Shear wave polarization anisotropy in the upper mantle beneath Honshu, Japan
Shear wave polarization anisotropy in the wedge portion of the upper mantle between a subducting plate and the earth's surface is investigated using three-component seismograms of intermediate depth and deep earthquakes recorded at 14 local stations in Honshu, Japan. Eighty nine high-quality seismograms were selected from a period of 3 years. The data used in this study are restricted such that incidence angles are smaller than the critical angle of 30/sup 0/ to the earth's surface in order to avoid phase shifts in the shear wave train. To find directions of the maximum and minimum velocities in split shear waves, where shear waves are resolved into two phases with the maximum time separation, each set of the two horizontal component seismograms is rotated in the horizontal plane. The split shear waves thus obtained are again recombined after the correction of anisotropy, and the anisotropy-corrected particle motion is compared with the focal mechanism for a cross-check of the observed anisotropy. Directions of the maximum axes are plotted on azimuth-incidence angle stereograms at each station. The stereograms and the cross sections of seismic ray paths show that (1) the anisotropic material is distributed at intermediate locations between earthquake sources and receiving stations, and (2) the anisotropic region is separated into two parts: one in the north of the present study area with the polarization of the maximum velocity shear wave trending 0/sup 0/ to 30/sup 0/ from the north (north anisotropy) and the other in the south with it trending 90/sup 0/ to 120/sup 0/ (south anisotropy). The maximum time delays between the two shear waves along a vertical seismic ray is about 1 s for both the anisotropic regions. The horizontal extent of the anisotropic area in the north is 50 km at depths of 50 to 150 km. perhaps prevalent in west Honshu.
- Research Organization:
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Enviromental Sciences University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309
- OSTI ID:
- 5669225
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 88:B7
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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