Crustal structure beneath the Malawi and Luangwa Rift Zones and adjacent areas from ambient noise tomography

Crustal shear wave velocity structure beneath the Malawi and Luangwa Rift Zones (MRZ and LRZ, respectively) and adjacent regions in southern Africa is imaged using fundamental mode Rayleigh waves recorded by 31 SAFARI (Seismic Arrays for African Rift Initiation) stations. Dispersion measurements estimated from empirical Green's functions are used to construct 2-D phase velocity maps for periods between 5 and 28 s. The resulting Rayleigh wave phase velocities demonstrate significant lateral variations and are in general agreement with known geological features and tectonic units within the study area. Subsequently, we invert Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves to construct a 3-D shear wave velocity model. Beneath the MRZ and LRZ, low velocity anomalies are found in the upper-most crust, probably reflecting the sedimentary cover. The mid-crust of the MRZ is characterized by an ~3.7% low velocity anomaly, which cannot be adequately explained by higher than normal temperatures alone. Instead, other factors such as magmatic intrusion, partial melting, and fluid-filled deep crustal faults might also play a role. Thinning of the crust of a few kilometers beneath the rifts is revealed by the inversion. A compilation of crustal thicknesses and velocities beneath the world's major continental rifts suggests that both the MRZ and LRZ are in the category of rifts beneath which the crust has not been sufficiently thinned to produce widespread syn-rifting volcanisms.     

The upper crust low velocity layer; a Rayleigh (Rg) phase velocity study from SE Norway

A recent surge of interest in short-period fundamental mode Rayleigh waves (Rg) propagation is motivated by their usefulness for structural mapping and estimation of attenuation (Q) properties of the uppermost crust, their importance in scattering studies and as a nuisance (false alarms) in detection seismology. We have investigated Rg phase velocity dispersion characteristics, using recordings from 16 out of 22 subarrays of the NORSAR array of aperture 100 km. The observed phase velocity in combination with a one-layer and two-layers model over halfspace models were inverted using a maximum likelihood scheme. In view of the smoothness and simplicity of the dispersion curves, the number of unknowns were limited to three parameters, namely shear velocities and thickness, using a Poisson's ratio of 0.25 for P-S velocity coupling and density fixed. In the general array siting area the derived low velocity layer has an average thickness of 1.02 km, and the associated shear velocity is 2.82 km s^-1. The underlying model half space appears to be uniform, and its derived shear velocity is 3.55 km s^-1, which is typical of the upper crust. In contrast to other similar studies, no obvious correlation was found with local geology, which mainly consists of Precambrian crystalline rock sequences. Group velocities were calculated from the structural models and compared to the observational ones. The agreement between calculated and observed group velocities was reasonable.     

On the use of rayleigh wave group velocities for the analysis of continental margins

Rayleigh wave group velocities provide a low-cost means for a quick assessment of averaged local properties of the Earth's crust in continental margin regions of the Atlantic type. Sufficiently accurate measurements (with a standard error of 0.3 km/s or less) of group velocities in continental shelf areas at periods between 5 and 30 seconds provide important information about structural parameters. They may resolve the Moho depth to within 4 or 5 km, depending on crustal thickness and give useful estimates of the average velocities in the upper part of the crust. The group velocities of Rayleigh waves in this period range are influenced most by the shear velocity at all depths and the compressional velocity and the density near the surface. For continental rise regions, the dominating influence of the water layer limits the effectiveness of the method.     

