Crustal low-velocity zone south of Shatsky Rise,northwest Pacific Ocean

The detailed seismic refraction investigation of the oceanic crust south of Shatsky Rise in the Northwestern Pacific revealed a low velocity zone (LVZ) with an average compressional wave velocity of 6.3 km/s within layer 3. This conclusion is based on the shadow zone for refractions on the travel time curves in their first arrivals from the M discontinuity. The LVZ may be composed of oceanic plagiogranites because serpentinization of peridotites would probably lead to an increase in crustal block volume with a concomitent decrease in density and thereby thickening and upwelling at the place of now “overdeepened” ocean would be expected.