GD6.4 | Structure, deformation and dynamics of continental crust and upper mantle, and the nature of mantle discontinuities
EDI
Structure, deformation and dynamics of continental crust and upper mantle, and the nature of mantle discontinuities
Co-organized by SM5/TS11, co-sponsored by ILP
Convener: Alexey Shulgin | Co-conveners: Ehsan Qorbani Chegeni, Xiaoqing Zhang, Ana MG Ferreira, Jaroslava Plomerova, Lev Vinnik, Hans Thybo
Orals
| Mon, 24 Apr, 16:15–18:00 (CEST)
 
Room M1
Posters on site
| Attendance Mon, 24 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST)
 
Hall X2
Posters virtual
| Attendance Mon, 24 Apr, 14:00–15:45 (CEST)
 
vHall GMPV/G/GD/SM
Orals |
Mon, 16:15
Mon, 14:00
Mon, 14:00
We invite, in particular multidisciplinary, contributions which focus on the structure, deformation and evolution of the continental crust and upper mantle and on the nature of mantle discontinuities. The latter include, but are not limited to, the mid-lithosphere discontinuity (MLD), the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB), and the mantle transition zone, as imaged by various seismological techniques and interpreted with interdisciplinary approaches. Papers with focus on the structure of the crust and the nature of the Moho are also welcome.
The session topic is interpretation and modelling of the geodynamic processes in the lithosphere-asthenosphere system and the interaction between crust and lithospheric mantle, as well as the importance of these processes for the formation of the discontinuities that we today observe in the crust and mantle. We aim at establishing links between seismological observations and process-oriented modelling studies to better understand the relation between present-day fabrics of the lithosphere and contemporary deformation and ongoing dynamics within the asthenospheric mantle. Methodologically, the contributions will include studies based on application of geochemical, petrological, tectonic and geophysical (seismic, thermal, gravity, electro-magnetic) methods with emphasis on integrated interpretations.

Orals: Mon, 24 Apr | Room M1

Chairpersons: Alexey Shulgin, Ehsan Qorbani Chegeni, Xiaoqing Zhang
16:15–16:20
16:20–16:30
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EGU23-16052
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On-site presentation
Georg Rümpker, Ayoub Kaviani, Frederik Link, Miriam Reiss, Megha Chakraborty, Johannes Faber, Jonas Köhler, and Nishtha Srivastava

Seismic anisotropy provides a unique link between directly observable surface structures and the more elusive dynamic processes in the mantle below. The ability to infer the vertically- and laterally-varying anisotropic structures is of great significance for the geodynamic interpretation of surface-recorded waveform effects.

In the first part of this presentation, we assess the capabilities of different observables for the inversion XKS phases to uniquely resolve the anisotropic structure of the upper mantle. For this purpose, we perform full-waveform calculations for simple models of upper-mantle anisotropy. In addition to waveforms, we consider the effects on apparent splitting parameters and splitting intensity. The results show that, generally, it is not possible to fully constrain the anisotropic parameters of a given model, even if complete waveforms are considered. We also discuss advantages and disadvantages of using the different observables.

Recent technological advances have prompted implementations of large-scale seismic experiments producing huge amounts of seismic data. Standard processing procedures, thus, require automatization to facilitate fast and objective data processing. This also applies to the analysis of shear-wave splitting. A recent extension of the SplitRacer software code allows for an automatization of the analysis by choosing a time window based on spectral analyses and by categorization of results based on different splitting methods.

Finally, we will present new results from the application of Neural Networks to the analysis of shear-wave splitting. Our initial approach involves training based on synthetic data and deconvolution of the real waveforms. Current limitations and possibilities for extension will be discussed.

How to cite: Rümpker, G., Kaviani, A., Link, F., Reiss, M., Chakraborty, M., Faber, J., Köhler, J., and Srivastava, N.: Analysis of shear-wave splitting to infer the seismic anisotropy of the lithosphere-asthenosphere system – inversion ambiguities, automatization, and machine-learning approaches, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-16052, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-16052, 2023.

