Seismic Tomography Models Research Articles

Structure of the magma plumbing system beneath Semisopochnoi Island (Aleutian Arc) inferred from seismic tomography

Semisopochnoi Island is a remote and little-studied volcanic island in the western part of the Aleutian Arc. The existence of several active volcanic centers and a 5000–7000-year-old large caldera makes this island an important site for volcanic hazard assessment in the Northern Pacific. Based on local seismicity data recorded by six permanent seismic stations, we created the seismic tomography model, including the 3D distributions of Vp, Vs, and Vp/Vs ratios to a depth of 10 km. This model provides the first geophysical insight into the interior structure of Semisopochnoi Island and sheds light on the processes in the magma plumbing system beneath all volcanic centers on the island. At depths of 5–10 km, we observed a columnar-shaped high Vp/Vs-ratio anomaly below the caldera in the central part of the island, which likely represents the steady magma conduit. This conduit is headed by a prominent high Vp/Vs-ratio anomaly located 3–5 km directly below the caldera, which represents the magma reservoir feeding Cerberus and other Holocene-aged volcanic centers on Semisopochnoi Island.

Low-degree mantle melting controls the deep seismicity and explosive volcanism of the Gakkel Ridge

The world’s strongest known spreading-related seismicity swarm occurred in 1999 in a segment of the Gakkel Ridge located at 85°E as a consequence of an effusive-explosive submarine volcanic eruption. The data of a seismic network deployed on ice floes were used to locate hundreds of local earthquakes down to ∼25 km depth and to build a seismic tomography model under the volcanic area. Here we show the seismicity and the distribution of seismic velocities together with the 3D magmatic-thermomechanical numerical model, which demonstrate how a magma reservoir under the Gakkel Ridge may form, rise and trigger volcanic eruptions in the rift valley. The ultraslow spreading rates with low mantle potential temperatures appear to be a critical factor in the production of volatile-rich, low-degree mantle melts that are focused toward the magma reservoirs within narrow magmatic sections. The degassing of these melts is the main cause of the explosive submarine eruptions.

A comparative study of seismic tomography models of the Chinese continental lithosphere

The Chinese mainland is subject to complicated plate interactions that give rise to its complex structure and tectonics. While several seismic velocity models have been developed for the Chinese mainland, apparent discrepancies exist and, so far, little effort has been made to evaluate their reliability and consistency. Such evaluations are important not only for the application and interpretation of model results but also for future model improvement. To address this problem, here we compare five published shear-wave velocity models with a focus on model consistency. The five models were derived from different datasets and methods (i.e., body waves, surface waves from earthquakes, surface waves from noise interferometry, and full waves) and interpolated into uniform horizontal grids (0.5° × 0.5°) with vertical sampling points at 5 km, 10 km, and then 20 km intervals to a depth of 160 km below the surface, from which we constructed an averaged model (AM) as a common reference for comparative study. We compare both the absolute velocity values and perturbation patterns of these models. Our comparisons show that the models have large (> 4%) differences in absolute values, and these differences are independent of data coverage and model resolution. The perturbation patterns of the models also show large differences, although some of the models show a high degree of consistency within certain depth ranges. The observed inconsistencies may reflect limited model resolution but, more importantly, systematic differences in the datasets and methods employed. Thus, despite several seismic models being published for this region, there is significant room for improvement. In particular, the inconsistencies in both data and methodologies need to be resolved in future research. Finally, we constructed a merged model (ChinaM-S1.0) that incorporates the more robust features of the five published models. As the existing models are constrained by different datasets and methods, the merged model serves as a new type of reference model that incorporates the common features from the joint datasets and methods for the shear-wave velocity structure of the Chinese mainland lithosphere.

