Inversion of Q value structure beneath the Tibet Plateau

A total of 11 earthquakes with 15 Rayleigh wave paths, recorded at 11 broadband digital PASSCAL seismometers installed in the Tibet Plateau by the Sino-U.S. joint research group, were used to determine the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of surface waves in periods of 10–130 s. The average shear wave velocity and quality factor {ie271-1} structures in the crust and upper mantle were obtained in this region. The result shows the average {ie271-2} is low and there exists a high attenuation ({ie271-3}=93–141) layer in the crust. The depth range of the low {ie271-4} value layer (16–42 km) is consistent with the range of low velocity layer (21–51 km) in the crust. Below 63 km in the lower crust, {ie271-5} decreases with depth from 114 to 34 at depth of 180 km. The low shear wave velocity and low value of {ie271-6} at the same depth range in the crust indicate that the rocks in the range is probably melted or partially melted. According to the shear wave velocity structure, the average thickness of the crust is about 71 km and a clear velocity discontiniuty appears at the depth of 51 km. The low-velocity zone (4. 26 km/s) at depth of 96–180 km may be corresponding to the asthenosphere. Contribution No. 96A0047, Institute of Geophysics, SSB, China. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.