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    Global mantle flow and the development of seismic anisotropy : differences between the oceanic and continental upper mantle

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    Article (1.671Mb)
    Figure S1: Comparison of the infinite strain axis and the grain orientation lag for two different model resolutions throughout the lithosphere and asthenosphere. (1.133Mb)
    Figure S2: Difference in azimuth of the ISA direction and the base 10 log of the ratio of the PI values for comparisons between the 200 km depth model results at different resolutions. (780.1Kb)
    Additional file information (4.561Kb)
    Date
    2007-07-26
    Author
    Conrad, Clinton P.  Concept link
    Behn, Mark D.  Concept link
    Silver, Paul G.  Concept link
    Metadata
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    Citable URI
    https://hdl.handle.net/1912/3523
    As published
    https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JB004608
    DOI
    10.1029/2006JB004608
    Keyword
     Asthenospheric flow; Lithospheric fabric; Seismic anisotropy 
    Abstract
    Viscous shear in the asthenosphere accommodates relative motion between Earth's surface plates and underlying mantle, generating lattice-preferred orientation (LPO) in olivine aggregates and a seismically anisotropic fabric. Because this fabric develops with the evolving mantle flow field, observations of seismic anisotropy can constrain asthenospheric flow patterns if the contribution of fossil lithospheric anisotropy is small. We use global viscous mantle flow models to characterize the relationship between asthenospheric deformation and LPO and compare the predicted pattern of anisotropy to a global compilation of observed shear wave splitting measurements. For asthenosphere >500 km from plate boundaries, simple shear rotates the LPO toward the infinite strain axis (ISA, the LPO after infinite deformation) faster than the ISA changes along flow lines. Thus we expect the ISA to approximate LPO throughout most of the asthenosphere, greatly simplifying LPO predictions because strain integration along flow lines is unnecessary. Approximating LPO with the ISA and assuming A-type fabric (olivine a axis parallel to ISA), we find that mantle flow driven by both plate motions and mantle density heterogeneity successfully predicts oceanic anisotropy (average misfit 13°). Continental anisotropy is less well fit (average misfit 41°), but lateral variations in lithospheric thickness improve the fit in some continental areas. This suggests that asthenospheric anisotropy contributes to shear wave splitting for both continents and oceans but is overlain by a stronger layer of lithospheric anisotropy for continents. The contribution of the oceanic lithosphere is likely smaller because it is thinner, younger, and less deformed than its continental counterpart.
    Description
    Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 112 (2007): B07317, doi:10.1029/2006JB004608.
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    • Geology and Geophysics (G&G)
    Suggested Citation
    Journal of Geophysical Research 112 (2007): B07317
     

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