Regional Geophysics of the Caribbean and Northern South America: Implications for Tectonics

AbstractThe Caribbean plate is an enclosed oceanic basin whose formation and evolution are controversial. In the most commonly accepted model, the Caribbean plate is mainly composed of the Caribbean Large Igneous Province (CLIP) and the buoyant characteristic of this oceanic plateau resisted subduction and allowed an eastward migration to its present position north of South America. In this study, we integrate a broad range of geophysical and geomorphological data to define structural elements and present‐day tectonics of the Caribbean plate and the surrounding region. We present a Bouguer gravity anomaly map and a new crustal thickness map that documents large areas of normal‐thickness oceanic crust within the Venezuela and Colombia basins of the Caribbean plate. Selected cross sections of seismicity and P‐wave anomalies from a seismic tomographic model depict the present‐day geometry of subducting oceanic plates within the Caribbean region. We observe that rather than resisting subduction, as expected for the thick crust of a buoyant large igneous province, the subduction of the Caribbean plate can be traced to a depth of 600 km beneath NW South America. This, together with the crustal thickness map, implies that a significant area of the Caribbean plate, including the subducted portion, is composed of normal‐thickness oceanic crust. As proposed by the Pacific origin model, the Caribbean plate likely migrated eastward from the Pacific Ocean as an oceanic plate mostly with normal‐thickness crust and limited portions of the crust thickened by hot spot volcanism (CLIP).

Geodynamic Characteristics in the Southwest Margin of South China Sea

The strike-slip fault system in the southwestern margin of South China Sea (SCS) lies on the transition zone between the continental shelf and slope of SCS, which is an important ocean–continent boundary. By using submarine heat flow data, a seismic shear wave tomography model, and gravity potential field data, this paper investigates the distribution of submarine heat flow in the southwestern margin of SCS, the thermal–rheological structure of the crust and mantle, the temperature–viscosity characteristics of the upper mantle Vs low-velocity layer, the tangential stress field of the rheological boundary layer at the lithosphere base, and the convective velocity structure of the mantle asthenosphere. Our new results show that the deep geothermal activity in the southwestern margin of SCS is intense, and the high heat flow area of the mantle with Qm/Qs >70% is distributed along an NNE-trending strip. Moreover, both the east and west sides of the strike–slip fault zone correspond to two low-value areas with a viscosity coefficient of 1021–1022 Pa⋅s at Moho depth, and beneath the Nansha Block are strong and cold blocks with a viscosity coefficient of 1024–1025 Pa⋅s. The northward and eastward shear stress components τN and τE of the rheological boundary layer at the base of the lithosphere mantle decrease with depth. At 65-km depth, both τN and τE are greater than 5.5 × 108 N/m2. At 100-km depth, both τN and τE are less than 1 × 108 N/m2. The calculation results based on the seismic shear wave model of the upper mantle and the gravimetric geoid model indicate that the depth of 120–250 km is the low-velocity layer, and the average temperature of the mantle at 180-km depth can be up to 1,300°C. Moreover, the average effective viscosity coefficient is close to 1018 Pa⋅s, which satisfies the temperature and viscosity conditions for partial melting or convective migration of mantle material. The mantle convection calculation results show that the average flow rate is 8.5 cm/a at 200-km depth and 2.2 cm/a at 400-km depth.

Relationships of Surface Geological and Geophysical Characteristics with the Deep Structure of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge According to Seismic Tomography Data