Objective regionalization of Rayleigh wave dispersion data by clustering algorithms: an application to the Mediterranean basin

The main target of the present study is an objective and automated regionalization of Rayleigh wave dispersion data for the Mediterranean basin, without a priori seismotectonic constraints, and to determine the corresponding regional shear-velocity structures. The database used is formed by almost 200 Rayleigh wavetrains corresponding to 42 regional events, with surface-wave magnitude greater than 4.5, recorded at the MedNet very-broad-band stations in the Mediterranean area. Path-averaged group velocities for the Rayleigh wave fundamental mode are derived for each available epicentre-station trajectory crossing the Mediterranean basin. After this, a principal component analysis and a clustering process are applied to local group velocities, obtained for 13 different periods from 10 to 70 s, in order to classify the Mediterranean basin into several homogeneous regions. The stochastic inversion of the averaged group velocity dispersion curve obtained for each region provides the respective shear-velocity structures, down to a depth of 150–160 km. The characteristics of these areas and their possible correlation with the main seismotectonic features of the Mediterranean region are discussed. The regional models reveal significant lateral changes in the elastic structure, with the main differences concerning particularly the upper 35–40 km. Within this depth range, low shear velocities, varying from 2.8 to 3.9 km s⁻¹, characterize the Eastern Mediterranean, whereas higher velocities, ranging from 3.0 to 4.2 km s⁻¹, are deduced for the Western Mediterranean. These results suggest a thicker crust in the eastern part, but with a greater thickness of sedimentary layers. However, for depths of between 80 and 110 km, lower shear velocities are obtained in the Western part, while higher shear velocities are derived for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in the Aegean Sea, Greece, the south of Italy, Sicily and Tunisia. This velocity pattern suggests an averaged thicker lithosphere under the latter areas, as the top of the asthenosphere is detected at a mean depth of 75 km for the remaining regions. This thicker lithosphere can be related to processes associated with the convergence of the Eurasian and African plates and subduction under the Calabrian and Hellenic Arcs.     

多模式面波非线性反演

利用高频面波反演横波速度一直是浅地表地震工程研究的热点。为深入认识利用高频面波（瑞雷波和勒夫波）评价横波速度的能力,本文首先采取高阶交错网格有限差分法实现两层模型的瑞雷波和勒夫波数值模拟,并应用τ-p变换形成频散能量图。相比瑞雷波,不同模式的勒夫波频散能量很接近,这说明易于实现多模式勒夫波反演。然后利用线性映射实现广义模式识别这种非线性反演方法对含软弱夹层的四层模型的基模式、多模式瑞雷波和勒夫波的变厚度反演。若初始模型很拙劣,相比勒夫波,瑞雷波基模式反演不能重建地层中含有软弱夹层这一特征,瑞雷波多模式反演则可以重建这一特征;勒夫波基模式和多模式反演都可以重建这一特征。即使在地层的泊松比与估计值相差很大时,瑞雷波多模式反演仍能重建地层结构,但其频散曲线总是存在"模式接吻"现象,容易模式误判;而勒夫波反演则不用估计地层泊松比,也不存在"模式接吻"现象。一系列算例表明：高模式瑞雷波的加入会显著提高横波速度评价结果的精度;而高模式勒夫波的加入会令反演系统对半空间以上异常层的参数过于敏感,造成参数过度估计,但也会显著提升对半空间横波速度的评价能力。最后,应用本文方法实现了对实测勒夫波数据的分析。     

Test of the upper mantle low velocity layer in Siberia with surface waves

The existence of the upper mantle low velocity layer (LVL) below 100 km depth in cratonic areas is tested with surface waves dispersion curves. Given the ambient noise we find that a pronounced LVL (80 km thick and 2% velocity reduction or 40 km thick and 5% velocity reduction) can be distinguished from a constant velocity model by comparison of the fundamental mode group velocities, whereas a thin LVL (less than 40 km thick) with small velocity contrast (less than 2%) cannot be resolved. The fundamental modes of Love and Rayleigh waves have similar properties and, in general, the phase velocity differences are smaller than the standard error. Phase velocity alone cannot discriminate between the models, and the group velocity is in general more sensitive to the velocity structure than the phase velocity. The higher modes at short periods could potentially determine a LVL but in reality it is difficult to obtain sufficiently accurate measurements. We invert the synthetic dispersion curves by the non-linear Hedgehog inversion method. A pronounced LVL (more than 40 km thick and with a strong velocity contrast of about 5%) is detectable by the non-linear inversion but for a thin LVL with a strong velocity contrast it is not possible to resolve both velocity and thickness. In the inversions all solutions include a LVL for models with a pronounced LVL, whereas the solution space includes models with and without a LVL for models with a zero or positive gradient velocity–depth structure.We invert also real data with travel path across the Siberian craton with the Hedgehog method. Almost all solutions include a LVL in the depth range of 80–150 km with a velocity contrast up to 2% to the surrounding intervals. Hence, the LVL appears to be a common feature of the Siberian upper mantle, although a constant velocity at the same depth range cannot be totally excluded. Despite low resolution at large depth, a pronounced asthenospheric LVL below a depth of about 225 km is a constant characteristic of the set of solutions.     

