Combined Plate Motion and Density Driven Flow in the Asthenosphere beneath Saudi Arabia: Evidence from Shearwave Splitting and Seismic Anisotropy

Hansen, S; Schwartz, S; Al-Amri, A; Rodgers, A

doi:10.1130/G22713.1

Combined Plate Motion and Density Driven Flow in the Asthenosphere beneath Saudi Arabia: Evidence from Shearwave Splitting and Seismic Anisotropy

Journal Article · Fri Sep 08 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · The Geological Society of America, vol. 34, no. 10, October 1, 2006, pp. 869-872

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/G22713.1· OSTI ID:900121

Hansen, S; Schwartz, S; Al-Amri, A; Rodgers, A

Mantle anisotropy along the Red Sea and across the Arabian Peninsula was analyzed using shear-wave splitting recorded by stations from three different seismic networks: the largest, most widely distributed array of stations examined across the Arabian Peninsula to date. Stations near the Gulf of Aqaba display fast orientations aligned parallel to the Dead Sea Transform Fault, most likely related to the strike-slip motion between Africa and Arabia However, most of our observations across Arabia are statistically the same (at a 95% confidence level), with north-south oriented fast directions and delay times averaging about 1.4 s. Since end-member models of fossilized anisotropy and present-day asthenospheric flow do not adequately explain these observations, we interpret them as a combination of plate and density driven flow in the asthenosphere. Combining northeast oriented flow associated with absolute plate motion with northwest oriented flow associated with the channelized Afar upwelling along the Red Sea produces a north-south resultant that matches the observations and supports models of active rifting.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: W-7405-ENG-48

OSTI ID:: 900121

Report Number(s):: UCRL-JRNL-224375

Journal Information:: The Geological Society of America, vol. 34, no. 10, October 1, 2006, pp. 869-872, Journal Name: The Geological Society of America, vol. 34, no. 10, October 1, 2006, pp. 869-872

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Combined Plate Motion and Density Driven Flow in the Asthenosphere beneath Saudi Arabia: Evidence from Shearwave Splitting and Seismic Anisotropy

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