The influence of shear-velocity heterogeneity on ScS2/ScS amplitude ratios and estimates of Q in the mantle
Abstract
Regional waveforms of deep-focus Tonga-Fiji earthquakes indicate anomalous traveltime differences (ScS2-ScS) and amplitude ratios (ScS2/ScS) of the phases ScS and ScS2. The correlation between the ScS2-ScS delay time and the ScS2/ScS amplitude ratio suggests that shear-wave apparent Q in the mantle below the Tonga-Fiji region is highest when shear-wave velocities are lowest. This observation is unexpected if temperature variations were responsible for the seismic anomalies. Using spectral-element-method waveform simulations for four tomographic models we demonstrate that focusing and scattering of shear waves by long-wavelength 3D heterogeneity in the mantle may overwhelm the signal from intrinsic attenuation in long-period ScS2/ScS amplitude ratios. The tomographic models reproduce the variability in recorded ScS2-ScS difference times and ScS2/ScS amplitude ratios. Variations in shear-wave attenuation (i.e., the quality factor Q) are not necessary to explain the data. An explanation for slow shear wave propagation without intrinsic attenuation does not require a creative solution from mineral physics.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFM.S21C..06R
- Keywords:
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- 3260 Inverse theory;
- MATHEMATICAL GEOPHYSICSDE: 3275 Uncertainty quantification;
- MATHEMATICAL GEOPHYSICSDE: 7270 Tomography;
- SEISMOLOGYDE: 7290 Computational seismology;
- SEISMOLOGY