Lithospheric structure of the Tien Shan region constrained by joint inversion of receiver function and Rayleigh wave dispersion

We obtain a lithospheric shear‐wave velocity model across the Tien Shan orogenic belt by jointly inverting Rayleigh wave group velocities and teleseismic P‐wave receiver functions at 61 broadband seismic stations deployed in this region. Our new model reveals prominent lateral variations of shear‐wave velocity in both the crust and uppermost mantle. This model reveals different structures in the upper and middle crust across the Talas Fergana Fault, which may suggest the presence of a tectonic boundary between the western and central Tien Shan beneath the fault. According to the velocity images, the depth extent of the fault is ~40 km and this is confined to the crust. Pronounced low‐velocity anomalies are imaged in the middle crust and uppermost mantle beneath the southern and middle Tien Shan, implying that the upwelling of the materials from the upper mantle could have played an important role in the mountain building.     

刚度缓变介质中瑞利波特性

基于薄层刚度矩阵方法,研究了瑞利波在3种典型刚度缓变介质中传播特性,并对瑞利波在缓变介质及分层介质中传播特性进行比较。结果显示,无论剖面刚度是缓变还是分层变化,对规则剖面,表面波场基阶模态占主导地位,远场表面波有效相速度与基阶模态相速度接近;对不规则剖面,表面波场中高阶模态影响较大,影响程度及频率范围与剖面刚度变化有关。在缓变介质中,模态相速度高频趋势值高于剖面最小剪切波速介质的瑞利波速,有效相速度趋势值也明显偏离表面介质瑞利波速,这些特性与分层介质不同。研究结果显示,当缓变介质用数量有限的虚构分层来模拟时,表面波频散测试数据与理论值匹配程度及剖面分析精度会受虚构层数量影响。     

Determination of shear wave velocity and depth to basement using multichannel analysis of surface wave technique

The dispersive characteristics of Rayleigh type surface waves were utilized to estimate shear wave velocity (Vs) profile followed by imaging the shallow subsurface granitic layers in the heart of Hyderabad. The reliability of Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) depends on the accurate determination of phase velocities for horizontally traveling fundamental mode Rayleigh waves. Multichannel recording leads to effective identification and isolation of various factors of noise. Calculating the 1-D shear wave velocity (Vs) field from surface waves ensures high degree of accuracy irrespective of cultural noise. The main advantage of mapping the bed rock surface with shear wave velocity (Vs) is the insensitivity of MASW to velocity inversion besides being free from many constraints such as contrast in physical properties etc. Modeling of surface waves data results a shear wave velocity (Vs) of 250?C750 m/s covering the top soil to weathering and up to bedrock corresponding to a depth range of 10?C30 m. Further, the computed N values (which is an indicator of site characteristic) based on the harmonic shear wave velocity up to a depth of 5 m is found to be quite high (> 25?C30) well above 5 indicating the site to be safe and strong enough and not prone to liquefaction. A pair of selected set of results over granites are presented here as a case study highlighting the salient features of MASW.     

