Lateral variation of Pn velocity beneath northeastern marginal region of Qinghai-Xizang plateau

Abstract

Pn arrival time data are collected from the bulletins of both national and regional seismological network in China. These data are tomographically inverted to map the lateral variation and anisotropy of Pn velocity in the northeastern marginal region of Qinghai-Xizang plateau. The average Pn velocity in this region is 8.09 km/s, being a little higher than the average for whole China. Higher velocity is found in tectonically stable Qaidam basin, while lower velocity is seen in and around tectonically active Shanxi graben. The region where the 1920 Haiyuan great earth-quake occurred shows a slightly low Pn velocity. A noticeable result is that, differing from the tectonically compressive Tianshan region, where Pn velocity is low, the Qilianshan region, where the Neotectonic deformation is also primarily compressive, shows high Pn velocity. In the uppermost mantle beneath the Ordos plateau Pn velocity is inhomogeneous, varying from higher velocity in southwestern part to lower one in northeastern part. This may be attributed to possible movement of the Ordos block, as there are strong earthquakes all around the block.