China Block. There is a large area of Mesozoic magmatic rocks along this orogenic belt, with emplacement ages mainly at Late Triassic, Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. The Late Triassic alkaline rocks and the Late Jurassic granitoids only crop out in the eastern part of the Sulu orogen, whereas the Early Cretaceous magmatic rocks occur as massive granitoids, sporadic intermedi- ate-ma...     

Rheological properties of deep subducted oceanic lithosphere and their geodynamic implications

According to the experimental studies on the rheology of two important mantle rocks (eclogite and harzburgite), the rheological properties of the deep subducted oceanic lithosphere are investigated by assuming a simplified harzburgite type slab model with moderate thickness of basaltic layer. When the mantle convergence rate is small or the subducting slab has been trapped in the mantle for an enough long time, the strength profile of the slab is characterized by a strong subducting crustal component lying on a weak subducting upper mantle. However, if the convergence rate is large enough, the subducting slab will be featured only by a rigid cold center. Our study suggests that the detachment of the subducting crust component from the underlying upper mantle is only likely to happen in hot slow subducting slabs, but not the cold fast subducting lithosphere. Rheological properties of the harzburgitic and the eclogitic upper mantle vary with depths. The eclogitic upper mantle is stronger than the peridotitic upper mantle across the upper mantle. Transition zone is the high strength and high viscosity layer in the upper mantle except the lithosphere.     

Seismic array evidence for a two-layer core transition zone

Measurements of traveltimes and traveltime gradients for PKP phases recorded at the Warramunga seismic array from distances between 113° and 176° provide evidence for a two-layer transition zone in the earth's core. The basic data consist of paper recordings played out at 40 mm/sec from analog magnetic tape with amplitude gain control and narrow bandpass filters. Measured values of $\text{d}\text{T}\text{dΔ}$ are perturbed by structure beneath the array and it is necessary to correct for this effect by an empirical approach. On the basis of the $\text{d}\text{T}\text{dΔ}$ values and traveltimes, two precursor branches to PKP_DF for Δ < 143° are identified consistently. These continue as branches intermediate to PKP_DF and PKP_AB for Δ > 145°. The corrected $\text{d}\text{T}\text{dΔ}$ values of all phases are smoothed and used to derive a velocity model for the core. The preferred model includes two velocity discontinuities of less than 0.1 km/sec each in the core transition zone to generate the two additional PKP branches. Together with the velocity jump at the outer-inner core boundary, these discontinuities define two layers each a few hundred kilometers thick. It is argued that recent proposals concerning inhomogeneities at the base of the mantle or within the transition zone as the source of PKP precursors do not agree with our observations nor those of other researchers. Inhomogeneities are not excluded but are considered a secondary effect for PKP phases, the primary effect being due to two discontinuous velocity increases in the transition zone.     

Interarc spreading and Cordilleran tectonics as alternates related to the age of subducted oceanic lithosphere

Old, cold oceanic lithosphere is denser and therefore gravitationally more unstable than younger, hotter oceanic lithosphere. Hence, whereas old lithosphere will sink under its own weight, subduction of young lithosphere may require an additional force. Interarc spreading occurs or occurred recently in the western Pacific, in the southern Atlantic, and possibly in the Mediterranean, where the subducted sea floor appears to be more than 50 m.y. old, and in many cases, is more than 100 m.y. old. In most of these regions, the ease with which the old dense lithosphere sinks may have contributed to a seaward migration of the trenches, which led to interarc spreading. Cordilleran tectonics, including high mountains and broad zones of deformation, are present on the margins of the eastern Pacific where the subducted oceanic lithosphere is younger than about 50 m.y. An extra force, which we presume to be necessary to cause subduction of the young lithosphere, may be responsible for the deformation and mountains just as an extra force seems necessary to drive continental collision in Asia. The extensive early Tertiary deformation across a broad zone of western North America may be related to the long-term, continuous subduction of young lithosphere of the Farallon and Kula plates.     