Estimation of shearwave velocity in drifts using multichannel analysis of surface wave (MASW) technique — A case study from Jammu & Kashmir,India

Multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) is a non-destructive seismic prospecting method utilizing Rayleigh waves for imaging and characterizing shallow sub-surface structure. Multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) studies were conducted in drift areas of two bridge sites in the hilly terrain of J&K for imaging and characterizing shallow sub-surface structure. The purpose of the present study is to estimate the shear wave velocity (V_S) and subsurface structure in four drifts made in a hilly terrain for construction of two bridges. Rayleigh waves are having dispersive properties, travelling along or near the ground surface and are usually characterized by relatively low velocity, low frequency, and high amplitude. The study area comprises of Tertiary group of rocks which are underlain by Siwalik group. The main rock type in the study area is dolomite which has undergone various geological processes like weathering, jointing, fracturing and shearing. MASW data was collected inside four drifts in the mountainous terrain of J&K state which are located on either sides of Chenab river. The data was analyzed by relevant processing software using dispersion and inversion technique. Shear wave velocities were estimated up to 30 m depth. Average shear wave velocity (V_S ³⁰) up to top 30m was also computed. It is observed that, V_S in the range 400–800 m/s upto 10–15 m corresponding to weathered rock, followed by compact dolomite rock up to the depth of about 30 m with V_S in the range 1200–1600 m/s. Some low velocity zones are also identified from these sections which represent shear zones.     

Crust and upper mantle structure under the baltic shield and barents sea from the dispersion of rayleigh waves

The dispersion of fundamental-mode Rayleigh waves for several paths in Fennoscandia is consistent with the geological setting for the Baltic shield. Additional dispersion data indicate that the Barents Sea is a shield as well. The dispersion under the Baltic Sea is similar to the north-central United States, suggesting the extension of the mantle shield structure beneath the continental Paleozoic sedimentary cover.     

Group velocity dispersion analysis in northern Peninsular Malaysia

The crustal structure beneath three seismic stations over Malaysia has been investigated with the application of the group velocity dispersion analysis of the northern Sumatra earthquake data which occurred on 06 April 2010. Eighteen crustal layer models are constructed to assess the structure. Group velocity dispersions have been computed for the recorded earthquake data using a graphical method and modified Haskell matrix method for the models. Both dispersions have been presented for the interpretation of crustal layers. Findings have shown four major crustal layers having thicknesses of 2.5–4.0, 2.0–5.5, 5.0–8.0, and 8.5–9.0 km, while in Terengganu, it has shown three layers. Density, shear, and compressional wave velocities used in models have suggested that the crustal structure of the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia is crystalline. Major crustal minerals are of quartz, plagioclase, and mica. Most layers seem to have upward directions toward Perak from Kedah and Terengganu.     

Shear-wave velocity structure of the western part of the Mediterranean Sea from Rayleigh-wave analysis

The lithospheric structure of the western part of the Mediterranean Sea is shown by means of S-velocity maps, for depths ranging from 0 to 35 km, determined from Rayleigh-wave analysis. The traces of 55 earthquakes, which occurred from 2001 to 2003 in and around the study area have been used to obtain Rayleigh-wave dispersion. These earthquakes were registered by 10 broadband stations located on Iberia and the Balearic Islands. The dispersion curves were obtained for periods between 1 and 45 s, by digital filtering with a combination of MFT and TVF filtering techniques. After that, all seismic events were grouped in source zones to obtain a dispersion curve for each source-station path. These dispersion curves were regionalized and after inverted according to the generalized inversion theory, to obtain shear-wave velocity models for rectangular blocks with a size of 1° × 1°. The shear velocity structure obtained through this procedure is shown in the S-velocity maps plotted for several depths. These maps show the existence of lateral and vertical heterogeneity. In these maps is possible to distinguish several types of crust with an average S-wave velocity ranging from 2.6 to 3.9 km/s. The South Balearic Basin (SBB) is more characteristic of oceanic crust than the rest of the western Mediterranean region, as it is demonstrated by the crustal thickness. We also find a similar S-wave velocity (ranging from 2.6 km/s at the surface to 3.2 km/s at 10 km depth) for the Iberian Peninsula coast to Ibiza Island, the North Balearic Basin (NBB) and Mallorca Island. In the lower crust, the shear velocity reaches a value of 3.9 km/s. The base of the Moho is estimated from 15 to 20 km under Iberian Peninsula coast to Ibiza Island, continues towards NBB and increases to 20–25 km beneath Mallorca Island. While, the SBB is characterized by a thinner crust that ranges from 10 to 15 km, and a faster velocity. A gradual increase in velocity from the north to the south (especially in the upper 25 km) is obtained for the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. The base of the crust has a shear-wave velocity value around of 3.9 km/s for the western Mediterranean Sea area. This area is characterized by a thin crust in comparison with the crustal thickness of the eastern Mediterranean Sea area. This thin crust is related with the distensive tectonics that exists in this area. The low S-wave velocities obtained in the upper mantle might be an indication of a serpentinized mantle. The obtained results agree well with the geology and other geophysical results previously obtained. The shear velocity generally increases with depth for all paths analyzed in the study area.     