16:30–16:40
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EGU23-15669
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On-site presentation
Ayoub Kaviani, Georg Rümpker, Christoph Sens‐Schönfelder, Abolfazl Komeazi Abolfazl Komeazi, and Nikolai Shapiro

We investigate the flow field and deformation in the mantle wedge and subslab mantle beneath the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone using seismological data from a recently deployed seismic network around the Klyuchevskoy Volcanic Group (KVG) complemented by data from previous temporary deployments and permanent stations to reach a total number of 145 seismic stations covering a region defined in the geographic coordinates 150°-167°E and 50°-61°N.

We perform splitting analysis of both local and core-refracted (SKS) shear waves to study mantle seismic anisotropy as a proxy for the pattern of the mantle flow field and deformation. Anisotropy in the mantle wedge is studied by shear splitting analysis (SWS) of waveform data from local mantle events that occurred along the subducting slab (Wadati-Benioff-Zone) and in the mantle wedge. Crustal anisotropy is also studied by SWS analysis of crustal events. The combined data set (SKS and local) allows us to discriminate the source of mantle anisotropy (sub-slab, mantle wedge, or crust). Shear-wave splitting measurements from the local shear waves give small delay times independent of the depth of the events suggesting that the mantle wedge is characterized by a weak anisotropic fabric. The fast directions of mantle wedge anisotropy are predominantly parallel to the strike of the slab indicating either a trench-parallel flow or B-type seismic anisotropy in the mantle wedge. The relatively small delay times from local shear waves suggest that SKS waves are less affected by potential anisotropy in the mantle wedge and that the results of the SKS-splitting analysis are mainly representative of the sub-slab anisotropy. Our SKS-splitting measurements indicate a trench-normal mantle flow beneath the eastern edge of the Kamchatka peninsula that converts to a more complex pattern beneath the KVG region. We argue that this pattern of fast polarization direction suggests the rotational mantle flow beneath the slab that may be related to the change in slab geometry at the junction between the Kuril-Kamchatka and Aleutian arcs. The observation of relatively strong sub-slab anisotropy against weak mantle-wedge anisotropy suggests that slab termination causes some disturbance in mantle flow; however, no significant component of an around-slab flow occurs in the mantle wedge.

How to cite: Kaviani, A., Rümpker, G., Sens‐Schönfelder, C., Abolfazl Komeazi, A. K., and Shapiro, N.: A study of the mantle flow field and lithospheric deformation beneath the Kuril-Kamchatka subduction zone using seismic anisotropy, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-15669, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-15669, 2023.

16:40–16:50
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EGU23-8306
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Hazal Aygün, Tuna Eken, Derya Keleş, Tülay Kaya-Eken, Fabio Cammarano, Jonathan R. Delph, and Tuncay Taymaz

