Study on Pn Velocity and Anisotropy in the Uppermost Mantle of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis and Surrounding Regions

2009 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong-Xiong CUI ◽  
Shun-Ping PEI
Keyword(s):  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Pn Velocity ◽  
Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis

scholarly journals Modelling Pn Wave Speeds Beneath the Central North Island, New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anya Mira Seward
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Least Square ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Moho Depth ◽  
Strain History ◽  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Wave Speeds ◽  
Partial Melt ◽  
Volcanic Region ◽  
Pn Velocity

<p>A new method of modelling Pn-wave speeds is created. The method allows the predominant wavelength features of P-wave speeds in the uppermost mantle to be modelled, as well as estimating values of mantle anisotropy and irregularities in the crust beneath stations, using least-square collocation. A combination of National Network seismometers, local volcanic seismic monitoring networks and temporary deployments are used to collect arrival times from local events, during the period of 1990-2006. The dataset consists of approximately 11200 Pn observations from 3000 local earthquakes at 91 seismograph sites. The resulting model shows distinct variations in uppermost mantle Pn velocities. Velocities of less than 7.5 km/s are found beneath the back-arc extension region of the Central Volcanic Region, and under the Taranaki Volcanic Region, indicating the presence of water and partial melt. The region to the east shows extremely high velocities of 8.3-8.5 km/s, where the P-waves are traveling within the subducting Pacific slab. Slightly lower than normal mantle velocities of 7.8-8.1 km/s are found in the western North Island, suggesting a soft mantle. Pn anisotropy estimates throughout the North Island show predominately trench parallel fast directions, ceasing to nulls in the west. Anisotropy measurements indicate the strain history of the mantle. For the observed upper mantle Pn velocity of 7.3 km/s is one of the lowest seen in the world. Ray-tracing modelling indicate that this region extends to depths of at least 65 km, suggesting an area of elevated heat (700 - 1100 degrees C) at Moho depth. Elevated temperatures can be caused by the presence partial melt (0.4 % to 2.1 % depending on the amount of water present). Beneath the western North Island, the observed slower than normal mantle velocities, indicate a material of lowered shear modulus, susceptible to strain deformation. However, anisotropy estimations in this region, show no significant anisotropy, suggesting that this is a region of young mantle that hasn't had time to take up the signature of deformation. These observations can be explained by a detachment of the mantle lithosphere through a Rayleigh-Taylor instability more than 5 Ma.</p>

scholarly journals Uppermost mantle (Pn) velocity model for the Afar region, Ethiopia: an insight into rifting processes

2013 ◽  
Vol 193 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Stork ◽  
G. W. Stuart ◽  
C. M. Henderson ◽  
D. Keir ◽  
J. O. S. Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Model ◽  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Afar Region ◽  
Pn Velocity ◽  
Insight Into

scholarly journals Seismic velocity and anisotropy of the uppermost mantle beneath Madagascar from Pn tomography

2020 ◽  
Vol 224 (1) ◽  
pp. 290-305
Author(s):  
Fenitra Andriampenomanana ◽  
Andrew A Nyblade ◽  
Michael E Wysession ◽  
Raymond J Durrheim ◽  
Frederik Tilmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Anisotropy ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Shear Zones ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Lithospheric Deformation ◽  
Pan African ◽  
Pn Velocity

SUMMARY The lithosphere of Madagascar records a long series of tectonic processes. Structures initially inherited from the Pan-African Orogeny are overprinted by a series of extensional tectonic and magmatic events that began with the breakup of Gondwana and continued through to the present. Here, we present a Pn-tomography study in which Pn traveltimes are inverted to investigate the lateral variation of the seismic velocity and anisotropy within the uppermost mantle beneath Madagascar. Results show that the Pn velocities within the uppermost mantle vary by ±0.30 km s–1 about a mean of 8.10 km s–1. Low-Pn-velocity zones (&lt;8.00 km s–1) are observed beneath the Cenozoic alkaline volcanic provinces in the northern and central regions. They correspond to thermally perturbed zones, where temperatures are estimated to be elevated by ∼100–300 K. Moderately low Pn velocities are found near the southern volcanic province and along an E–W belt in central Madagascar. This belt is located at the edge of a broader low S-velocity anomaly in the mantle imaged in a recent surface wave tomographic study. High-Pn-velocity zones (&gt;8.20 km s–1) coincide with stable and less seismically active regions. The pattern of Pn anisotropy is very complex, with small-scale variations in both the amplitude and the fast-axis direction, and generally reflects the complicated tectonic history of Madagascar. Pn anisotropy and shear wave (SKS) splitting measurements show good correlations in the southern parts of Madagascar, indicating coherency in the vertical distribution of lithospheric deformation along Pan-African shear zone as well as coupling between the crust and mantle when the shear zones were active. In most other regions, discrepancies between Pn anisotropy and SKS measurements suggest that the seismic anisotropy in the uppermost mantle beneath Madagascar differs from the vertically integrated upper mantle anisotropy, implying a present-day vertical partitioning of the deformation. Pn anisotropy directions lack the coherent pattern expected for an incipient plate boundary within Madagascar proposed in some kinematic models of the region.

