Upper mantle low anisotropy channels below the Pacific Plate

A new 3D anisotropic model has been obtained at a global scale by using a massive dataset of seismic surface waves. Though seismic heterogeneities are usually interpreted in terms of heterogeneous temperature field, a large part of lateral variations are also induced by seismic anisotropy of upper mantle minerals. New insight into convection processes can be gained by taking seismic anisotropy into account in the inversion procedure. The model is best resolved in the Pacific Plate, the largest and the most active tectonic plate. Superimposed on the large-scale radial (ξ parameter) and azimuthal anisotropy (of V_SV velocity) within and below the lithosphere, correlated with present or past Pacific Plate motions, are smaller-scale (<1000 km) lateral variations of anisotropy not predicted by plate tectonics. Channels of low anisotropy down to a depth of 200 km (hereafter referred to as LAC) are observed and are the best resolved anomalies: one east-west channel between Easter Island and the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zones (observed on both radial and azimuthal anisotropies) and a second one (only observed on azimuthal anisotropy) extending from the south-west Pacific up to south-east Hawaii, and passing through the Polynesia hotspot group for plate older than about 40 Ma. These features provide strong constraints on the decoupling between the plate and asthenosphere. They are presumably related to cracking within the Pacific Plate and/or to secondary convection below the rigid lithosphere, predicted by numerical and analog experiments. The existence and location of these LACs might be related to the current active volcanoes and hotspots (possibly plumes) in the Central Pacific. LACs, which are dividing the Pacific Plate into smaller units, might indicate a future reorganization of plates with ridge migrations in the Pacific Ocean.     

地震各向异性研究进展——参加2001年IAGA-IASPEI会议总结

2001年8月19－31日在越南河内召开了首届IAGA－IASPEI联合大会，有三个专题对地震各向异性进行了重点讨论，另有一些关于地震各向异 的报告分散在不同的专题之中。从这次大会来看，对于地震各向异性的研究主要呈现三个方面的特点，一是观测精度和分析技术手段的提高，二是注意了与其它地球物理资料的联合使用。三是把观测结果与数字到剖析特定局部区域的深部地震学特征和地球动力学含义。     

1995年武定6.5级地震余震的S波分裂

1995年 10月 2 4日云南武定发生MS6 5地震。分析田心三分向数字记录 ,从 77个余震中获得 45个余震的S波分裂数据。快速S波偏振有两个优势取向 ,分别为N32°E和N94°E ,二者与震源应力场的主压应力方向N140°E相差甚大 ,不是应力场导致的EDA裂隙系各向异性结果。武定地震发生在近南北走向的汤朗—易门断裂被次级的北西向断裂交切的地区。快S波N32°E偏振方向与汤朗—易门断裂走向接近 ,且又与震源S波固有偏振方向相同 ,难以辨别是构造抑或是应力引起的各向异性结果。分析认为 ,N94°E偏振方向是北西向断层系各向异性产生。两个偏振方向是在同一台站观测到 ,说明两个不同的各向异性体只能在某一深度之下的震源区内     

云南地区上地幔各向异性研究

对云南23个数字地震台11次地震的SKS记录，采用理论切向分量与实测切向分量拟合的方法，确定了快S波的偏振方向和快、慢波之间的时间延迟．结果表明，除鹤庆台外，在各台都观测到了S波分裂现象；云南地区的快方向总体特征是北北东向，时间延迟变化范围为0.5～2.0ｓ．在地质构造复杂地区断层对分析的影响很大．分析表明，作为青藏高原与华南块体之间的过渡带，云南地区的S波快方向反映了印度板块向欧亚板块俯冲是该地区地球动力学的基本背景，而由于青藏高原隆起造成的康滇菱形块体的南东-南南东向运动是造成复杂构造、应力环境的重要因素．快方向与上地幔运动的方向存在差异，说明在云南地区低速层或者软流层的运动与地壳块体的运动之间存在着复杂的耦合作用，构造驱动力如同向北东方向张开的手掌．从时间延迟出发，推断各向异性层的厚度为60～225ｋｍ．其变化范围与低速层埋深的变化范围（104～260ｋｍ）相当，认为各向异性层顶面可能在地壳底部，也可能在低速层，且在不同地点是不相同的，这与云南及周边地区莫霍面变化剧烈有因果关系．进一步推断出上地幔的各向异性主要存在于岩石圈而不是整个上地幔．