Tomographic structure of East Asia:I.No fast(slab) anomalies beneath 660 km discontinuity

This is the first of two papers that describes a regional tomography investigation, which combines P-wave arrival times of both regional and teleseismic earthquakes to obtain 3D mantle structures of East Asia up to 1 000 km depth. The most important findings of this tomography study are reported in this paper as follows. （1） No fast P-wave velocity anomalies can be related to subducted oceanic slabs beneath the 660 km discontinuity; instead the subducted oceanic slabs become flattened and stagnant within the transition zone. （2） The high velocity anomalies in the transition zone extend up to 1 500 km to the westward of the active trenches, which is a unique feature in the worldwide subduetion systems. （3） Slow P-wave velocity anomalies are visible up to -250 km underneath most of the East Asia on the east of 115°E, similar to the area of the stagnant slabs. These observations have important implications for the geodynamic process at depths beneath the East Asia, which might in turn control the widespread Cenozoic volcanism and associated extensional tectonics seen at the Earth＇s surface.

Tomographic structure of East Asia:Ⅱ.Stagnant slab above 660 km discontinuity and its geodynamic implications

P-wave arrival times of both regional and teleseismic earthquakes were inverted to obtain mantle structures of East Asia. No fast （slab） velocity anomalies was not find beneath the 660-kin discontinuity through tomography besides a stagnant slab within the transition zone. Slow P-wave velocity anomalies are present at depths of 100-250 km below the active volcanic arc and East Asia. The western end of the flat stagnant slab is about 1 500 km west to active trench and may also be correlated with prominent surface topographic break in eastern China. We suggested that active mantle convection might be operating within this horizontally expanded ＂mantle wedge＂ above both the active subducting slabs and the stag- nant flat slabs beneath much of the North China plain. Both the widespread Cenozoic volcanism and associated extensional basins in East Asia could be the manifestation of this vigorous upper mantle convection. Cold or thermal alaomalies associated with the stagnant slabs above the 660-km discontinuity have not only caused a broad depression of the boundary due to its negative Clapeyron slope but also effectively shielded the asthenosphere and continental lithosphere above from any possible influence of mantle plumes in the lower mantle.

Seismic anisotropy beneath the Chinese mainland

We investigated the upper mantle anisotropy beneath China by applying teleseismic shear wave splitting measurements at 119 seismic stations from CDSN and GSN//RIS networks in China. The splitting observations are characterized by apparent diversity of anisotropy pattern in adjacent tectonic domains, including the Tianshan orogenic belt, Tibetan plateau, the Yangtze craton, the North China craton and northeastern region. In western China （Tianshan orogenic belt and Tibetan plateau）, fast polarization directions of split SKS waves coincide strikingly well with the dominating trend of deformational crustal features and delay times range from 0.5 s to 1.6 s. While in eastern China, seismic anisotropy deduced from shear wave splitting reveals a homogeneous NW-SE trending structure, almost perpendicular to the strike of large-scale surface structures. The observed delay times of 1.5 s to more than 2 s favor consistent mantle flow over large mantle thicknesses Based upon the straightforward relationships between seismic anisotropy and the development of lattice preferred orientation of mineral in upper mantle rocks, we interpret the splitting results in terms of tectonic fabric within the upper mantle. Since the lithosphere is less than 100 km thick beneath eastern China and the observed fast directions are subparallel to the trend of the absolute plate motion （APM） of Eurasian plate, we propose that the asthenosphere may mainly contribute to the anisotropic effects beneath eastern China. However, the upper mantle anisotropy beneath western China may have developed more recently in the subcrustal lithosphere because of rather small delay times and thick lithosphere. We also use the opportunity of the dense geodetic measurements available in China to discuss the coupling between the crust and mantle. In the Eura- sia-fixed reference frame, GPS and shear wave splitting both depict a similar trend beneath eastern China, suggesting a lithospheric block ＂escaping＂ toward the east that could orient olivine [001 ] axis in the upper mantle. There is a strong cou- pling between the crust and the mantle in eastern China. A different behavior is observed in western China. The GPS vectors trend NS-NE in Tibet and NW in Tianshan, close to the regional compression direction, whereas the fast directions trend EW in Tibet and NE in Tianshan, suggesting a tectonic regime close to a mode of axial shortening, generating the development of EW-trending foliation in Tibet and NE-trending foliation in Tianshan at depth. The crust and mantle deform independently in western China.

Doppler effect of the rupture process of the great M_W7.9 Wenchuan earthquake

In this study we performed a classical spectrum analysis of seismic waveforms recorded at far field stations of the great MW7.9 Wenchuan earthquake to observe the shifts of the corner frequency with azimuth due to the Doppler effect.Our results show that this damaging great earthquake had a dominating rupture propagation direction of 64.0°.The equivalent radius of the fault rupture surface was estimated to be 33 km,yielding the rupture area of about 3 500 km2.Thus the length of the rupture fault surface is about 230 km if the depth（or width） extent is 15 km.The computer program developed in this study can quickly provide the information about the source of a future large（damaging） earthquake,which could be very useful for predicting aftershocks and planning the rescue operations.

