Crustal velocity structure of central Gansu Province from regional seismic waveform inversion using firework algorithm

The firework algorithm（FWA） is a novel swarm intelligence-based method recently proposed for the optimization of multi-parameter, nonlinear functions. Numerical waveform inversion experiments using a synthetic model show that the FWA performs well in both solution quality and efficiency. We apply the FWA in this study to crustal velocity structure inversion using regional seismic waveform data of central Gansu on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Seismograms recorded from the moment magnitude（MW） 5.4 Minxian earthquake enable obtaining an average crustal velocity model for this region. We initially carried out a series of FWA robustness tests in regional waveform inversion at the same earthquake and station positions across the study region,inverting two velocity structure models, with and without a low-velocity crustal layer; the accuracy of our average inversion results and their standard deviations reveal the advantages of the FWA for the inversion of regional seismic waveforms. We applied the FWA across our study area using three component waveform data recorded by nine broadband permanent seismic stations with epicentral distances ranging between 146 and 437 km. These inversion results show that the average thickness of the crust in this region is 46.75 km, while thicknesses of the sedimentary layer, and the upper, middle, and lower crust are 3.15,15.69, 13.08, and 14.83 km, respectively. Results also show that the P-wave velocities of these layers and the upper mantle are 4.47, 6.07, 6.12, 6.87, and 8.18 km/s,respectively.

The Crustal Velocity Structure Inference of Epicenter of the M8(1/2) Earthquake at Tancheng,Shandong,China,in 1668

The deep structure features around Tancheng M8 /2 earthquake occurred in 1668 have been analyzed. Based on the crustal velocity structure obtained from travel-time tomographic inversion, especially the low velocity zones in middle crust and Moho depths, the deep velocity structure distribution in the area of 34° ~ 36°N, 118° ~ 119°E is scanned along the latitude, longitude and oblique directions, and the corresponding crustal velocity profiles are obtained. By comparison, we take the area with velocity features coincident to the deep structure of the 1668 Tancheng M8/2 earthquake as the deduced epicenter, which is at 34. 8° ~35. 2°N, 118. 2° ~ 118. 7°E, and the reasonable location is 35. isN, 118. 6°E, and the focal depth is 20km.

A metallogenic model for the supergiant gold system in Jiaodong province:Constraints from crustal velocity structure

We investigate the role of crustal architectures playing in controlling the genesis and nature of supergiant Jiaodong orogenic gold system via seismic imaging.We deployed an NWW-SEE-trending broadband seismic linear array traversing the province to construct a shear wave velocity(V_S)transect based on ambient noise tomography.Our crustal V_S transect reveals a prominent low velocity zone(LVZ)at 12–20 km depths across the whole province and high V_S anomalies at 8–12 km depths underneath the western part that hosts most of the ore tonnage.We interpret the former as a hydrothermal alteration zone related to mineralization and the latter as a crustal component containing large amounts of mafic rocks(e.g.,amphibolites).In addition,a listric fault system and a strike-slip fault system are imaged in the western and eastern parts of the province,respectively.Combining features of crustal velocities with regional geological observations that ores are tempo-spatially associated with mafic dikes,we propose a model of gold metallogenic processes.In this model,ponding and degassing of the mafic magmas led to the formation of a hydrothermal alteration LVZ in the middle crust prior to mineralization.Later,auriferous fluid was released from this intra-crustal hydrothermal alteration zone as it was heated by upwelling asthenosphere.The ore fluid ascending along the listric fault system possibly leached extra gold from the upper-crustal amphibolites.Then,the gold-rich fluid migrated up along different fault systems,leading to the disseminated-veinlet mineralization with great gold endowment in the western listric fault system and the quartz-vein type mineralization with relatively small ore tonnage in the eastern strike-slip fault system.