The complex tectonic structure of eastern Anatolia results from the superposition of subduction and collisional structures along a long-lived convergent margin between the Gondwanan (Arabian) and Eurasian plates. The geodynamic processes shaping the tectonic setting and uplifting history of the region still remain enigmatic despite the fact that the number of geophysical, geological, and petrographic-based models/interpretations in recent years has increased notably. Further issues, i.e., how the spatiotemporal patterns of seismic activity are controlled by pre-existing deformational zones in the lithosphere and/or modern convergent stresses, and how magmatism is related to the lithospheric variability along the margin, are unclear. Models of seismological features of the Earth’s interiors provide insights on isotropic heterogeneity that are of great importance for constraining the current physical and chemical conditions, as they likely control the localization of structures. For this purpose, the present study aims to constrain lateral variations of crustal thickness, Moho topography, and average seismic velocities (Vp, Vp/Vs) by leveraging information from both teleseismic scattered (receiver function) and reflected (autocorrelation) waves (H-k-Vp stacking). Incorporating teleseismic autocorrelation waveforms from the P-wave coda, we can better constrain average crustal P-wave velocities (Vp) by highlighting the amplitude term of the Moho-reflected Pmp phase. Our dataset consists of digital waveforms extracted from 512 teleseismic events (within the epicentral distance range from 30° to100° and with Mw>6) observed at 33 permanent broadband seismic stations operated under the KOERI network between 2013 and 2022 and will result in a new map of crustal architecture and its physical properties (crustal thickness, Vp, and Vp/Vs) below eastern Anatolia. Preliminary results indicate a thickening crust from south to north reaching down to depths of ~50 km. High Vp/Vs ratios mark volcanic provinces as well as fault damage areas presumably characterized by highly fractured rocks with high amounts of water content. Lateral variations of P-wave velocities along two continental fault zones (EAFZ and NAFZ) of the region imply that the degree of shear deformation and resultant seismic activity is well-correlated with density/seismic wave speed variations. Moho depth variations across the NAFZ further suggest a much narrow and localized distribution of deformation in the lower crust and upper mantle compared to the EAFZ. Further analysis of these results will lead to a better understanding of the controlling mechanisms behind seismicity and magmatism in the Eastern Anatolian Plateau.

How to cite: Aygün, H., Eken, T., Keleş, D., Kaya-Eken, T., Cammarano, F., Delph, J. R., and Taymaz, T.: Crustal Features of Eastern Anatolia based on a Joint Grid Search Performed over Receiver Functions and P-wave Coda Autocorrelation, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-8306, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-8306, 2023.

16:50–17:00
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EGU23-15239
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Metin Kahraman, Hans Thybo, Irina Artemieva, Alexey Shulgin, Peter Hedin, and Rolf Mjelde

The western edge of the Baltic Shield is covered by the northeast – southwest oriented, 2500 m high mountain range, the Scandes at the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. This mountain range is located far from any active plate boundary and lack of sedimentary sequences precludes direct knowledge of the timing of uplift.

We present a crust and upper mantle scale velocity model, obtained along thea 600 km long Silver-Road seismic profile, which extends in a WNW to ESE direction in the northeastern Baltic Shield perpendicular to the coast between 8oE and 20oE. The profile has a 300 km long offshore section on the continental shelf and the deep ocean as well as a 300 km onshore section across Caledonian to Svecofennian units. The seismic data were acquired with 5 onshore explosive sources and offshore air gun shots from the vessel Hakon Mosby along the whole offshore profile. Data was acquired by 270 onshore stations at nominally 1.5 km distance and 16 ocean bottom seismometers on the shelf, slope and oceanic environment. The results of this study will provide new input to interpretation of the anomalous topography the Scandes and continental shelf in the northeast Baltic Shield.

We present results of ray tracing and gravity modeling along the profile. The vertical crustal structure in the upper, middle and lower crust are almost constant across the Caledonian and Svecofennian parts of the profile. The crust is 45 km thick along the whole onshore profile and abruptly thins to 25 km thickness in the continental shelf. Pn velocity is low ~7.6-7.8 km/s below the high topography areas with Caledonian nappes, whereas it is 8.4 km/s below the Svecofennian parts. Our gravity models, based on the seismic velocity structure, suggest a low density 3.20 g/cm3 for the low Pn zone below the high Caledonian topography in contrast to the very high density 3.48 g/cm3 below the Svecofennian parts with relatively low topography. We interpret these bodies as eclogitizised basaltic crustal material at different metamorphic grades. Isostatic calculation with a 60 km depth compensation depth predicts 2 km high topography which is ~1 km higher than observed. We therefore propose that the low-grade metamorphic unit below the high topography is underlain by a sequence with relatively high mantle density to 120 km depth.