Upper mantle structure of the South American continent and neighboring oceans from surface wave tomography

We present a new three-dimensional SV-wave velocity model for the upper mantle beneath South America and the surrounding oceans, built from the waveform inversion of 5850 Rayleigh wave seismograms. The dense path coverage and the use of higher modes to supplement the fundamental mode of surface waves allow us to constrain seismic heterogeneities with horizontal wavelengths of a few hundred kilometres in the uppermost 400 km of the mantle.The large scale features of our tomographic model confirm previous results from global and regional tomographic studies (e.g. the depth extent of the high velocity cratonic roots down to about 200–250 km).Several new features are highlighted in our model. Down to 100 km depth, the high velocity lid beneath the Amazonian craton is separated in two parts associated with the Guyana and Guapore shields, suggesting that the rifting episode responsible for the formation of the Amazon basin has involved a significant part of the lithosphere. Along the Andean subduction belt, the structure of the high velocity anomaly associated with the sudbduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate reflects the along-strike variation in dip of the subducting plate. Slow velocities are observed down to about 100 km and 150 km at the intersection of the Carnegie and Chile ridges with the continent and are likely to represent the thermal anomalies associated with the subducted ridges. These lowered velocities might correspond to zones of weakness in the subducted plate and may have led to the formation of “slab windows” developed through unzipping of the subducted ridges; these windows might accommodate a transfer of asthenospheric mantle from the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean. From 150 to 250 km depth, the subducting Nazca plate is associated with high seismic velocities between 5°S and 37°S. We find high seismic velocities beneath the Paraná basin down to about 200 km depth, underlain by a low velocity anomaly in the depth range 200–400 km located beneath the Ponta Grossa arc at the southern tip of the basin. This high velocity anomaly is located southward of a narrow S-wave low velocity structure observed between 200 and 500–600 km depth in body wave studies, but irresolvable with our long period datasets. Both anomalies point to a model in which several, possibly diachronous, plumes have risen to the surface to generate the Paraná large igneous province (LIP).     

The lithosphere-asthenosphere system in Fennoscandia

We present a summary of the available information on Rayleigh-wave dispersion data for the Fennoscandian region. The observations have been combined to produce regional dispersion relations which have then been subjected to the “hedgehog” inversion procedure. The results are presented on a map outlining the thickness of the lid and the shear velocities in both the lid and the asthenosphere channel. Lid thickness up to around 135 km is found in the Bothnia-north-central Finland area with, if any, weak shear velocity contrast to the underlying layer. The surrounding areas are characterized by lid thickness up to around 75 km; a stronger low-velocity zone to lid contrast may be found in the Caledonian and Baltic Sea area (0.25÷0.45 km/s). Taking into account Moho depth data and the aforementioned results, a map of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system was derived.     

