Great-circle Rayleigh wave attenuation and group velocity,Part III: Inversion of global average group velocities and attenuation coefficients

Average shear-velocity models for the upper mantle have been derived by controlled Monte Carlo inversion of global average Rayleigh wave group velocity (GAGV) data for periods between 50 and 300 seconds. GAGV data have been corrected for attenuative dispersion using a method based on the theory of Liu, Anderson and Kanamori. Two types of model bounds have been used with one- or two-layer low-velocity zones beginning at depths of 70 and 100 km. All models fitting GAGV data within one standard deviation have low-velocity zones in the 100–200 km depth range. Models with low-velocity zones beginning at 70 km, as well as 100 km, fit GAGV data within one standard deviation, so the average thickness of the lithosphere (taken as the depth to the top of the low-velocity zone) cannot be determined with precision.Global average models for shear-wave attenuation (Q^?1_β) have been derived from global average Rayleigh wave attenuation coefficients for periods between 50 and 300 s and average shear-velocity models. Zones of high Q^?1_β coincide with the low-velocity zones of all shear-velocity models, however, models with low-velocity zones beginning at a depth of 70 km have the highest-attenuation layer in the lower half of the low-velocity zone. Resolution kernels for these attenuation models show that parameters for layers shallower than the lower part of the low-velocity-high-attenuation zone are strongly coupled but are distinct from the lower part of this zone. This suggests that the deeper part of the low-velocity-high-attenuation zone is the most mobile part of the zone or that on the average, the top of the zone is deeper than 70 km.The average Q_β of the lithosphere, low-velocity zone, and sub-low-velocity layer (asthenosphere) are approximately 200, 85–110 and 170–200, respectively.