Seismic evidence for deep low-velocity anomalies in the transition zone beneath West Antarctica

We present a three-dimensional (3D) SV-wave velocity model of the upper mantle beneath the Antarctic plate constrained by fundamental and higher mode Rayleigh waves recorded at regional distances. The good agreement between our results and previous surface wave studies in the uppermost 200 km of the mantle confirms that despite strong differences in data processing, modern surface wave tomographic techniques allow to produce consistent velocity models, even at regional scale. At greater depths the higher mode information present in our data set allows us to improve the resolution compared to previous regional surface wave studies in Antarctica that were all restricted to the analysis of the fundamental mode. This paper is therefore mostly devoted to the discussion of the deeper part of the model. Our seismic model displays broad domains of anomalously low seismic velocities in the asthenosphere. Moreover, we show that some of these broad, low-velocity regions can be more deeply rooted. The most remarkable new features of our model are vertical low-velocity structures extending from the asthenosphere down to the transition zone beneath the volcanic region of Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica and a portion of the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge close to the Balleny Islands hotspot. A deep low-velocity anomaly may also exist beneath the Ross Sea hotspot. These vertical structures cannot be explained by vertical smearing of shallow seismic anomalies and synthetic tests show that they are compatible with a structure narrower than 200 km which would have been horizontally smoothed by the tomographic inversion. These deep low-velocity anomalies may favor the existence of several distinct mantle plumes, instead of a large single one, as the origin of volcanism in and around West Antarctica. These hypothetical deep plumes could feed large regions of low seismic velocities in the asthenosphere.     

Regional compensation of subducted lithosphere: effects on geoid,gravity and topography from a preliminary model

It is proposed that the anomalous mass of subducted lithospheric slabs is partially compensated by two mechanisms: (a) by stresses transmitted up the slab to the surface lithosphere, causing the trench, and (b) by stresses transmitted through the mantle wedge overlying the slab, which cause a broad shallow depression. Results calculated from a preliminary two-dimensional model show that it can give a first-order account of observed topography, gravity and geoid anomalies. In particular, the model can reconcile the large mass anomaly predicted for the slab by thermal conduction theory with the smaller than expected gravity and geoid anomalies. Preliminary results indicate substantial compensation by mechanism (a), implying rather large stresses at the top of the slab: these could be important for theories of earthquake mechanisms and plate driving mechanisms. Roughly 50% of the possible compensation by mechanism (b) is indicated: the resulting depression, the order of 500 m deep and over 500 km wide, could explain anomalously deep marginal basins and some marine transgressions of continents.     

Post-collisional magmatism in Wuyu basin,central Tibet: evidence for recycling of subducted Tethyan oceanic crust

The trachyte and basaltic trachyte and intruded granite-porphyry of Gazacun formation of Wuyu Group in central Tibet are Neogene shoshonitic rocks. They are rich in LREE, with a weak to significant Eu negative anomalies. The enriched Rb, Th, U, K, negative HFS elements Nb, Ta, Ti and P, and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope geochemistry suggest that the volcanic rocks of Wuyu Group originated from the partial melting of lower crust of the Gangdese belt, with the involvement of the Tethyan oceanic crust. It implies that the north-subducted Tethys ocean crust have arrived to the lower crust of Gangdese belt and recycled in the Neogene magmatism.

     

Post-collisional magmatism in Wuyu basin,central Tibet: evidence for recycling of subducted Tethyan oceanic crust

The trachyte and basaltic trachyte and intruded granite-porphyry of Gazacun formation of Wuyu Group in central Tibet are Neogene shoshonitic rocks. They are rich in LREE, with a weak to significant Eu negative anomalies. The enriched Rb, Th, U, K, negative HFS elements Nb, Ta, Ti and P, and Sr, Nd and Pb isotope geochemistry suggest that the volcanic rocks of Wuyu Group originated from the partial melting of lower crust of the Gangdese belt, with the involvement of the Tethyan oceanic crust. It implies that the north-subducted Tethys ocean crust have arrived to the lower crust of Gangdese belt and recycled in the Neogene magmatism.     

Possible contribution of the asthenosphere, below the subducted oceanic lithosphere, to the genesis of arc magmas: Geochemical evidence from the andean southern volcanic zone (33–46°S)

The application of the Sr/Ca-Ba/Ca systematics to volcanic rocks of the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone (33°S–46°S) has revealed a good correlation between the estimated degree of partial melting required to generate primary magmas and the projected extensions of the oceanic Nazca plate fracture zones under the continental South American plate. Magmas erupted at volcanic centers situated above these projections are thought to have been derived from primary magmas generated by relatively high degrees of melting, whereas those erupted at other centers are thought to have evolved from magmas produced by comparatively low degree of fusion. We interpret this relationship to reflect the facilitation of heat and mass transfer from the asthenosphere below the subducted oceanic lithosphere to the subarc mantle by the fracture zones. This contribution enhances the degree of melting of the subarc mantle source as well as the fraction of material derived from the subducted oceanic crust. This model predicts the predominance of basalts depleted in incompatible trace elements in centers located above the Nazca plate fracture zone extensions and of basalts enriched in incompatible trace elements in centers situated between boundaries of fracture extensions.     