Radial anisotropy in the crust and upper mantle beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding regions

Relative SV and SH wave speeds are generally attributed to radial seismic anisotropy which can be used as the indicator of crust/mantle deformation styles. Surface wave data were initially collected from events of magnitude Ms  5.0 and shallow or moderate focal depth occurring 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 1525 source-station Rayleigh waveforms and 1464 Love wave trains were earlier analysed by multiple filtering to obtain Love- and Rayleigh wave group velocity curves in the broad period range 10–105 s. We have performed tomographic inversion to obtain period-dependent group velocity and further shear wave velocity at 2° × 2°-sized grid-cells of a mesh covering the model region, after averaging azimuthal effects. Horizontally and vertically varying shear-wave velocities are observed, but the models of isotropic seismic velocity in the crust and upper mantle cannot fit simultaneously the inverted group-velocity dispersion curves due to the discrepancy in the transmission velocities of Love and Rayleigh waves, whose likely origin is the existence of radial anisotropy in the continental crust and topmost mantle. The strength of radial anisotropy computed from the Love–Rayleigh discrepancy and its spatial extent beneath the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are shown as maps of percentage anisotropy at various depths down to 170 km and cross-sections along five profiles of reference. Areas in which radial anisotropy is in excess of 6% are found in the crust and upper mantle underlying most of the plateau, and even up to 10% in some places. The strength and spatial configuration of radial anisotropy seem to indicate the existence of a regime of horizontal compressive forces in the frame of the convergent Himalayan–Tibetan orogen, the laterally variation of the lithospheric rheology and the differential movement as regards the compressive driving forces.     

Crust and upper mantle structure and its tectonic implications in the South China Sea and adjacent regions

We present a 3D S-velocity model for the crust and upper mantle of the South China Sea and the surrounding regions, constrained from the analysis of over 12,000 of fundamental Rayleigh wave dispersion curves between 10 s and 150 s periods. The lateral resolution was found to vary from 2° to 4° with the increasing period over the study region. A robust scheme of Debayle and Sambridge allowed us to conduct the tomographic inversion efficiently for massive datasets. Group velocity maps varying with period show lateral heterogeneities, well related to the geological and tectonic features in the study region. The 3D S-velocity model was constructed from the 1D structure inversion of the tomographic group velocity dispersion curves at each node. The obtained average crustal structure is similar to the PREM model, while the average mantle velocity is typically lower than the global average. The complicated 3D structures reveal three prominent features correlated with geological divisions: sea basin regions, island and arc regions, and continental regions. The derived crustal and lithospheric thicknesses range from ∼15 to >50 km and from ∼60 to >140 km, respectively, with the thinnest in the South China Sea, the thickest in eastern Tibet and the Yangtze Block, and the medium in the South China Fold Belt, Indochina, and island arc regions. Our results further confirm that (1) a Mesozoic subduction zone, which is interpreted as the tectonic weak zone during the Paleogene, exists along the South China margin; (2) the influence of the Indochina extrusion along the Red River Fault is limited for the South China Sea region; (3) there is a slab remnant of the proto-South China Sea beneath Borneo. New findings suggest that the Mesozoic subduction zone should be built into any evolution model for the region, as well as the other two major tectonic boundaries of the Red River Fault and proto-South China Sea subduction zone.     

Rayleigh面波各阶模式频散曲线对横波速度和层厚的敏感性探讨

Rayleigh面波勘探的目的在于有效利用频散曲线反演地层厚度及横波速度,而不同模式的频散曲线对横波速度和层厚的敏感性不同。通过求取介质参数变化10%后与参数不变化时的二组频散曲线的差值,得到各阶模式的频率～相速度差曲线,分析了Rayleigh面波各模式频散曲线对横波速度、层厚的敏感性。试验结果表明,基阶模式对于浅层的横波速度和层厚比较敏感,敏感区域主要集中在较窄的频带范围内。而高阶模式对于相对较深层的横波速度和层厚比较敏感,且频率范围分布较大,敏感性强的频段分布比较分散。研究结果可以为Rayleigh面波多模式联合反演提供理论依据。     

