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Journal: |
Science in China: Earth Science 2010 No.9
clicks:1017 |
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Title:
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Author:
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WEI Wei1, SUN RuoMei2 & SHI YaoLin1 |
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Adress: |
Laboratory of Computational Geodynamics, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China |
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Abstract:
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We used 71670 P-wave arrival times from 3594 earthquakes recorded by the Sichuan and Yunnan seismic networks to determine the three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure in the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Our results show that prominent low P-wave velocity (low-Vp) anomalies exist in the midto lower crust of the Song- pan-Ganze and Sichuan-Yunnan blocks. In contrast, a high P-wave velocity (high-Vp) anomaly is resolved in the middle and lower crust beneath the Sichuan Basin. Our tomographic results provide seismic evidence for a dynamic model of lower crustal flow. Ongoing lower crustal flow beneath the central and eastern Tibetan Plateau abuts against the mechanically strong Si- chuan Basin resulting in accumulated strain in the Longmen Shan region. When a critical accumulation of strain energy was reached, its sudden release led to the occurrence of 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Pronounced low-Vp anomalies are observed in the uppermost mantle in the region south of ~26°N. Combining these results with shear-wave splitting investigations, we suggest that the flow of asthenospheric material has impacted the velocity structure of the uppermost mantle and caused the thinning of the southwestern Yangtze Craton. |
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