Inversion of ocean-bottom seismometer(OBS) waveforms for oceanic crust structure: a synthetic study

The waveform inversion method is applied-- using synthetic ocean-bottom seismometer （OBS） data--to study oceanic crust structure. A niching genetic algorithm （NGA） is used to implement the inversion for the thickness and P-wave velocity of each layer, and to update the model by minimizing the objective function, which consists of the misfit and cross-correlation of observed and synthetic waveforms. The influence of specific NGA method parameters is discussed, and suitable values are presented. The NGA method works well for various observation systems, such as those with irregular and sparse distribu- tion of receivers as well as single receiver systems. A strategy is proposed to accelerate the convergence rate by a factor of five with no increase in computational complex- ity; this is achieved using a first inversion with several generations to impose a restriction on the preset range of each parameter and then conducting a second inversion with the new range. Despite the successes of this method, its usage is limited. A shallow water layer is not favored because the direct wave in water will suppress the useful reflection signals from the crust. A more precise calculation of the air-gun source signal should be considered in order to better simulate waveforms generated in realistic situa- tions; further studies are required to investigate this issue.

Mantle anisotropy across the southwestern boundary of the Ordos block,North China

Located at the northeastern margin of the Tibetan plateau,the Ordos block is a stable tectonic unit in North China.With its active boundary fault zones,the Ordos block played an important role in the eastward extrusion mechanism of the Tibetan plateau.Peking University deployed a linear array of 15 portable broadband seismometers across the western Weihe graben during September 2005 to August 2006 and later a 2-D seismic array（Southwest Ordos Array） of 14 portable broadband seismometers during 2007-2008 at its southwestern boundary.Analyses of shear wave splitting of SKS and SKKS phases at these stations show that the fast directions trend ～110° with an average delay time of 0.9 s in the southwestern margin of the Ordos block.The agreement between the lithosphere deformation indicated by GPS data and Quaternary fault slip-rate observations and the mantle flow represented by shear wave splitting implies that accordant deformation patterns from lithosphere to asthenosphere in relation to the eastward extrusion of the Tibetan plateau could extend at least to 200 km depth.Spatial distribution of splitting polarization directions indicates that the mantle flow driven by the Tibetan plateau is blocked by the Ordos block and locally restricted in a narrow channel along the Qinling-Dabie fault zones between the Ordos block and Sichuan basin.

The updated crustal attenuation in North China using M_L amplitude tomography

We have updated the lateral variations of the quality factor Q0（Q at 1 Hz） beneath the crust of North China using ML amplitude tomography with near three times data.The data were selected from the Annual Bulletin of Chinese Earthquakes（ABCE） in 1985-2009,including 26 283 ML amplitude readings from 4 204 events recorded by 38 stations.The result is similar with previous research but has higher resolution.Estimated Q0 values are consistent with tectonic and topographic structure in North China.Q0 is low in the active tectonic regions having many faults,such as Bohai bay,North China basin,the Shanxi and Yinchuan grabens,while it is high in the stable Ordos craton.Q0 values are low in several topographically low-lying areas,such as the North China,Taikang-Hefei,and Subei-Huanghai Sea basins,whereas it is high in mountainous and uplift regions exhibiting surface expressions of crystalline basement rocks：the Yinshan,Yanshan,Taihang,Qinling and Dabie mountains,Luxi and Jiaoliao uplifts.Quality factor estimates are also consistent with Pn and Sn velocity patterns.High velocity values in general correspond with high Q0 and vice versa.This coincides with a common temperature influence in the crust and uppermost mantle.

A new stacking technique in ambient noise tomography

We have developed a new stacking technique in ambient noise tomography to obtain high-quality dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves. This technique is used to stack the vertical components of the Estimated Green Functions （EGFs） obtained respectively from cross correlation of the ambient noise data recorded by a remote seismic station and one of the short distance seismic stations of a seismic array. It is based on a phase-matched filter and is implemented by a four-step iterative process： signal compression, stacking, signal extraction and signal decompression. The iterative process ends and gives the dispersion curve of Rayleigh wave when the predicted one and the processing result converge. We have tested the method using the vertical components of synthetic Rayleigh wave records. Results show that this new stacking method is stable and it can improve the quality of dispersion curves. In addition, we have applied this method to real data. We see that the results given by our new technique are obviously better than the ones employing the traditional method which is a three-step process： signal compression, signal extraction and signal decompression. In conclusion, the new method proposed in this paper can improve the signal to noise ratio of EGFs, and can therefore potentially improve the resolution of ambient noise tomography.