—A retrospective analysis of seismic tomography models with different levels of detail along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) has shown that mantle inhomogeneities depicted by variations of seismic waves velocities in low-detail models look larger than their true sizes determined by more detailed modern models. They also confirm that there are two different types of upwelling in the Atlantic mantle: active plume, which has an impulsive character, and passive axial, which occurs as a response to spatial appearance during the drift of lithospheric plates. The structure of mantle velocity and density inhomogeneities, determined by low-frequency gravity anomalies and their reductions, has a consistent interpretation based on the thermal state of the mantle. Detailed models of the velocities under the MAR can serve as a basis for comparison with the geochemical characteristics of basalts. The decomposition of a single axial tomographic anomaly in detailed models into a chain of vertical lenses under slow spreading conditions corresponds to geochemical data on discrete manifestations of different basalt associations along the MAR. The attribute δ(Vp/Vs) section along the MAR in the mantle above ~700 km contains cold lenses with a thickness of 200–300 km, which are spatially related to the following structural and tectonic phenomena: transform faults with maximum lateral rift displacement; geochemical segmentation of the MAR; modulation of the total lengths of transform faults with increased values above the “cold” lenses; asymmetry features of the half-spreading rates, which decreases to zero above the cold lenses and reaches maximum values between the cold lenses. The cold mantle lenses at an average depth of ~500 km and the corresponding lithospheric geophysical characteristics reflect the background conditions, and areas above hot segments are disturbances that occur when plume branches interfere with the MAR. Inhomogeneous spreading rates can lead to movements of blocks inside large plates and tectonic deformations of the intraplate space. Along the 4 Ma isochron in the Northern Hemisphere, the half-spreading rates on the eastern flank of the MAR exceed the half-spreading rates on the western flank. In the Southern Hemisphere, the pattern is reversed, which indicates the possible influence of the Earth’s rotation effects on geodynamic processes along the MAR. Against the general trend, there are local inversion zones from the western predominance of increased rates to the eastern and, conversely, in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The main demarcation faults of the Atlantic differ in seismic events by their maximum energy release and are located near the “cold” mantle lenses and the contrasting lateral transition to the hot regions. The distribution of the total seismic moment in the depth intervals of 0‒13 and 13‒35 km also has less intense extremes near the branches of plumes with a predominantly crustal position of the hypocenters. The seismicity along the main MAR space associated with standard basalt magmatism has a background character and does not significantly contribute to the total released seismic moment compared to shear zones.

3D constrained gravity inversion to model Moho geometry and stagnant slabs of the Northwestern Pacific plate at the Japan Islands

The motivation for this work was to model the crustal thickness, and the geometry of the Mohorovičić (Moho) discontinuity, the crust-upper mantle boundary around the Japanese archipelago. The western Pacific Ocean is one of the most eminent subduction zones in the world. The subduction zone complexity is due to alteration within the geometry of the stagnant slab. We compiled a three-dimensional density distribution model for subduction plates around the Japan Islands, and estimated the depth to Moho using the constrained non-linear inversion of gravity data derived from the latest Gravity field and Ocean Circulation Explorer, or GOCE, model known as GOCO06s. The study had three steps, starting with the data corrections followed by the inversion, and ending with the modeling and comparing of the estimated results with previous models and studies. In this study, we used available receiver function results, seismic tomography models, global crustal thickness, and geological and tectonic information as constraints. The model estimated the crustal thickness, surface geometry of the Moho, and geometry of the stagnant slab in the Kuril Trench, Japan Trench, Nankai Trough, and Izu-Bonin Trough. In gravity inversion, we used 34 km and 600 kg m−3 as the Moho depth reference and density contrast, respectively. Results showed that the crustal thickness ranged from 14 to 43 km with a − 0.78 mean misfit for Moho depths derived from seismic P-wave analysis. The calculated gravity data had a 0.16 mGal misfit with the observed data. The normalized analytical signal helped to sharply delineate the different plates and their edges. Three cross-sections were conducted to model the stagnant slab along the subduction zone of the Eastern Eurasian plate, western Pacific plate, Okhotsk plate, and Philippine Sea plate. The eastern area of the entire region (Pacific plate) had a low crust thickness and high density compared to the western area (Eurasian plate), which had a high crust thickness and low density.

Plume‐Lithosphere Interaction and Delamination at Yellowstone and Its Implications for the Boundary of Craton Stability

AbstractDelamination of the lower lithosphere has occurred under different tectonic settings, thereby inducing strong lateral lithospheric strength heterogeneities. Here, we examine a recent case of plume‐induced lithosphere delamination associated with the Yellowstone plume. We propose that interaction between the Yellowstone plume and western North American lithosphere is what led to delamination of the lower lithosphere beneath the Columbia River Basalt (CRB) roughly ∼17 Myr ago. The excess melting that occurred when this “hole” was being filled by Yellowstone plume material was the primary trigger for the CRB excess melting event. The delaminated lower lithosphere currently lies to the northeast of the CRB; it can be clearly identified in recent seismic tomographic models. We suggest that both weak zones, for example, lithosphere‐crossing faults or suture zones, or vertical weaknesses associated with hotspot tracks, and strong zones (regions not underlain by weak mid‐lithosphere discontinuity material) can become the lateral boundaries of lithosphere delamination.

