Imaging Mantle Discontinuities Beneath North America Using ScS Reverberations

Abstract:

Seismic discontinuities are rapid changes in velocity and density over depth that arise from mechanisms such as changes in mineralogy, major element composition, melt content, volatile abundance, anisotropy, or a combination of the above. Seismic imaging of discontinuities complements information provided by seismic tomography and is important for understanding the dynamics and the structure of the mantle. For example, imaging variations in the depth and sharpness of discontinuities can trace underlying variations in temperature and composition in the mantle.

We use ScSScS precursors and ScS postcursors (ScS reverberations) to map the depth and sharpness of upper- and mid- mantle discontinuities beneath North America. To observe the reverberations, we collected broadband data recordings of earthquakes with depth > 300 km, source moment magnitude ≥ 5.5, and location < 60 degrees of EarthScope USArray stations. Two primary source regions met our qualifications: earthquakes from the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath South America, and earthquakes from the subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the Sea of Okhotsk. Our dataset consists of ~15 deep focus earthquakes that have well defined ScS and ScSScS arrivals.

We use array processing to generate vespagrams for detecting the ScS reverberations. Seismic energy falling at the appropriate slowness and travel time for reflections from upper- and mid- mantle discontinuities is migrated to depth. We use the resulting ScS reverberation derived reflectivity profiles to obtain estimates for discontinuity depth and impedance contrast in the regions falling between the source and array. We can use this information to image parts of the mantle under North America. Preliminary results indicate presence of multiple discontinuities in the upper mantle, including the 410 km discontinuity, a complex 660 km discontinuity, and intermittent mid-mantle discontinuities at 800-900 km depth.