Crustal and upper mantle structure in the intracratonic Paraná Basin, SE Brazil, from surface wave dispersion using genetic algorithms

Abstract A large number of observations of phase velocity of Love and Rayleigh waves have been used in order to determine the crust-mantle structure of the Mediterranean Sea. These velocities have been measured by using records from the Standard Stations located in the Mediterranean borders. The empirical dispersion curves have been compared with those of several models computed for this purpose. Travel-time curves of body waves for paths crossing the Mediterranean region, making use of all possible coastal stations and local earthquakes, have been found to substantiate the results from the surface wave dispersion. Also the value of the Bouguer anomaly in different points of the region was considered in the determination of the crustal thickness, as well as some measurements of group velocity from clear observations of higher modes. The crust-mantle structure under the Mediterranean Sea was found to be formed by two clearly distinct zones which correspond roughly to the areas to the west and east of Italy. The western zone, between Italy and Spain, is of oceanic type with a thin crust (about 14 km) and a low-velocity channel in the Upper Mantle. In the eastern zone, south of Greece, the crust (some 23 km thick) shows a great thickness of the uppermost sedimentary layers, which gives rise to very low velocities of short-period surface waves in that region. Love waves with group velocities smaller than those of Rayleigh have been clearly observed in a large number of earthquakes in this region. The surface wave dispersion as well as the travel-time curves of P and S waves of this zone indicate the existence of a low-velocity channel in the Upper Mantle.

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Effects of thin soft layers on body waves

Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America ◽

10.1785/bssa0590052071 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 59 (5) ◽

pp. 2071-2078

Author(s):

Tom Landers ◽

Jon F. Claerbout

Keyword(s):

Surface Wave ◽

Upper Mantle ◽

Body Wave ◽

Wave Dispersion ◽

Soft Material ◽

Body Waves ◽

Surface Wave Dispersion ◽

Wave Data ◽

Use Of Time ◽

Surface Wave Data

abstract The inability of simple layered models to fit both Rayleigh wave and Love wave data has led to the proposal of an upper mantle interleaved with thin soft horizontal layers. Since surface-wave dispersion is not sensitive to the distribution of soft material but only to the fraction of soft material a variety of models is possible. The solution to this indeterminancy is found through body-wave analysis. It is shown that body waves are dispersed according to the thinness and softness of the layers. Three models, each of which satisfy all surface-wave data, are examined. Transmission seismograms calculated for these models show one to be impossible, one improbable and the other possible. Synthesis of the seismograms is accomplished through the use of time domain theory as the complicated frequency response of the models makes a frequency oriented Haskell-Thompson approach impractical.

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