How to cite: Kahraman, M., Thybo, H., Artemieva, I., Shulgin, A., Hedin, P., and Mjelde, R.: Crustal Structure across Central Scandinavia along the Silver-Road refraction profile, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-15239, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-15239, 2023.

17:00–17:10
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EGU23-218
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ECS
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Highlight
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On-site presentation
Davide Zaccagnino and Carlo Doglioni

It is well known that oscillating stress sources play a relevant role in the stability of mechanical systems. The Earth is routinely subject to stress loading due to tides, hydrological cycles, atmospheric pressure variations and anthropical activities. However, the shallow part of our planet is far from being a simple system, so each component showcases a different response to perturbations depending on its physical properties. Macroscopically, the outer layers of the Earth form a two-tier system with respect to periodic stress changes: the brittle crust reacts forthwith to additional loads; conversely, the viscous lithosphere behaves as a low-pass filter. Such a dichotomy produces a wide range of different geodynamic, tectonic, and seismological processes. Seismicity becomes more and more sensitive to stress perturbations as strain accumulates so that earthquakes tend to occur, on average, during phases close to stress peak. We analyse the effect of solid and liquid tides in modulating seismicity during the seismic cycle in several regions of tectonic interest. Our study shows that the correlation between the amplitude of tidal CFS and seismic energy rate usually increases before large shocks, while it undergoes drops during foreshock activity and after the mainshock. A preseismic phase, featured by increasing correlation, is detected before large and intermediate (Mw > 4.5) shallow earthquakes in about 2/3 of cases. The duration of the anomaly T appears to be related to the seismic moment M of the future mainshock via the relationship T ∝ M^0.3 if the magnitude of the largest event is below 6.5. This power exponent, 1/3, is typical of seismic nucleation scaling of single seismic events; therefore, the increase of correlation between seismic rates and tidal stress on fault may be understood in the light of diffuse nucleation phases throughout the crust due to incoming large-scale destabilization. We also consider tremors and low-frequency earthquakes in the Cascadia region along the West coasts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Northern California and the Nankai thrust in Japan. Their sensitivity to stress perturbations increases as the surrounding fault interface is seismically locked, showing an analogous response to fast seismic events. On the other hand, viscous layers of the lithosphere are almost unresponsive to high-frequency stress perturbations (e.g., at least up to annual periods); however, they can flow plastically under the action of long-lasting loading: it is the case of low-frequency Earth tides (e.g., lunar nodal 18.61-years-long cycle) which can be detected as millimetric modulations in relative plate velocities using single-station- and baseline- modes GNSS time series. On the light of thin ultralow viscosity zones spreading at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary and inside the asthenosphere, and of thermally active small-cell stratified convection in the super-adiabatic zones of the upper mantle, it is reasonable that such modulations may have geodynamic implications. This conclusion is also supported by several observations proving a worldwide asymmetry in global geodynamics such as the westerly oriented motions of plates which follow a mainstream with a 0.2-1.2°/Myr drift relative to the sub-asthenospheric mantle in the hotspot reference frame.

How to cite: Zaccagnino, D. and Doglioni, C.: Oscillating tidal stress loading on the lithosphere, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-218, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-218, 2023.

17:10–17:20
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EGU23-6733
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Felix Davison, Sergei Lebedev, Yihe Xu, Javier Fullea, and Sally Gibson

Cratons are the ancient cores of continents, stable over billions of years. The thermochemical properties of their lithosphere are debated, with a number of open questions regarding their composition, the presence of volatiles and the degree of metasomatism.  Cratonic mantle lithosphere is thought to be dominated by depleted mantle peridotites, primarily harzburgites, which can provide chemical buoyancy and, therefore, long-term stability. Some recently proposed models, however, featured substantially metasomatised shallow mantle lithosphere, modified by the addition of volatiles (Eeken et al. 2018) or significant proportions of eclogite and diamond within the lithosphere (Garber et al. 2018). The broad range of the compositions proposed highlights the persisting uncertainty over what cratons are made of.