A Comparative Study of Seismic Tomography Models of Southwest China

A Comparative Study of Seismic Tomography Models of Southwest China

ЗЕМНАЯ КОРА И ВЕРХНЯЯ МАНТИЯ ВОСТОЧНО-КИТАЙСКОГО МОРЯ (СЕЙМОТОМОГРАФИЧЕСКАЯ И ГРАВИТАЦИОННАЯ МОДЕЛИ)

Gravity and seismic-tomography models of the tectonosphere detailing and specifying the structure of the crust and upper mantle of the East China Sea are considered. Crust of this region has considerably lower density extending into the subcrustal layer to a depth of 40–45 km. A transform-fault-related wide pull-apart zone of NW strike is identified on the western edge of the Pacific plate. In east regions of the East China Sea the lower layer of the Philippine oceanic lithosphere is underthrust beneath the Ryukyu arc and further ‒ beneath the viscous subcrustal layer of the continental shelf. In the western regions, the oceanic lithosphere is thrusted over the continental margin crust. Evidence of the central type structure of presumably plume origin is found in the layer below the asthenosphere on the western edge of the Philippine plate (a middle fragment of the Ryukyu arc).

Two-step Gravity Inversion Reveals Variable Architecture of African Cratons

The lithospheric build-up of the African continent is still to a large extent unexplored. In this contribution, we present a new Moho depth model to discuss the architecture of the three main African cratonic units, which are: West African Craton, Congo Craton, and Kalahari Craton. Our model is based on a two-step gravity inversion approach that allows variable density contrasts across the Moho depth. In the first step, the density contrasts are varied for all non-cratonic units, in the second step for the three cratons individually. The lateral extension of the tectonic units is defined by a regionalization map, which is calculated from a recent continental seismic tomography model. Our Moho depth is independently constrained by pointwise active seismics and receiver functions. Treating the constraints separately reveals a variable range of density contrasts and different trends in the estimated Moho depth for the three cratons. Some of the estimated density contrasts vary substantially, caused by sparse data coverage of the seismic constraints. With a density contrast of Δρ= 200 kg/m3the Congo Craton features a cool and undisturbed lithosphere with smooth density contrasts across the Moho. The estimated Moho depth shows a bimodal pattern with average Moho depth of 39–40 km for the Kalahari and Congo Cratons and 33–34 km for the West African Craton. We link our estimated Moho depth with the cratonic extensions, imaged by seismic tomography, and with topographic patterns. The results indicate that cratonic lithosphere is not necessarily accompanied by thick crust. For the West African Craton, the estimated thin crust, i.e. shallow Moho, contrasts to thick lithosphere. This discrepancy remains enigmatic and requires further studies.

Silicic magmas in the Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcanic Field: an overview about plumbing systems, crustal storage and genesis processes

The origin of silicic rocks in the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field (MGVF) has been understudied since the volcanic field attracted the attention of researchers. Using geochemical, petrological and structural data from the literature, here we propose a model for the origin of silicic magmas. We found that all volcanic rocks known to date in the MGVF can be divided in 40 % andesite, 33 % basaltic andesite, 15 % basalt, 2 % trachybasalt to trachyandesite, and 10 % dacite-rhyolite. The structural systems that deformed the crust in the MGVF are NNW-SSE-oriented normal faults of the Taxco-San Miguel de Allende fault system, developed during the Oligocene, and the Morelia-Acambay fault system consisting of ENE-SSW to E-W sinistral strike-slip faults developed during the Oligocene-Miocene. In addition to bibliographic data, we present a gravimetric-magnetometric model to investigate the characteristics of the local basement where magmas acquire their final silicic composition, and a seismic tomography model to investigate the deep plumbing system that contribute to form the silicic rocks emplaced on the surface. The only report of assimilation experiments we found in the MGVF literature suggest that plagioclase and pyroxene are more easily digested than quartz by hotter magmas. The digestion of these mineral phases has a direct consequence on the generation of dacites and rhyolites. We propose that regardless of the genesis of andesitic melts, such intermediate magmas arrive to the upper-crust and are forced to evolve within local compression zones where they melt the local granitic basement and form crystal mushes. The compositional variability of silicic rocks in the MGVF is a consequence of the variable mixing between the intermediate magmas and the granitic partial melts.