A two-step multi-frequency receiver function inversion method for shallow crustal S-wave velocity structure and its application across the basin-mountain range belts in Northeast China

A shallow crustal velocity structure(above 10 km depth) is essential for understanding the crustal structures and deformation and assessing the exploration prospect of natural resources, and also provides priori information for imaging deeper crustal and mantle structure. Passive-source seismic methods are cost-effective and advantageous for regional-scale imaging of shallow crustal structures compared to active-source methods. Among these passive methods, techniques utilizing receiver function waveforms and/or body-wave amplitude ratios have recently gained prominence due to their relatively high spatial resolution. However, in basin regions, reverberations caused by near-surface unconsolidated sedimentary layers often introduce strong non-uniqueness and uncertainty, limiting the applicability of such methods. To address these challenges, we propose a two-step inversion method that uses multi-frequency P-RF waveforms and P-RF horizontal-to-vertical amplitude ratios. Synthetic tests indicate that our two-step inversion method can mitigate the non-uniqueness of the inversion and enhance the stability of the results. Applying this method to teleseismic data from a linear seismic array across the sedimentary basins in Northeast China, we obtain a high-resolution image of the shallow crustal S-wave velocity structure along the array. Our results reveal significant differences between the basins and mountains. The identification of low-velocity anomalies(<2.8 km s^(-1)) at depths less than 1.0 km beneath the Erlian Basin and less than 2.5 km beneath the Songliao Basin suggests the existence of sedimentary layers. Moreover, the high-velocity anomalies(~3.4–3.8 km s^(-1)) occurring at depths greater than 7 km in the Songliao Basin may reflect mafic intrusions emplaced during the Early Cretaceous. Velocity anomaly distribution in our imaging result is consistent with the location of the major faults, uplifts, and sedimentary depressions, as well as active-source seismic results. This application further validates the effectiveness of our method in constraining the depth-dependent characteristics of the S-wave velocity in basins with unconsolidated sedimentary cover.

Lithospheric structure in NW of Africa:Case of the Moroccan Atlas Mountains

This study presents the outcomes of the local earthquake tomography applied in the Moroccan Atlas domains. A seismic data collected by 36 seismic and a linearized inversion technics are used for determination of local velocity structure.The interpretation of tomography images results emphasizes a new and detailed lithosphere structure： a remaining subducted zone beneath the Souss Basin located from 20-to 45-km depth dipping to the North is detected and interpreted as a body that marks the border between the Moroccan Anti-Atlas and the Meseta-Atlas domains.A subduction zones is detected in the SW of the High Atlas, beneath the Hercynian Tichka massif from 10 to 50-km inclined away from Anti Atlas and in the eastern part of Anti Atlas, dipping northward from Jbel Ougnat at 15e40 km.The junction of the western and middle High Atlas is depicted by two high velocity blocks subducting from 10 to 50 km depth. The first is dipping SW beneath the High Atlas and the second is dipping SE beneath the Ouarzazate Basin.In the northern part of the southwestern High Atlas, a high velocity body dipping towards the north beneath the Essaouira Basin from 15 to 45 km depth.In northeastern part of the High Atlas in the Mougeur zone, a high velocity body is detected from 10 to 45 km depth, dipping to the Se E beneath the eastern High Atlas.The negative lithospheric anomalies found in the upper and in the lower crust are interpreted as a hot asthenospheric material upwelling from deep and gradually replacing the part of crust detached in the High Atlas. The occurrence magmatic activities in these regions testify the existence of a remaining subduction process. This paper argues the implication of these deep structures in the evolution of the Moroccan Atlas Mountain.

Crustal P-wave velocity structure in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and insights into crustal deformation