Shear-wave velocity structure of the south-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula from Rayleigh wave analysis

In this study, we present the lithospheric structure of the south-eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula by means of a set of 2D images of shear velocity, for depths ranging from 0 to 50 km. This goal will be attained by means of the inversion of the Rayleigh wave dispersion. For it, the traces of 25 earthquakes occurred on the neighbouring of the study area, from 2001 to 2003, will be considered. These earthquakes have been registered by 11 broadband stations located on Iberia. All seismic events have been grouped in source zones to get an average dispersion curve for each source-station path. The dispersion curves have been measured for periods between 2 and 45 s, by combination of two digital filtering techniques: Multiple Filter Technique and Time Variable Filtering. The resulting set of source-station averaged dispersion curves has been inverted according to the generalized inversion theory, to get S-wave velocity models for each source-station path. Later, these models have been interpolated using the method of kriging, to obtain a 2D mapping of the S-wave velocity structure for the south-eastern part of Iberia. The results presented in this paper show that the techniques used here are a powerful tool to investigate the crust and upper mantle structure, through the dispersion analysis and its inversion to obtain shear velocity distributions with depth. By means of this analysis, principal structural features of the south-eastern part of Iberia, such as the existence of lateral and vertical heterogeneity in the whole study area, or the location of the Moho discontinuity at 30 km of depth (with an average S-velocity of uppermost mantle of 4.7 km/s), have been revealed. Other important structural features revealed by this analysis have been that the uppermost of Iberian massif shows higher velocity values than the uppermost of the Alpine domain, indicating that the massif is old and tectonically stable. The average velocity of the crust in Betic cordillera is of 3.5 km/s, while in the Iberian massif is 3.7 km/s. All these features are in agreement with the geology and other previous geophysical studies.     

Structure of the crust and uppermost mantle of the Yanshan Belt and adjacent regions at the northeastern boundary of the North China Craton from Rayleigh Wave Dispersion Analysis

We have used Rayleigh wave dispersion analysis and inversion to produce a high resolution S-wave velocity imaging profile of the crust and uppermost mantle structure beneath the northeastern boundary regions of the North China Craton (NCC). Using waveform data from 45 broadband NCISP stations, Rayleigh wave phase velocities were measured at periods from 10 to 48 s and utilized in subsequent inversions to solve for the S-wave velocity structure from 15 km down to 120 km depth. The inverted lower crust and uppermost mantle velocities, about 3.75 km/s and 4.3 km/s on average, are low compared with the global average. The Moho was constrained in the depth range of 30–40 km, indicating a typical crustal thickness along the profile. However, a thin lithosphere of no more than 100 km was imaged under a large part of the profile, decreasing to only ~ 60 km under the Inner Mongolian Axis (IMA) where an abnormally slow anomaly was observed below 60 km depth. The overall structural features of the study region resemble those of typical continental rift zones and are probably associated with the lithospheric reactivation and tectonic extension widespread in the eastern NCC during Mesozoic–Cenozoic time. Distinctly high velocities, up to ~ 4.6 km/s, were found immediately to the south of the IMA beneath the northern Yanshan Belt (YSB), extending down to > 100-km depth. The anomalous velocities are interpreted as the cratonic lithospheric lid of the region, which may have not been affected by the Mesozoic–Cenozoic deformation process as strongly as other regions in the eastern NCC. Based on our S-wave velocity structural image and other geophysical observations, we propose a possible lithosphere–asthenosphere interaction scenario at the northeastern boundary of the NCC. We speculate that significant undulations of the base of the lithosphere, which might have resulted from the uneven Mesozoic–Cenozoic lithospheric thinning, may induce mantle flows concentrating beneath the weak IMA zone. The relatively thick lithospheric lid in the northern YSB may serve as a tectonic barrier separating the on-craton and off-craton regions into different upper mantle convection systems at the present time.