Calculating splitting parameters for plume-type anisotropic structures of the upper mantle

investigating the feasibility of a proposed model for geometric design of deployable arch structures

deployable scissor type structures are composed of the so-called scissor-like elements (sles), which are connected to each other at an intermediate point through a pivotal connection and allow them to be folded into a compact bundle for storage or transport. several sles are connected to each other in order to form units with regular polygonal plan views. the sides and radii of the polygons are...

Layering of a Thermochemical Plume in the Upper Mantle Beneath

The elusive mantle plume

Mantle plumes are hypothetical hot, narrow mantle upwellings that are often invoked to explain hotspot volcanism with unusual geophysical and geochemical characteristics. The mantle plume is a well-established geological structure in computer modeling and laboratory experiments but an undisputed seismic detection of one has yet to be made. Vertically continuous low shear velocity anomalies in t...

The Relationship Between Upper Mantle Anisotropic Structures Beneath California, Transpression, and Absolute Plate Motions

We calculated SKS splitting parameters for the California Integrated Seismic Network. In southern California, we also estimated splitting in the upper 100 km using azimuthal anisotropy determined from surface waves. The inferred splitting from surface waves in the mantle lithosphere is small (on average <0.2 sec) compared with SKS splitting (1.5 sec) and obtains a maximum value (0.5 sec) in the...

Mantle plume tomography

We review the resolution currently available with seismic tomography, in particular the ability of seismic waves to image mantle plumes, and discuss frequently asked questions about artifacts, interpretation and possible systematic errors. These aspects are discussed in more detail for two case histories offering different problems in the tomographic interpretation: Iceland and Hawaii. Regional...