The transitional area between the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Ordos Block and Alxa Block, also being the northern segment of the North-South Seismic Belt, is characterized by considerably high seismicity level and high risk of strong earthquakes. In view of the special tectonic environment and deep tectonic setting in this area, this study used two seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction cross profiles for double constraining, so as to more reliably obtain the fine-scale velocity structure characteristics in both the shallow and deep crust of individual blocks and their boundaries in the study area, and further discuss the seismogenic environment in seismic zones with strong historical earthquakes. In this paper, the P-wave data from the two profiles are processed and interpreted, and two-dimensional crustal velocity structure models along the two profiles are constructed by travel time forward modeling. The results show that there are great differences in velocity structure, shape of intra-crustal interfaces and crustal thickness among different blocks sampled by the two seismic profiles. The crustal thickness along the Lanzhou-Huianbu-Yulin seismic sounding profile （L1） increases from -43 km in the western margin of Ordos Block to -56 km in the Qilian Block to the west. In the Ordos Block, the velocity contours vary gently, and the average velocity of the crust is about 6.30 km s^-1; On the other hand, the velocity structures in the crust of the Qilian Block and the arc-like tectonic zone vary dramatically, and the average crustal velocities in these areas are about 0.10 km s^-1 lower than that of the Ordos Block. In addition, discontinuous low-velocity bodies （LVZ1 and LVZ2） are identified in the crust of the Qilian Block and the arc-like tectonic zone, the velocity of which is 0.10-0.20 krn s^-1 lower than that of the surroundings. The average crustal thickness of the Ordos Block is consistently estimated to be around 43 km along both Profile L2 （Tongchuan-Huianbu-Alashan left banner seismic sounding profile） and Profile L1. In contrast to the gently varying intra-crustal interfaces and velocity contours in the Ordos Block along Profile L 1, which is a typical structure characteristic of stable cratons, the crustal structure in the Ordos Block along Profile L2 exhibits rather complex variations. This indicates the presence of significant structural differences in the crust within the Ordos Block. The crustal structure of the Helan Mountain Qilian Block and the Yinchuan Basin is featured by ＂uplift and depression＂ undulations, showing the characteristics of localized compressional deformation. Moreover, there are low-velocity zones with altemative high and low velocities in the middle and lower crust beneath the Helan Mountain, where the velocity is about 0.15-0.25 km s^-1 lower than that of the surrounding areas. The crustal thickness of the Alxa Block is about 49 kin, and the velocity contours in the upper and middle-lower crust of the block vary significantly. The complex crustal velocity structure images along the two seismic sounding profiles L1 and L2 reveal considerable structural differences among different tectonic blocks, their coupling relationships and velocity structural features in the seismic zones where strong historical earthquakes occurred. The imaging result of this study provides fine-scale crustal structure information for further understanding the seismogenic environment and mechanism in the study area.

Crustal P-and S-Wave Velocity Structure of the North China Craton at 36°N from Active-Source Seismic Data and Its Tectonic Implications

We present crustal models for seismic P-waves(Vp),S-waves(Vs)and the Vp/Vs ratio across the southern North China Craton along latitude 36°N.Our results are based on inverse and forward modeling of long-range wide-angle reflection/refraction data.The crust of the southern Ordos Block has high lower crustal velocity(7.0 km/s)and a Moho depth of~42 km.In contrast,thick sediments and a lower average velocity(compared with the Ordos block)found underneath the Shanxi Graben are likely to be the products of rifting that has occurred since the Cenozoic.Steep Moho dips,exposed basement rock and higher average crustal velocity beneath the Lüliang Mountain and the Taihang Mountain are characteristic of an orogenic belt.The Tanlu fault and the Liaocheng-Lankao fault show sharp crustal velocity variations and a Moho offset.This seismic profile sampled the entire region of the Eastern North China Craton where the cratonic root has been destroyed and the unique crustal structure is correlated with the substantially modified lithosphere.Our crustal seismic velocity model shows a strong correspondence between surface geology,local tectonics and the deep crustal structure.

Indian plate blocked by the thickened Eurasian crust in the middle of the continental collision zone of southern Tibet

The relationship of the crustal contact between the Indian and Eurasian plates is a key issue in understanding crustal thickening and the subduction of the Indian lithosphere beneath the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Across the middle of the Yarlung-Zangbo Suture(YZS), we deployed an ~450-km-long SN-trending wide-angle reflection/refraction profile to observe the P-wave velocity(vP) structure beneath the northern Himalaya and the southern plateau. Our results show that, 1. the high vP(~7.1 km/s) indicates that the Indian lower crust extends no more than 50 km north of the YZS. 2. The lower crust beneath the southern part of the plateau features an extremely low vP(<6.7 ± 0.2 km/s). 3. Compared with the velocities of several typical crustal lithologies in different temperature regimes, the low vPin the lower crust can be explained by felsic-intermediate granulite, which has prevented the lower crust from further eclogitization. We propose that the dip angle of the Indian lithospheric slab beneath the YZS is partly controlled by the composition of the lower crust of the plateau. In the northern middle YZS, the crust of the southern plateau is too thick and blocks the northward advancement of the Indian lower crust, resulting in the subduction of the Indian lithospheric slab into the upper mantle. The lower crust in western and eastern Lhasa is dominated by a mafic composition, and it was delaminated after eclogitization before the Miocene. The void zone generated by delamination favors the flattening and underthrusting of the Indian lower crust.

