Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study of the dispersion characteristics of broadband fundamental surface waves propagating across Eurasia. The study is broader band, displays denser and more uniform data coverage, and demonstrates higher resolution than previous studies of Eurasia performed on this scale. In addition, the estimated group velocity maps reveal the signatures of geological and tectonic features never before displayed in similar surface wave studies. We present group velocity maps from 20 s to 200 s period for Rayleigh waves and from 20 s to 125 s for Love waves. Broadband waveform data from about 600 events from 1988 through 1995 recorded at 83 individual stations across Eurasia have produced about 9000 paths for which individual dispersion curves have been estimated. Dispersion curves from similar paths are clustered to reduce redundancy, to identify outliers for rejection, and to assign uncertainty estimates. On average, measurement uncertainty is about 0.030–0.040 km/s and is not a strong function of frequency. Resolution is estimated from “checker‐board” tests, and we show that average resolutions across Eurasia range from 5° to 7.5° but degrade at periods above about 100 s and near the periphery of the maps. The estimated maps produce a variance reduction relative to the Preliminary Reference Earth Model (PREM) of more than 90% for Rayleigh waves below 60 s period but reduce to about 70% between 80 and 200 s period. For Love waves, variance reductions are similar, being above 90% for most periods below 100 s and falling to 70% at 150 s. Synthetic experiments are presented to estimate the biases that theoretical approximations should impart to the group velocity maps, in particular source group time shifts, azimuthal anisotropy, and systematic event mislocations near subducting slabs. The most significant problems are probably caused by azimuthal anisotropy, but above 100 s the effect of source group time shifts may also be appreciable. These effects are probably below the signal levels that we interpret here, however. Many known geological and tectonic structures are observed in the group velocity maps. Of particular note are the signatures of sedimentary basins, continental flood basalts, variations in crustal thickness, backarc spreading, downgoing slabs, and continental roots. Comparison of the estimated group velocity maps with those predicted by CRUST5.1/S16B30 is qualitatively good, but there are significant differences in detail which provide new information that should help to calibrate future crustal and upper mantle models of Eurasia.

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