scholarly journals Regional site response and uppermost mantle seismic structure of central and eastern united states

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Rayan Yassminh
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New England ◽  
Velocity Ratio ◽  
Site Amplification ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Seismic Structure ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Pn Velocity ◽  
Mantle Temperature

This dissertation examines seismological data from regional earthquake sources in order to examine the seismological character of the crust and uppermost mantle in central and eastern United States. Firstly, site amplification of regional highfrequency Lg seismic phases is estimate ed using a Reverse-Two Station (RTS) method. RTS results show topography and sediment thickness are likely to affect amplification and both factors likely frequency-dependent. There is a negative correlation between the RTS-measured amplification and shallow shear-wave velocity. It appears that both regional topography (i.e., long-wavelength topography) and deeper subsurface seismic structures (basins and sediments) have a large impact on site amplification. Subsequently, Pn and Sn travel time tomography is used to estimate the upper most mantle P-wave (Pn) velocity, S-wave (Sn) velocity, and the velocity ratio (VPn/VSn). In addition to velocity, effective attenuation of Sn phase (Q[superscript -1]sn) is also measured. The result shows regions of high velocity such as southern Georgia, eastern South Carolina and NMSZ and low Q[subscript Sn] values. The V[subscript Pn]/V[subscript Sn] ratio shows values higher than the average in regions such as the Mississippi Embayment, New England, and south Appalachian. V[subscript Pn]/V[subscript Sn] ratios are lower than the average in regions such as northwestern CEUS, South Georgia and eastern Texas. We estimated the uppermost mantle temperature by applying a constrained grid-search algorithm includes the observed V[subscript Sn], V[subscript Pn] and Q[subscript Sn] with the calculated velocities of specific compositional models. The uppermost mantle temperature result, [about]300-500C, beneath the northern mid-continent, and the highest temperature, 1100 C, beneath New England

scholarly journals Modelling Pn Wave Speeds Beneath the Central North Island, New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anya Mira Seward
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Least Square ◽  
P Wave ◽  
Moho Depth ◽  
Strain History ◽  
Uppermost Mantle ◽  
Wave Speeds ◽  
Partial Melt ◽  
Volcanic Region ◽  
Pn Velocity

<p>A new method of modelling Pn-wave speeds is created. The method allows the predominant wavelength features of P-wave speeds in the uppermost mantle to be modelled, as well as estimating values of mantle anisotropy and irregularities in the crust beneath stations, using least-square collocation. A combination of National Network seismometers, local volcanic seismic monitoring networks and temporary deployments are used to collect arrival times from local events, during the period of 1990-2006. The dataset consists of approximately 11200 Pn observations from 3000 local earthquakes at 91 seismograph sites. The resulting model shows distinct variations in uppermost mantle Pn velocities. Velocities of less than 7.5 km/s are found beneath the back-arc extension region of the Central Volcanic Region, and under the Taranaki Volcanic Region, indicating the presence of water and partial melt. The region to the east shows extremely high velocities of 8.3-8.5 km/s, where the P-waves are traveling within the subducting Pacific slab. Slightly lower than normal mantle velocities of 7.8-8.1 km/s are found in the western North Island, suggesting a soft mantle. Pn anisotropy estimates throughout the North Island show predominately trench parallel fast directions, ceasing to nulls in the west. Anisotropy measurements indicate the strain history of the mantle. For the observed upper mantle Pn velocity of 7.3 km/s is one of the lowest seen in the world. Ray-tracing modelling indicate that this region extends to depths of at least 65 km, suggesting an area of elevated heat (700 - 1100 degrees C) at Moho depth. Elevated temperatures can be caused by the presence partial melt (0.4 % to 2.1 % depending on the amount of water present). Beneath the western North Island, the observed slower than normal mantle velocities, indicate a material of lowered shear modulus, susceptible to strain deformation. However, anisotropy estimations in this region, show no significant anisotropy, suggesting that this is a region of young mantle that hasn't had time to take up the signature of deformation. These observations can be explained by a detachment of the mantle lithosphere through a Rayleigh-Taylor instability more than 5 Ma.</p>

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