2-D Image of Seismic Attenuation beneath the Deep Seismic Sounding Profile "Quartz," Russia

Abstract

We present a 2-D image of the upper mantle attenuation using nuclear explosion data from the ultra-long refraction/reflection profile “Quartz.” Our analysis is based on a modified common spectrum technique followed by least-squares inversion for Q and iterative ray tracing in the velocity structure obtained earlier. The resulting attenuation structure corroborates the earlier model for northern Eurasia, as well as our recent estimate based on the analysis of the long-range P n phase, and provides significantly more detail than the existing models. The resulting upper mantle attenuation structure is characterised by Q values ranging from 400 to 1800. Down to the depths of 150–190, and probably 400 km, the attenuation increases horizontally in SE direction, away from the Baltic Shield. Our model exhibits strong 2-D, vertical and horizontal attenuation contrasts. A high-attenuation layer in the depth range of 120–150 to 160–180 km can apparently be associated with the presence of a partial melts within the base of the lithosphere.