 

Arguments for cratonic lithosphere complexity often follow from difficulties in fitting seismic velocity profiles (taken from tomographic models beneath cratons) using peridotitic compositions. Some Rayleigh-wave inversions have also found difficulty fitting phase velocity dispersion curves without significant metasomatism, including models with up to 5wt% CO2.

 

Recently developed methods of petrological inversion can relate geophysical and geological observations directly to the thermochemical structure of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. Here, we invert Rayleigh and Love surface wave phase velocities, elevation and heat flow data for temperature and composition at depth (Fullea et al. 2021) beneath a selection of cratons around the world and a global craton average. We aimed to assemble the most accurate surface-wave dispersion data, with broad period ranges and small errors. The models fit the data within 0.1-0.2% of the phase-velocity values. This accuracy is important in order to extract the information on the radial structure of the lithosphere from the dispersion data.

 

Our models use a harzburgitic (depleted peridotite) composition with major oxide weight percentages taken from prior global modelling (Fullea et al. 2021) and produce very close fits for the Rayleigh and Love dispersion curves averaged over cratons globally, as well as the Rayleigh and Love dispersion data measured in several cratons around the world. The cratonic lithospheric thicknesses range from 180 km (Guyana) to almost 300 km (Congo). We demonstrate that these new models can also be produced by careful regularisation of purely seismic inversions of the same data.

 

Our results do not rule out extensive metasomatism in the cratonic uppermost mantle but suggest that it is likely to be a rare anomaly in particular locations, rather than a common occurrence. Ubiquitous presence of substantial quantities of eclogite and diamond in cratonic lithosphere is not required by the data.

 

References:

 

Eeken, T., et al., 2018. Seismic evidence for depth-dependent metasomatism in cratons. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 491, 148-159.

 

Fullea, J., Lebedev, S., Martinec, Z. et al., 2021. WINTERC-G: mapping the upper mantle thermochemical heterogeneity from coupled geophysical–petrological inversion of seismic waveforms, heat flow, surface elevation and gravity satellite data. Geophys. J. Int. 226, 146-191.

 

Garber, J.M., et al., 2018. Multidisciplinary constraints on the abundance of diamond and eclogite in the cratonic lithosphere. Geochem., Geophys., Geosyst. 19, 2062-2086. 

How to cite: Davison, F., Lebedev, S., Xu, Y., Fullea, J., and Gibson, S.: The Case of the Missing Diamonds: New global and regional thermo-compositional models of cratonic lithosphere, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-6733, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-6733, 2023.

17:20–17:30
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EGU23-2901
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ECS
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On-site presentation
Yujing Wu, Xianjun Fang, and Jianqing Ji

The continental crust is formed by the mantle’s successive crystallization differentiation and then aggregation, which is the result of the continuous energy acquisition and evolution of the mantle. This process has been objectively recorded in the growth of zircons which are widely present in the continental crust, owing to the close relationship between the zircon Th/U ratio and the crystallization temperature of zircons. As shown by theoretical calculations, phenomenon statistics, and/or crystallization simulations, higher zircon Th/U generally indicates higher zircon (re)crystallization temperature in metamorphic and magmatic systems. Here, we compiled ~600,000 zircon Th/U data from the global continental crust and obtained the time series of zircon Th/U ratios. The average level of the Th/U ratio in global zircons has a slow growth trend from old to new and fluctuates quasi-periodically around 0.5. There are two significant cycles of zircon Th/U ratios, ca. 600 and 120 Myr, which are associated with the supercontinent cycle and whole-mantle convection, respectively. It is inferred that the zircon Th/U periodicity is related to the periodic thermal state changes in the mantle, which might be regulated by tidal energy dissipation.

How to cite: Wu, Y., Fang, X., and Ji, J.: Implications of zircon Th/U for global continental crustal evolution and geodynamics, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2901, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2901, 2023.