On the mechanism of the olivine-spinel phase transformation

Recent experiments on the olivine-spinel phase transformation in Ni₂SiO₄ have provided the following fundamental results: (1) the interphase structural orientation relationships with $\text{(100)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ol</mtext>}}\text{|(111)}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>sp</mtext>}}\text{and}\text{[001]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ol</mtext>}}\text{|[}\text{1}\text{10]}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>sp</mtext>}}$ between the olivine and spinel phases upon transformation; and (2) the growth of 300 μm spinel single crystal from single crystals of olivine. In the light of these observations, transformation mechanisms proposed have been compared. We conclude that neither a nucleation and growth model nor a martensite model is verified by the experimental results. The former model lacks consistency in terms of the interphase relationships, and the latter cannot offer a dislocation-multiplication mechanism for the growth process.     

Geodetic evidence for rifting in Afar a brittle-elastic model of the behaviour of the lithosphere

An important episode of rifting occurred in November 1978 in southwest Afar, in the first subaerial section of the accreting plate boundary between the African and Arabian plates. Horizontal rifting of more than 2 m took place, with vertical displacements of about 1 m, earthquakes of magnitude up to 5.3, and a fissural volcanic eruption of basaltic lavas. Very precise geodetic measurements were carried out in order to study this crisis and strains of the order of 3 × 10^?4 were measured, both tensile and compressive.This paper presents an analysis of the mechanical behaviour of the lithosphere. It is shown that an elastic-brittle model with a rebound mechanism fits very well the data, and it is suggested that such a model, with magma injection in the resulting open fissures, should be used to describe accretion at plate boundaries.     

Determination of the olivine-spinel transition in magnesium germanate (Mg2GeO4) up to 20 kilobars and 1300°C

Reversal experiments of the olivine-spinel transition in Mg₂GeO₄ up to 20 kbar indicate a reaction boundary with the formula P = 35 (T ? 805). Pressure (P) in bars and temperature (T) in degrees centigrade.     

华北克拉通东部地壳与地幔盖层结构——长观测距深地震测深剖面结果

利用文登—阿拉善左旗长观测距地震宽角反射/折射剖面东段资料,辩识出4组地壳震相和3组地幔盖层震相.采用二维射线追踪走时反演和正演拟合交替计算方法,得到了包括鲁东隆起和华北裂陷盆地在内的地壳和地幔盖层二维速度结构.研究结果表明:华北裂陷盆地基底深达6km以上,研究区壳内界面C1埋深约15km,C2界面深约25km,Moho面平均埋深约35km.上地壳速度6.0~6.1km·s-1,且横向变化较大;中地壳速度相对均匀约为6.2~6.4km·s-1;下地壳速度为6.5~7.0km·s-1,速度梯度较大.地壳平均速度与隆起和坳陷构造相关.研究区岩石圈底界面一般为75~80km,西端接近太行隆起构造时深至90km左右,向西呈明显加深趋势,地壳厚度呈现相同的增厚特征.地幔盖层上部速度8.0~8.2km·s-1,具明显正梯度特征.岩石圈平均速度在郯庐断裂带附近显著偏低.PmP和PLP震相存在不同程度的复杂性,意味着在本地区Moho界面和岩石圈界面有较为复杂的结构,可能具有一定厚度或过渡带性质.结合其他研究结果认为,地幔盖层和下地壳速度梯度、界面性质差异与华北克拉通破坏相关,意味着破坏是一个渐变、缓慢和不均匀的过程.郯庐断裂带附近的低速应是其为软弱带的证据.     

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.     

