Seismic velocity structure of the crust and shallow mantle of the Central and Eastern United States by seismic surface wave imaging

Geophysical Research Letters
By:  and 

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Abstract

Seismic surface waves from the Transportable Array of EarthScope's USArray are used to estimate phase velocity structure of 18 to 125 s Rayleigh waves, then inverted to obtain three-dimensional crust and upper mantle structure of the Central and Eastern United States (CEUS) down to ∼200 km. The obtained lithosphere structure confirms previously imaged CEUS features, e.g., the low seismic-velocity signature of the Cambrian Reelfoot Rift and the very low velocity at >150 km depth below an Eocene volcanic center in northwestern Virginia. New features include high-velocity mantle stretching from the Archean Superior Craton well into the Proterozoic terranes and deep low-velocity zones in central Texas (associated with the late Cretaceous Travis and Uvalde volcanic fields) and beneath the South Georgia Rift (which contains Jurassic basalts). Hot spot tracks may be associated with several imaged low-velocity zones, particularly those close to the former rifted Laurentia margin.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Seismic velocity structure of the crust and shallow mantle of the Central and Eastern United States by seismic surface wave imaging
Series title Geophysical Research Letters
DOI 10.1002/2015GL066637
Volume 43
Issue 1
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher American Geophysical Union
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Science Center
Description 9 p.
First page 118
Last page 126
Country United States
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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