ISSN:
1365-246X
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Geosciences
Notes:
We have explored the long-period seismic response of several idealized isotropic and anisotropic earth models to determine the observable aspects of anisotropy in the Earth's upper mantle. The models chosen are zonally symmetric (i.e. constant with respect to longitude), with 3.0 per cent and ˜1.5 per cent peak-to-peak perturbations to shear and compressional velocities, respectively, to a depth of 216 km. Our calculations suggest that upper mantle azimuthal anisotropy of a few per cent, spatially coherent over the length scale of a typical ocean basin, is sufficient to generate significant waveform anomalies in long-period seismic records. These anomalies are termed ‘quasi-Love’ and ‘quasi-Rayleigh’ waves, and are best observed for shallow events near the Rayleigh and Love source-radiation minima, respectively. For three large, recent, shallow, predominantly strike-slip events, seismic observations at stations with auspicious source-receiver geometry show evidence for 4-7 mHz waveforms similar to those seen in synthetic experiments for ‘smooth’ anisotropic mantle structure. We infer the presence of smoothly varying upper mantle anisotropy after determining that other causative factors are less plausible. The waveforms observed could be explained by isotropic structures, but the velocity perturbations would need to be 〉20 per cent to explain the observations in the 4-7 mHz bandpass. ‘Rough’ anisotropic structure is also a possibility, but our calculations suggest that regional-scale anisotropy of a few per cent, if globally pervasive rather than confined to some regions (e.g. plate collision zones), would cause strong mixed-type coupling at frequencies f 〉 10 mHz. In the data we have analysed, the quasi-Love waveforms appear to be bandlimited to f≲ 10 - 15 mHz, depending on the source-receiver pair. Angular selection criteria for coupling between fundamental spheroidal and toroidal modes suggest that this frequency dependence is consistent with the presence of upper mantle anisotropy with angular degrees s≲ 10-15 and peak amplitude of a few per cent. However, the restriction of quasi-Love waveforms to Rayleigh wave minima restricts our resolution, for three predominantly strike-slip earthquakes, to six great circles, not one of which is free from apparent waveform anomalies.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1992.tb02082.x
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