Enrichment of the continental lithosphere by OIB melts: Isotopic evidence from the volcanic province of northern Tanzania

Alkali basalts and nephelinites from the southern end of the East African Rift (EAR) in northern Tanzania have incompatible trace element compositions that are similar to those of ocean island basalts (OIB). They define a considerable range of Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr= 0.7035−0.7058,ε_Nd = −5to+3, and²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb= 17.5−21.3), each of which partially overlaps the range found in OIB. However, they occupy a unique position in combined Nd, Sr and Pb isotopic compositional space. Nearly all of the lavas have radiogenic Pb, similar to HIMU with high time-integrated²³⁸U/²⁰⁴Pb coupled with unradiogenic Nd (+2 to −5) and radiogenic Sr (>0.704), similar to EMI. This combination has not been observed in OIB and provides evidence that these magmas predominantly acquired their Sr, Nd and Pb in the subcontinental lithospheric mantle rather than in the convecting asthenosphere. These data contrast with compositions for lavas from farther north in the EAR. The Pb isotopic compositions of basalts along the EAR are increasingly radiogenic from north to south, indicating a fundamental change to sources with higher time-integratedU/Pb, closer to the older cratons in the south. An ancient underplated OIB melt component, isolated for about 2 Ga as enriched lithospheric mantle and then remelted, could generate both the trace element and isotopic data measured in the Tanzanian samples. Whereas the radiogenic Pb in Tanzanian lavas requires a source with high time-integratedU/Pb, most continental basalts that are thought to have interacted with the continental lithospheric mantle have unradiogenic Pb, requiring a source with a history of lowU/Pb. Such lowU/Pb is readily accomplished with the addition of subduction-derived components, since the lower averageU/Pb of arc basalts (0.15) relative to OIB (0.36) probably reflects addition of Pb from subducted oceanic crust. If the subcontinental lithosphere is normally characterized by low time-integratedU/Pb it would appear that subduction magmatism is more important than OIB additions in supplying the Pb inventory of the lithospheric mantle. However,U/Pb ratios of xenoliths derived from the continental lithospheric mantle suggest that both processes may be important. This apparent discrepancy could be because xenoliths are not volumetrically representative of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle, or, more likely, that continental lithospheric mantle components in basalts are normally only identified as such when the isotopic ratios are dissimilar from MORB or OIB. Lithospheric enrichment from subaccreted OIB components appears to be more significant than generally recognized.     

Seismic evidence of a crustal overthrust in the Western Alps

Seismic data provided by the ALP75 experiment in the northwestern part of the Alpine Arc has been re-evaluated using ray-tracing techniques in a laterally inhomogeneous medium, thus improving a previous interpretation. The structure of the crust definitely appears to be different in the Northern Subalpine Chains where it is layered with an ESE mean dip of 30° and in the inner part of the Alpine Are where no clear stratification can be derived from the available data.In the Northern Subalpine Chains the boundary between the upper and lower crust is found to be extremely uneven whereas the Moho discontinuity underneath as well as a boundary in the lower crust shows no evidence of unevenness. This pattern can be ascribed to the rheological properties of the crust which has a birttle behaviour at shallow depths and a more plastic behaviour underneath. A velocity reversal is found under the inner part of the Alpine Arc at a depth of 11 to 23 km.An attempt is made to synthesize deep seismic sounding data which have been accumulated since 1956 in southeastern France. The crust is stratified to the north of a line Cévennes-Aiguilles Rouges and amorphous to the south. This line, which is the former boundary between the European plate and the Provence subplate, is thought to have acted as a weak zone during the Alpine orogeny. A crustal overthrust could have occurred in this region which would have been furthered by the higher plasticity of the low-velocity zone. Finally we speculate on the physical significance of intracrustal velocity reversals and suggest they are associated with active tectonic areas where dislocation densities are high.A Lithospheric Seismic Profile along the Axis of the Alps; Paper No. V.     

Ni2SiO4-enthalphy of the olivine-spinel transition by solution calorimetry at 713°C

The high pressure spinel polymorph of Ni₂SiO₄ persists metastably at 713°C and atmospheric pressure. The enthalpy of the olivine-spinel transition was obtained by measuring the heats of solution of both polymorphs in a molten oxide solvent, 2PbO · B₂O₃, at that temperature. For Ni₂SiO₄(ol)→Ni₂SiO₄, ΔH₉₈₆⁰ = +1.4 ± 0.7kcal/mol. The heat content increments, H₉₈₆ ? H₂₉₇, were found to be: olivine, 25.73 ± 0.42kcal/mol, and spinel, 25.39 ± 0.20kcal/mol. The measured enthalpy of the transformation is consistent with the low slope of the phase boundary, ?P/?T = ～ 12b/deg, observed by Akimoto and others. The entropy of the olivine-spinel transition in Ni₂SiO₄ is accordingly about a factor of three smaller in magnitude (ΔS = ～ ?1cal/deg mol) than that for Co₂SiO₄,Fe₂SiO₄,Mg₂SiO₄or Mg₂GeO₄ (ΔS = ?3to?3.5cal/deg mol).