17:30–17:40
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EGU23-4829
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ECS
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Virtual presentation
Jashodhara Chaudhury and Supriyo Mitra

We use P-wave receiver function (P-RF) analysis and joint inversion with Rayleigh wave group velocity dispersion data to model the shear-wave velocity (Vs) structure of sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) discontinuities beneath northeast (NE) India. The most prominent SCLM discontinuity is the Hales Discontinuity (H-D) observed beneath the Eastern Himalayan Foreland Basin (Brahmaputra Valley) and Shillong Plateau. The P-to-SV converted phase from the H-D (Phs) is a positive amplitude arrival at ∼10–12 s and has positive move out with increasing ray-parameter. From joint inversion, the H-D is modeled at a depth range of 90–106 km, with 9–12% Vs increase beneath the Brahmaputra Valley. Beneath the Shillong Plateau the H-D is at a depth range of 86–102 km, with 6–9% Vs increase. An intra-lithospheric discontinuity (ILD) has been identified in the Shillong Plateau station P-RFs, as a positive amplitude PILDs phase, arriving at 8–8.5 s. This is modeled at a depth range of 65–75 km with Vs increase of ∼7±4%. We construct 2D profiles of depth-migrated common conversion-point stack of P-RFs to distinguish the SCLM discontinuity arrivals from crustal phases. 3D spline-interpolated surface of the H-D has been constructed to visualize its lateral variations. We use xenolith data from the Dharwar Craton, which has similar geological age, petrology and seismic structure as the Shillong Plateau, to petrologically model the SCLM H-D and ILD Vs structure in NE-India. From the calculated Vs structure we conjecture that the H-D is a petrological boundary between mantle peridotite and kyanite-eclogite, with its origin as metamorphosed paleo-subducted oceanic-slab, similar to other global observations. We further speculate that the shallower ILD could be formed as a contact between frozen asthenosphere-derived metasomatic melts within the SCLM.

How to cite: Chaudhury, J. and Mitra, S.: Sub-Continental Lithospheric Mantle Discontinuities beneath the Eastern Himalayan Plate Boundary System, NE India, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-4829, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-4829, 2023.

17:40–17:50
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EGU23-526
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ECS
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Virtual presentation
Nongmaithem Menaka Chanu, Naresh Kumar, Sagarika Mukhopadhyay, and Amit Kumar

We analyzed 228 earthquake data of 5≤Mw≤6.9 to estimate the Love wave group velocity tomographic image and investigate the lithosphere structure of NE-India. These events of 2001-2015 were recorded by 26 seismic stations of IMD, India, and IRIS. Multiple Filtering Technique is used to estimate fundamental mode Love wave group velocity dispersion curves between 4s and 70s for 846 paths. Then, we constructed Love wave group velocity maps at different periods from 6 s to 60 s through inversion over a 1°×1° grid indicating group velocity variations between ~2 km/s and 4.6 km/s in this part of the India-Eurasia and India-Burma collision zones. Tomographic maps at lower periods show good correlations with surface features. Group velocities at 6s to 16s are sensitive to the uppermost crust. They show high variation related to local geological features like sedimentary basins, basement rocks, Precambrian, and metamorphic rocks. Bengal-Basin and Indo-Burma Ranges have lower group velocities at periods ≤16s compared to those located at Shillong Plateau, Mikir Hills, and the Eastern Himalayan ranges. Low-velocity zone systematically shifts eastward towards the southern part of the Indo-Burma Range for periods from 16 to 38s. A prominent increase in group velocity from 38s is observed along a line trending in the NE direction through the Shillong Plateau, Mikir Hills, and Assam syntaxis. At periods >50s, low velocity is observed in the Tibetan plateau. Inversion of Love wave group velocity was carried out and a tomographic image of SH velocity variation was obtained for the study area. It shows a significant variation in the SH velocity for the crust and upper mantle region of the study area. Based on the estimated Love wave group velocity and SH velocity tomograms we came to the following conclusions. The sedimentary basins like the Bengal Basin, and Brahmaputra River Basin show up as low-velocity zones in both group and SH velocity tomograms. In the Bengal Basin, sedimentary layer thickness varies from 5km in the western part to 15km in the eastern part. Maximum thickness was observed in the SE part of the basin near the Indo-Burma Ranges. The Moho depth below the Bengal Basin varies between 28 km and 32km and 35km and 45km below NE India. The NE trending region showing high group and SH velocity values passing through the Shillong Plateau, Mikir Hills, and Assam syntaxis represent a zone where the Indian plate has buckled upward. This is caused by it being in a vice-like grip between the Eastern Himalayas towards its north and the Indo-Burma Ranges towards its east. The crust below the Tibet and Lasha block is much thicker (up to ~85 km) compared to other parts of the study area. A low-velocity zone is observed in the mid-to-lower crust beneath southern Tibet. This is caused by partial melting in this zone. Mostly the Love wave inversion result matches with previously observed Rayleigh wave inversion and discrepancies in some sections highlight the existence of radial anisotropy.

