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Title: Seismic anisotropy above a subducting plate

Abstract

Shear-wave splitting observed in northeastern Colombia has provided evidence of seismic anisotropy in a shear zone immediately above a subducting plate. In an upper mantle composed mainly of olivine (57%) and orthopyroxene (17%), the splitting can be interpreted by wave propagation in an anisotropic medium of orthorhombic symmetry that results from alignment of these intrinsically anisotropic minerals. The mechanism of alignment is most likely the shearing associated with the subduction, aided by fluids migrating from the subducting plate when the plate exceeds 100 km in depth.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison (United States)
  2. Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5963875
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Geology; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 19:8; Journal ID: ISSN 0091-7613
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; COLOMBIA; SUBDUCTION ZONES; ANISOTROPY; BIREFRINGENCE; EARTH MANTLE; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; GEOLOGIC MODELS; PLATE TECTONICS; RESERVOIR FLUIDS; SEISMIC S WAVES; SEISMIC SURVEYS; WAVE PROPAGATION; DEVELOPING COUNTRIES; FLUIDS; GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS; LATIN AMERICA; MASS TRANSFER; REFRACTION; SEISMIC WAVES; SOUTH AMERICA; SURVEYS; TECTONICS; 580000* - Geosciences

Citation Formats

Shih, X R, Meyer, R P, and Schneider, J F. Seismic anisotropy above a subducting plate. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0807:SAAASP>2.3.CO;2.
Shih, X R, Meyer, R P, & Schneider, J F. Seismic anisotropy above a subducting plate. United States. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0807:SAAASP>2.3.CO;2
Shih, X R, Meyer, R P, and Schneider, J F. 1991. "Seismic anisotropy above a subducting plate". United States. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0807:SAAASP>2.3.CO;2.
@article{osti_5963875,
title = {Seismic anisotropy above a subducting plate},
author = {Shih, X R and Meyer, R P and Schneider, J F},
abstractNote = {Shear-wave splitting observed in northeastern Colombia has provided evidence of seismic anisotropy in a shear zone immediately above a subducting plate. In an upper mantle composed mainly of olivine (57%) and orthopyroxene (17%), the splitting can be interpreted by wave propagation in an anisotropic medium of orthorhombic symmetry that results from alignment of these intrinsically anisotropic minerals. The mechanism of alignment is most likely the shearing associated with the subduction, aided by fluids migrating from the subducting plate when the plate exceeds 100 km in depth.},
doi = {10.1130/0091-7613(1991)019<0807:SAAASP>2.3.CO;2},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5963875}, journal = {Geology; (United States)},
issn = {0091-7613},
number = ,
volume = 19:8,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}