Glacial‐Isostatic Adjustment Models Using Geodynamically Constrained 3D Earth Structures

AbstractGlacial‐isostatic adjustment (GIA) is the key process controlling relative sea‐level (RSL) and paleo‐topography. The viscoelastic response of the solid Earth is controlled by its viscosity structure. Therefore, the appropriate choice of Earth structure for GIA models is still an important area of research in geodynamics. We construct 18 3D Earth structures that are derived from seismic tomography models and are geodynamically constrained. We consider uncertainties in 3D viscosity structures that arise from variations in the conversion from seismic velocity to temperature variations (factor r) and radial viscosity profiles (RVP). We apply these Earth models to a 3D GIA model, VILMA, to investigate the influence of such structure on RSL predictions. The variabilities in 3D Earth structures and RSL predictions are investigated for globally distributed sites and applied for comparisons with regional 1D models for ice center (North America, Antarctica) and peripheral regions (Central Oregon Coast, San Jorge Gulf). The results from 1D and 3D models reveal substantial influence of lateral viscosity variations on RSL. Depending on time and location, the influence of factor r and/or RVP can be reverse, for example, the same RVP causes lowest RSL in Churchill and largest RSL in Oregon. Regional 1D models representing the structure beneath the ice and 3D models show similar influence of factor r and RVP on RSL prediction. This is not the case for regional 1D models representing the structure beneath peripheral regions indicating the dependence on the 3D Earth structure. The 3D Earth structures of this study are made available.

Assessment of seismic tomographic models of the contiguous United States using intermediate-period 3-D wavefield simulation

SUMMARYThe contiguous United States has been well instrumented with broad-band seismic stations due to the development of the EarthScope Transportable Array. Previous studies have provided various 3-D seismic wave speed models for the crust and upper mantle with improved resolution. However, discrepancies exist among these models due to differences in both data sets and tomographic methods, which introduce uncertainties on the imaged lithospheric structure beneath North America. A further model refinement using the best data coverage and advanced tomographic methods such as full-waveform inversion (FWI) is expected to provide better seismological constraints. Initial models have significant impacts on the convergence of FWIs. However, how to select an optimal initial model is not well investigated. Here, we present a data-driven initial model selection procedure for the contiguous US and surrounding regions by assessing waveform fitting and misfit functions between the observations and synthetics from candidate models. We use a data set of waveforms from 30 earthquakes recorded by 5820 stations across North America. The results suggest that the tested 3-D models capture well long-period waveforms while showing discrepancies in short periods especially on tangential components. This observation indicates that the smaller scale heterogeneities and radial anisotropy in the crust and upper mantle are not well constrained. Based on our test results, a hybrid initial model combining S40RTS or S362ANI in the mantle and US.2016 for Vsv and CRUST1.0 for Vsh in the crust is compatible for future FWIs to refine the lithospheric structure of North America.

Discussion of: “A geological map of the Scotia Sea area constrained by bathymetry, geological data, geophysical data and seismic tomography models from the deep mantle”, by A. Beniest and W.P. Schellart (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirevv.2020.103391)