基于体波有限频层析成像的青藏高原南部和中部下方印度大陆岩石层俯冲和撕裂的三维图像

使用TIBET-31N无源地震台阵以及以前临时地震台阵记录到的远震体波数据进行了有限频层析成像反演,对青藏高原南部及中部的三维速度结构成像。在喜马拉雅和拉萨地块下方存在向北倾角40°的高速体。我们把这些高速异常区域解释为俯冲的印度大陆岩石层(ICL)。印度大陆岩石层似乎在青藏高原中部比东部向北延伸更多——沿85°E在31°N到达350km深处,而沿91°E则是在30°N到达350km深度。P波和S波低速异常区在当惹雍错裂谷、亚东—谷露裂谷和错那裂谷下方从下地壳延伸至≥180km深度,这表明青藏高原南部的裂谷可能包含了整个岩石层的变形。当惹雍错裂谷下方的异常区向下延伸到约180km,而亚东—谷露裂谷西部和错那裂谷东部的异常延伸到了超过300km的深度。亚东—谷露裂谷西部的低速区上地幔延伸至最北,并且似乎与青藏高原中部下方广阔的上地幔低速区相连。于是,北向俯冲的印度板块沿着南北走向的裂缝撕裂。这些裂缝允许或者导致的软流层上涌同青藏高原北部上地幔相类似。

Preface to the special issue on seismotectonics of Asia: Progress in seismotectonic studies at Peking University

Seismotectonics is one of the new research areas of seismology with its main focus on studying the detailed seismic structure of lithosphere and upper mantle using seismic records, particularly the records collected at portable seismic arrays. Development of new seismic methods utilizing seismic arrays such as receiver functions, SKS-splitting analysis, body- and surface-wave tomography, and recently ambient noise tomography （Langston, 1977; Dueker and Sheehan, 1997;

Synthetic sensitivity analysis of high frequency radiation of 2011Tohoku-Oki(MW9.0) earthquake

Frequency-dependent rupture behavior of sub- duction zone interplate megathrust faults has been observed by back-projection method in different frequency bands （from 0.05 to 5 Hz）. It has been suggested that the down-dip region of the Tohoku megathrust radiated strongly at high frequencies （〉10 Hz） compared with that of the up-dip region. By assuming the same source tirne function of each fault patch, we perform a synthetic sensitivity analysis to compare the energy received from the shallower parts （and further way from the receiver sites） with that frona the deeper parts （and closer to the receiver sites） of the rupture. Our results indicate that regional onshore recordings are probably not adequate to constrain the presence of far-off shore high frequency radiations because of the strong attenuation of this region.

Distribution of the low velocity bulk in the middle-to-lower crust of southern Tibet: implications for formation of the north–south trending rift zones

We conducted the ambient noise tomography to image the shallow crustal structure of southern Tibet. The2D maps of phase velocity anomalies at the periods of10–16 s show that the low velocities are mainly confined along or near some of the rift zones. While the maps at the periods of 18–25 s show that the coherent patterns that the low velocities expand outside of the rift zones. It means that the low velocities are prevailing in the middle crust of southern Tibet. According to the previous study of surface wave tomography with teleseismic data,we find that the low velocities from the lower crust to the lithospheric mantle are also restricted to the same rift zones. Thus,the integrated knowledge of the distribution of the low velocities in southern Tibet provides some new insight on the formation of the north–south trending rift zones. Compiling the multidiscipline evidences,we conclude that the rifting was an integrated process of the entire lithosphere in the early stage（＊26–10 Ma）,but mainly occurred within the upper crust due to the weakening a decoupling in the low velocity middle crust in the late stage（later than ＊8 Ma）.

Long-term seismic network in South China Sea by floating MERMAIDs

Seismic data coverage in ocean regions is sparse,and it is highly challenging to build long-term continuous seismic networks in the oceans due to the restrictions related to the shortage of instruments and great costs.The lack of data coverage limits effective seismic imaging of deep mantle structures beneath the oceans,which cover 70%of the Earth’s surface.The newly developed Mobile Earthquake Recorder in Marine Areas by Independent Drivers(MERMAID)can drift with ocean currents at a specified depth while recording seismic signals.The Southern University of Science and Technology(SUSTech)launched 10 MERMAIDs in the South China Sea(SCS)in May 2021 that formed the South China Sea Floating Seismic Network(SCS-FSN).We analyzed the one-year-long records of the SCS-FSN,identifying 372 cataloged earthquakes and acquiring 1,015 high-quality travel time data.By analyzing the records of earthquakes with magnitudes above 7.0 and conducting synthetic waveform calculation,we found that,in addition to the epicentral distance and earthquake magnitude,the earthquake identification ability of the network is also affected by the focal mechanism,sea condition,seafloor relief,and MERMAID working state.Although the recognition rate of the SCS-FSN is only 16%for earthquakes with magnitudes above 5.5 and epicentral distances less than 90°,this network is expected to collect more than 5,000 high-quality travel time data during its five-year battery life.These new data will significantly improve the seismic data coverage,compensating for the lack of long-term continuous seismic network observations in the SCS.Most importantly,with this experiment,we are confident that setting up well-designed floating seismic networks in the world’s three oceans could solve the world-class problem of the lack of effective seismic data coverage beneath ocean regions.