Study on the velocity structure of the crust in Southwest Yunnan of the north-south seismic belt—Results from the Menghai-Gengma-Lushui deep seismic sounding profile

Southwest Yunnan, located in the southern segment of the north-south seismic belt, is one of the regions with strong tectonic movement and seismic activity in China. Study on the characteristics of tectonic setting and deep geophysical field in the region is an important issue in basic science. In 2013, we conducted a 600-km-long Menghai-Gengma-Lushui profile of deep seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction and high-resolution seismic refraction in Southwest Yunnan. In this paper, we use 6 groups of clear intracrustal P-wave phases picked from the seismic record sections of 11 shots to build a velocity structure model of basement and 2D crustal P-wave of the region by using finite difference inversion and ray travel time forward fitting technology. The results show that, from south to north, the crust gradually thickens along the profile and its basement shows a significant lateral heterogeneity. In the vicinity of the Nanting River fault, the basement structure shows the character of alternate depressions and uplifts, and the shallowest basement is about 1.0 kin. In the vicinity of Tengchong and Lancang, the basement is about 5.0 km deep. The velocity of the middle and lower crust in the region generally increases with the increasing of depth. At the block boundary and beneath the fault tectonic belt, the velocity contours show apparent irregularity and the P-wave velocity changes sharply. In this region, the Moho gradually deepens from south to north with relatively large lateral undulations. The shallowest point of the Moho is located near Menghai at a depth of about 32.0 km. The deepest point of the Moho is located near Tengchong at a depth of about 40.5 km. Between Gengma and Yongde, the Moho shows significantly fast uplifting and depressing with an amplitude of about 4.0 km. Beneath the Nanting River fault, Longling-Ruili fault, Dayingjiang fault and Tengchong volcano, the basement velocity structure, 2D crustal P-wave velocity structure, distribution of average profile velocity and intracrustal interface spreading also show significant changes from the basement to the top of the Moho, indicating that the crustal velocity and medium physical properties beneath the fault tectonic belt are apparently different from the crustal materials on its both sides, which suggests that these faults should be in a certain scale and may extend to the lower crust or the top of the upper mantle. The earthquakes in the region mainly occurred at a depth of 10-20 km, and the seismic activity is related to the intracrustal medium velocity difference and fault belt distribution. The results can serve as the important data of the crust-mantle structure for the analysis of the deep tectonic setting, earthquake precise positioning, seismogenic structure modeling of the seismic activities in Southwest Yunnan, as well as the important reference for the evaluation of seismic hazard and the planning of earthquake disaster mitigation of this region.

Quasi-waveform seismic tomography of crustal structures in the capital circle region of China

Seismic tomography is one of the main tools to explore the interior of the earth.In this study,the quasi-waveform seismic tomographic method is used for the first time to reveal the crustal structures in the capital region of China.3-D highresolution V_P,V_S and the Poisson’s ratio models are generated by inverting 29839 direct P-and 29972 direct S-wave traveltimes selected from 3231 local earthquakes.The results reveal strong crustal heterogeneities.The velocity anomalies at shallow depths are well consistent with surface geologic structures.The relatively low-velocity anomaly layer in the middle crust may be the result of multiple phases of tectonic activity.Earthquakes generally occurred on the boundaries of high-and low-velocity and Poisson’s ratio anomalies.There are obvious low-velocity anomalies below the hypocenters of the Tangshan earthquake and the historical Sanhe-Pinggu earthquake,implying the existence of fluids.The similar velocity structures around the hypocenters of the two earthquakes indicate that the occurrences of the two earthquakes may be related to the same mechanism.The highresolution velocity models provide important observational constraints on the small-scale heterogeneities and dynamic mechanism of the crust in the capital region of China.

Shear-wave velocity structures of the shallow crust beneath the Ordos and Sichuan Basins from multi-frequency direct P-wave amplitudes in receiver functions