Global geophysical networks provide powerful databases to infer globally coherent signals, and array processing techniques are useful for inferring them. In this study, we comprehensively analyze seven spherical harmonic-based array processing techniques: spherical harmonic stacking (SHS) as well as its gridded form (SHS_GT) and grid-interval weighted forms (SHS_GK1, SHS_GK2); matrix SHS (MSHS); multi-station experiment (MSE); and optimal sequence estimation (OSE). We first use more specific synthetic tests to evaluate the pros and cons of these techniques, and estimate bias in solutions caused by the station distributions. These methods are applied to four global observation networks, the Global Geodynamics Project (GGP) Network, the Global Seismographic Network (GSN), the Global Geomagnetic (GGM) Network and the Global GNSS Network. For the first time, we restored a much cleaner sequence for one singlet of the 0S2 mode based on the GGP network, and restored similar result for one singlet of the 3S1 mode based on the GSN network. We further isolate different Ylm-related tidal signals from the GGM network for the first time. Moreover, based on global GNSS observations, we estimate the Love number h21 = 0.6243(±7e−4) − 0.01(±6e−3)i at the Chandler Wobble (CW) frequency with OSE/MSHS (The accuracy of the estimate is an order of magnitude higher than the previous results), and further obtain the corresponding lower-mantle anelasticity (fr(ω) = −29.5 ± 0.9, fi(ω) = 12.0 ± 7.2). Our findings confirm that OSE and MSHS methods can more accurately obtain the complex amplitude of any Ylm-related signal, which is not possible with other methods (and we do obtain more precise results than previous studies upon using them); besides, we also confirm that OSE and MSHS methods can greatly reduce the interference of other signals to the target signals. Hence, we believe the results obtained from the OSE/MSHS will helpful for obtaining reasonable geophysical explanations.

Pyroclastic Deposits Identification using Near-Surface Seismic Refraction Tomography in Rawa Dano Volcanic Complex, Banten, Indonesia

Rawa Dano is a caldera lake which resulted from Dano Purba Volcano’s massive eruption, and it produced a huge amount of pyroclastic deposits that typically formed complex volcaniclastic series. Due to the lack of information regarding the subsurface properties of Rawa Dano area, therefore in this study, a low-energy seismic refraction survey was carried out to identify the distribution of pyroclastic deposits resulted from intensive volcanic eruptions. The data were acquired from two lines in two different sites. Variations of longitudinal velocity in the seismic vertical cross-section suggest that there are more than one type of deposits existed in the area. The results show two main refractors which are related to the deposition of different facies. The seismic velocity shown in the upper part of the seismic tomography model indicates that the pyroclastic deposit has a great thickness. This finding suggests that the eruptions happened massively. By combining the results from both sites, it could be inferred that the preceding one is even bigger in magnitude. The result is in agreement with the earlier surface geological study, which explains a similar conclusion. This research demonstrates the capability of seismic refraction tomography to map the distribution and condition of volcanic deposits around Rawa Dano Volcanic Complex.

Mantle convection and possible mantle plumes beneath Antarctica – insights from geodynamic models and implications for topography

Abstract This chapter describes large-scale mantle flow structures beneath Antarctica as derived from global seismic tomography models of the present-day state. In combination with plate reconstructions, the time-dependent pattern of palaeosubduction can be simulated and is shown from the rarely seen Antarctic perspective. Furthermore, a dynamic topography model demonstrates which kind and scales of surface manifestations can be expected as a direct and observable result of mantle convection. The last section of this chapter features an overview of the classical concept of deep-mantle plumes from a geodynamic point of view and how recent insights, mostly from seismic tomography, have changed the understanding of plume structures and dynamics over past decades. The long-standing and controversial hypothesis of a mantle plume beneath West Antarctica is summarized and addressed with geodynamic models, which estimate the excess heat flow of a potential plume at the bedrock surface. However, the predicted heat flow is small, while differences in surface heat-flux estimates are large; therefore, the results are not conclusive with regard to the existence of a West Antarctic mantle plume. Finally, it is shown that global mantle flow would cause the tilting of whole-mantle plume conduits beneath West Antarctica such that their base is predicted to be displaced about 20° northward relative to the surface position, closer to the southern margin of the Pacific Large Low-Shear Velocity Province.

