Mantle anisotropy in the Central Alborz obtained from SKS analysis

Document Type : Research Article

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Abstract

SKS phase passes through the mantle as an S wave; it converts to a P wave at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) beneath the source, travels through the fluid outer core, and then converts back to an S wave at the CMB on the receiver side. When a shear wave (SKS) propagates through an anisotropic media, it is partitioned into orthogonally polarized fast and slow shear waves. This property is referred to as shear wave splitting. In this study we used shear wave splitting of SKS phase from teleseismic events to identify and estimate the shear wave anisotropy in the upper mantle of the Alborz region.
In this study, to find stable splitting measurement with small error, we selected the automate analysis window by performing a grid search over 210 windows. The selected teleseismic events (and) were recorded by 3 broadband seismic stations, DAMV, CHTH and THKV (belongs to IIEES network) and by 5 short period seismic stations, FIR, DMV, AFJ, MHD and GZV (belongs to IGTU network). They used to determine anisotropy parameters in upper mantle and crust beneath the Alborz region.
In this study the average direction of anisotropy in mantle and crust of the Alborz region is estimated about 48±12 degree by study on shear wave splitting of SKS phase. Thus, the fast azimuth of anisotropy oriented approximately in NE-SW direction too. Moreover our results showed that the magnitude of anisotropy is about 1.5±0.4 seconds.
 
 

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