As the two largest cratonic basins in China,the Ordos Basin and the Sichuan Basin are of key importance for understanding the evolutionary history of the Chinese continent.In this study,the shear-wave velocity(V_(S))structures of the shallow crust(depth up to 10 km)beneath the two basins are imaged based on the frequency-dependence of direct P-wave amplitudes in receiver functions.The teleseismic data used in the study came from 160 broadband seismic stations,including permanent and temporary stations.The results show that the V_(S) and the thickness of the sediments in the Ordos Basin and the Sichuan Basin are respectively lower and thicker in the west than in the east.In the Ordos Basin,the shallow crustal V_(S) increases gradually from 2.10 km s^(−1)in the northwest to 2.65 km s^(−1)in the southeast and the thickest sediments are 7–8 km in the northwest and 5 km in the east.In the Sichuan Basin,the shallow crustal V_(S) increases from 2.4 km s^(−1) in the west to 2.7 km s^(−1)in the east and the thickness of the sediments decreases from>7 km in the west to 6 km in the east.The east-west difference of the shallow crustal structures of the two basins may have been controlled by the Cenozoic India-Eurasia collision.The western parts of the basins near the collision have a higher deposition rate,while in the parts inside the basins far from the collision,the V_(S) slowly increases with depth,indicating that these areas have experienced a more uniform deposition process.In addition,both basins are characterized by velocity structures that are higher along the edges and lower inside of the basins.The edges of the basins suffered strong denudation due to the uplifting and deformation influenced by tectonic evolution.The downward gradient of the shear-wave velocity beneath the Ordos Basin is twice that of the Sichuan Basin,which may be caused by the different deposition and denudation rates of the two basins resulting from differences in structural evolution and thermal events.In addition,the northern Ordos Basin exhibits a strong structural horizontal stratification,while the southern part shows obvious lateral variations in the V_(S) structure,both of which may have been affected by the Qilian orogenic event,the collision and assembly of the South China and the North China block,and the lateral extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau.

Numerical tests for effects of various parameters in niching genetic algorithm applied to regional waveform inversion

In this paper,we focus on the influences of various parameters in the niching genetic algorithm inversion procedure on the results,such as various objective functions,the number of the models in each subpopulation,and the critical separation radius.The frequency-waveform integration（F-K） method is applied to synthesize three-component waveform data with noise in various epicentral distances and azimuths.Our results show that if we use a zero-th-lag cross-correlation function,then we will obtain the model with a faster convergence and a higher precision than other objective functions.The number of models in each subpopulation has a great influence on the rate of convergence and computation time,suggesting that it should be obtained through tests in practical problems.The critical separation radius should be determined carefully because it directly affects the multiextreme values in the inversion.We also compare the inverted results from full-band waveform data and surfacewave frequency-band（0.02-0.1 Hz） data,and find that the latter is relatively poorer but still has a higher precision,suggesting that surface-wave frequency-band data can also be used to invert for the crustal structure.

The deep background of large-scale,Mesozoic Cu-Au-W metallogenesis in northeastern South China:Constraints from Yingshan-Changshan wide-angle seismic reflection/refraction data

To investigate the geodynamic processes of Mesozoic large-scale mineralization in South China,we deployed a 350-km-long,wide-angle seismic reflection/refraction sounding profile between Yingshan in Hubei and Changshan in Zhejiang.This profile traverses the Cu-Au metallogenic belt in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River(YMB),the Jiangnan W-polymetal metallogenic belt(JNMB),and the Qinhang Cu-polymetal metallogenic belt(QHMB).Our imaging results reveal various interesting velocity features along the profile.(1)The velocity structure is characterized by vertical layering and horizontal blocking;(2)the YMB is marked by high velocity and high V_(p)/V_(s) ratios in general with a significantly uplifted Moho interface and a thin crust of~31 km,and the lower crust contains high-velocity anomalies and has the characteristics of a crustmantle transition zone;(3)the JNMB is bounded by the Jiangnan fault and Jingdezhen-Huangshan fault and has low-velocity anomalies and low V_(p)/V_(s) ratios;and(4)the QHMB is characterized by high-velocity anomalies and high V_(p)/V_(s) ratios.The highvelocity anomalies in the YMB and QHMB represent relatively Cu-Au-rich mafic juvenile lower crust.The formation of this kind of crust is considered to be related to mantle-derived magma underplating or residues of Neoproterozoic oceanic crustal materials,and it also provided sources for large-scale Cu-Au mineralization in the Mesozoic.The JNMB has features similar to those of ancient crusts enriched in W-Sn,the partial melting of which played a leading role in the formation of the superlarge W deposits in this belt.Considering these results and other regional geological data,we propose that a large-scale oblique upwelling of the asthenosphere along the collisional belt of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks during the Mesozoic was the deep driving mechanism for the explosive mineralization of Cu,Au,and W in northeastern South China.The boundaries of the blocks or terrains and discontinuities of the lithosphere were the main channels for deep heat and magmas and therefore controlled the spatial distribution of the metallogenic belt.