Plate Age and Uppermost Mantle Structure Across the Juan de Fuca and Gorda Plates

Abstract

AbstractTo test the relationship between plate age and uppermost mantle structure for the Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates, as well as the mode of lithospheric cooling, we produce a new 3D oceanic shear wave speed (VS) model. This model is constructed using a new high‐quality Rayleigh wave phase speed data set across the plates and is based on a novel thermo‐seismic hybrid parameterization. In the lithosphere, we find that the VS structure is primarily (68% of study area) governed by conductive cooling. Exceptions are observed, suggesting advective heat influx along ridges and hydrothermal circulation through cracks near the subduction trench and transform faults. In the asthenosphere of the Juan de Fuca plate, no simple monotonic relationship between seismic structure and plate age exists, but instead there is a non‐monotonic slow‐fast‐slow VS pattern from west to east. The two slow asthenospheric VS anomalies indicate the presence of partial melt beneath both the mid‐ocean ridge and the subduction trench. The partial melt beneath the trench is enigmatic.