 

How to cite: Chanu, N. M., Kumar, N., Mukhopadhyay, S., and Kumar, A.: Investigation of Lithospheric Structure in NE India Based on Love Wave Data, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-526, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-526, 2023.

17:50–18:00
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EGU23-2680
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On-site presentation
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Pavel Roštínský and Eva Nováková

The parallel linear landforms, frequent phenomena in many places on the Earth's crust surface, were systematically assessed in the area of central Europe (~3,000 km longitudinally, ~2,000 km latitudinally). In total, we estimated yet ~24,000 items. Several (>5) variously oriented large systems (networks) of such topographic features pervade fairly regularly the region.

Our study using the LiDAR or SRTM data (1) allowed to outline spatial distribution of the occurring lines, mostly by considering basic complex surface geometries or directional trends (including chaining of landforms of different types) instead of simple linear elements (valley sections, slopes, ridges) commonly applied during automatic extraction procedures. Primarily created in the Czech national conformal conic S-JTSK projection as straight features, the landforms are displayed as slightly bended curves in the WGS geographical coordinates. Usually, a general trend of some important regional fault system of Palaeozoic or Mesozoic origin served as primary direction at searching for analogous surface elements within the particular linear network in the surroundings. However, most of the linear landforms do not correspond to geological boundaries since the topographic features of all the distinguished directions are dispersed across many of regional geological units. But the elongated element clusters (zones) can accord with significant geological structures (basins, mountain ranges, or their margins) and some linear topographic features fairly correspond with current spatial limits of young sedimentary formations (covers).

(2) A plenty of other regional or local natural phenomena in the present-day landscape are closely associated with the linear landform systems. The regional features include general orientation and detailed shape of river and valley network sections (abundant deflections into the main directions), dense block segmentation of the topographic structure (separation of lower and higher surface levels) or location of concentrated surface erosion; all the main linear systems are followed by the same such expressions. Locally, smaller landforms like related saddles, cuestas, anomalously shaped meanders, river terrace risers, land slide or even cirque elements have evolved. Thus, the linear networks strongly influenced upper parts of the Earth's crust.

Besides aspects of the subject presented, a discussion on various development stages of linear landforms and related features in the deeper Earth's crust possibly including also some plate tectonics elements, as precursors of the focused surface expressions, is called for to provide proper explanation of the extensive phenomenon.

How to cite: Roštínský, P. and Nováková, E.: Regularly directed complex linear landforms in central Europe: a large-scale disperse or zone distribution, and indication of associated landscape phenomena, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2680, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2680, 2023.