USTClitho2.0: Updated Unified Seismic Tomography Models for Continental China Lithosphere from Joint Inversion of Body-Wave Arrival Times and Surface-Wave Dispersion Data

Abstract Xin et al. (2019) presented 3D seismic velocity models (VP and VS) of crust and uppermost mantle of continental China using seismic body-wave travel-time tomography, which are referred to as Unified Seismic Tomography Models for Continental China Lithosphere 1.0 (USTClitho1.0). Compared with previous models of continental China, the VP and VS models of USTClitho1.0 have the highest spatial resolution of 0.5°–1.0° in the horizontal direction and are useful for better understanding the complex tectonics of continental China. Although USTClitho1.0 is implicitly constrained by surface-wave data by using the VS model from surface-wave tomography and the converted VP model as initial models for body-wave travel-time tomography, the predicted surface-wave dispersion curves from USTClitho1.0 do not fit the observed data well. Here, we present updated 3D VP and VS models of the continental China lithosphere (USTClitho2.0) by joint inversion of body-wave arrival times and surface-wave dispersion data. Compared with the previous joint inversion scheme of Zhang et al. (2014), similar to Fang et al. (2016), it is further improved by including the sensitivity of surface-wave dispersion data to VP in the new joint inversion system. As a result, the shallow VP structure is also better imaged. In addition, the new joint inversion scheme considers the large topography variations between the eastern and western parts of China. Thus, USTClitho2.0 better resolves the upper-crustal structure of the Tibetan plateau. Compared with USTClitho1.0, USTClitho2.0 fits both body-wave arrival times and surface-wave dispersion data. Thus, the new velocity models are more accurate and can serve as a better reference model for regional-scale tomography and geodynamic studies in continental China.

Anelasticity and Lateral Heterogeneities in Earth's Upper Mantle: Impact on Surface Displacements, Self‐Attraction and Loading, and Ocean Tide Dynamics

AbstractSurface displacement and self‐attraction and loading (SAL) elevation induced by ocean tides are known to be affected by material properties of the solid Earth. Recent studies have shown that, in addition to elasticity, anelasticity considerably impacts surface displacements due to ocean tide loading (OTL). We employ consistent 3D seismic elastic and attenuation tomography models to construct 3D elastic and anelastic earth models, and derive corresponding averaged 1D elastic/anelastic models. We apply these models to systematically study the impact of anelasticity and lateral heterogeneity on M2 OTL displacements and SAL elevation. We find that neglecting lateral heterogeneities highly underestimates displacements and SAL elevation in mid‐ocean‐ridge regions and in some coastal areas of North and Central America. In comparison to PREM, 3D anelastic models can increase the predicted amplitudes of the vertical displacement and SAL elevation by up to 1.5 mm. The increased amplitudes reduce the discrepancy between GPS‐observed OTL displacements and their predictions based on PREM in places like Cornwall (England), Brittany (France), and the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Applying our results to ocean tides, we discover that the impact on ocean tide dynamics exceeds the predicted SAL elevation correction with an RMS of about 1 mm, reaching an RMS of more than 5 mm in areas like North Atlantic or East Pacific. Due to the fact that such a value reaches the accuracy of modern data‐constrained tidal models, we regard the impact of anelastic shear relaxation as significant in tidal modeling.

Accretion kinematics and driving mechanism of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt: Insights from seismic tomography and middle Permian–Middle Triassic magmatism in central Jilin Province

The amalgamation of accretionary terranes plays an important role in the evolution of ancient accretionary orogens, but the kinematic process and its driving mechanism are commonly ambiguous. Here we provide new constraints on the accretion kinematics and associated driving mechanism of the eastern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), using seismic tomography and magmatism. Permian to Middle Triassic magmatism was linked to two distinct accretionary orogens, that existed along the northern margin of the North China Craton. The geochemistry of middle Permian to Middle Triassic igneous rocks indicates a magmatic arc origin at an active continental margin. Based on the horizontal zoning of magmatism and south-dipping stagnant oceanic slab imaged by seismic tomography, we conclude that southward subduction of the oceanic slab resulted in the accretion and collision of multiple arc systems along the continental margin. Our seismic tomographic models indicate that formation and growth of the eastern CAOB occurred as the result of the continuous accretion and amalgamation of arc assemblages with addition of crustal material. Tomographic models and previous Re-Os geochronological studies indicate the existence of a deep crustal root and ancient sub-continental lithospheric mantle in most regions of the eastern CAOB. Taking into account the magmatic evolution and sedimentary sequences, we conclude that the terrane accretion should be the driving mechanism of accretionary orogenesis in the eastern CAOB.