Seismic detection of the X-discontinuity beneath the Ryukyu subduction zone from the SdP conversion phase

The X-discontinuity,which appears at the depth of approximately 300 km,is an important seismic interface with positive velocity contrasts in the upper mantle.Detecting its presence and topography can be useful to understand phase transformations of relevant mantle minerals under the high-temperature and high-pressure circumstance of the Earth's interior.In this study,we detect the X-discontinuity beneath the Ryukyu subduction zone using five intermediate-depth events recorded by the dense Alaska Regional Network(AK).The X-discontinuity is successfully revealed from the robust slant stacking of the secondary down-going and converting Sd P phases.From the depth distribution of conversion points,we find that the X-discontinuity's depth ranges between 269 km and 313 km,with an average depth of 295 km.All the conversion points are located beneath the down-dipping side of the Philippine Sea slab.From energy comparisons in vespagrams for observed and synthetic seismograms,the strong converted energy is more likely from a thin high-velocity layer,and the S-wave velocity jumps across the X-discontinuity are up to 5% to 8% with an average of 6.0%.According to previous petrological and seismological studies,the X-discontinuity we detected can be interpreted as the phase transformation of coesite to stishovite in eclogitic materials within the oceanic crust.

An examination of the presence and topography of the D'' discontinuity under the Russia–Kazakhstan border region using seismic waveform data from a deep earthquake in Spain

The D＇＇ layer,which is located atop the core–mantle boundary,has long been an area of focus for global seismology studies. A widely used approach to study the discontinuities in the D＇＇ layer involves the use of the SdS phases between the S and ScS phases,which requires that certain stringent conditions be satisfied with respect to an epicentral distance and earthquake depth. Therefore,this approach is only practical for investigating the presence and topography of velocity interfaces in certain local regions around the world. The Russia–Kazakhstan border region has been a ‘‘blind spot＇＇ with respect to this detection method. The seismic network deployed in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau has recorded relatively clear SdS phases for the MS6.3 earthquake that occurred in Spain on April 11,2010,allowing this blind spot to be studied. This paper compares the observed waveforms and synthetics and uses the travel times of the relevant phases to obtain a D＇＇ discontinuity depth between2,610 and 2,740 km in the examined area. This study provides the first results regarding the depth of the D＇＇ layer discontinuity for this region and represents an important addition to the global studies of the D＇＇ layer.

Topographies of seismic velocity discontinuities and penetrations of subducting slabs beneath the Sea of Okhotsk

The existence of discontinuities, the topographies of the 410 km and 660 km discontinuities, and the penetrations of subducting slabs near the 660 km discontinuities beneath the Sea of Okhotsk were studied using Nth root slant stack and digital records from networks in Germany and the western United States. Results show the obvious evidence for reflected and refractive phases associated with the 410 km and 660 km discontinuities. There may be discontinuities at other depths such as 150 km, 220 km and 520 km. The 410 km discontinuity is elevated and the 660 km discontinuity is depressed respectively, consistent with the expected thermal signature of the phase transitions. The subducting slab has penetrated into the lower mantle in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, while it is stagnant on the 660 km discontinuity in the southern part.