Posters on site: Mon, 24 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | Hall X2

Chairpersons: Alexey Shulgin, Ehsan Qorbani Chegeni, Xiaoqing Zhang
X2.184
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EGU23-6967
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Highlight
Alexey Shulgin and Irina Artemieva

We present a joint continental-oceanic upper mantle density model based on 3D tesseroid gravity modeling. On continent lithospheric mantle (LM) density shows no clear difference between the cratonic and Phanerozoic Europe, yet an ~300‐km‐wide zone of a high‐density LM along the Trans‐European Suture Zone may image a paleosubduction. Kimberlite provinces of the Baltica and Greenland cratons have a low‐density (3.32 g/cm3) mantle where all non‐diamondiferous kimberlites tend to a higher‐density (3.34 g/cm3) anomalies. LM density correlates with the depth of sedimentary basins implying that mantle densification plays an important role in basin subsidence. A very dense (3.40–3.45 g/cm3) mantle beneath the superdeep platform basins and the East Barents shelf requires the presence of 10–20% of eclogite, while the West Barents Basin has LM density of 3.35 g/cm3 similar to the Variscan massifs of western Europe. In the North Atlantics, south of the Charlie Gibbs fracture zone (CGFZ) mantle density follows half‐space cooling model with significant deviations at volcanic provinces. North of the CGFZ, the entire North Atlantics is anomalous. Strong low‐density LM anomalies (< −3%) beneath the Azores and north of the CGFZ correlate with geochemical anomalies and indicate the presence of continental fragments and heterogeneous melting sources. Thermal anomalies in the upper mantle averaged down to the transition zone are 100–150 °C at the Azores and can be detected seismically, while a <50 °C anomaly around Iceland is at the limit of seismic resolution. Presented results is a further development of the EUNA-rho model (doi:10.1029/2018JB017025)

How to cite: Shulgin, A. and Artemieva, I.: Continental and oceanic upper mantle thermochemical heterogeneity an density in the European – North Atlantic region., EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-6967, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-6967, 2023.

X2.185
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EGU23-6580
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ECS
Lars Wiesenberg, Christian Weidle, Andreas Scharf, Philippe Agard, Amr El-Sharkawy, Frank Krüger, and Thomas Meier

The geology of eastern Arabia is dominated by a vast cover of mostly Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks and little was known about the architecture of the middle and lower crust. On the easternmost margin, obduction of the Semail Ophiolite during late Cretaceous times is the youngest first-order tectonic process that shapes the present-day geology across the Oman Mountains in northern Oman and the eastern United Arab Emirates. Within the obducted units, Neoproterozoic to Cretaceous autochthonous rocks of the Arabian shelf are exposed in two tectonic windows and provide a detailed view of the geodynamic evolution of the shallow Arabian continental crust during and after obduction. A new, unprecedented 3-D anisotropic shear-wave velocity (Vs) model reveals that - prior to obduction - the assembly of the eastern Arabian lithosphere in Neoproterozoic times and its modification during the Permian breakup of Pangea strongly control the present-day lithospheric architecture. Building upon previous geodynamic models that were restricted to the upper crust, reconstruction of the entire lithospheric evolution resolves some key unknowns in eastern Arabia’s geodynamics:

  • The NNE-striking Semail Gap Fault (SGF) is primarily an upper crustal feature but another NE-striking deep crustal boundary zone west of the Jabal Akhdar Dome segments the Arabian continental crust in two structurally different units.

  • While Permian Pangea rifting occurred on both eastern and northern margins of eastern Arabia, large-scale mafic intrusions occurred mostly east of the SGF. Eastward crustal thinning localizes at the eastern limit of obducted units, east of which the lower crust is strongly intruded and likely underplated.

  • Late Cretaceous exhumation and overthrusting at the end of ophiolite obduction is the likely cause for crustal thickening below today‘s topography of the Oman Mountains.

  • Lithospheric thickness is ~200-250 km in central Arabia but only ~100 km below the Oman Mountains. Thinning of the continental lithosphere is attributed to late Eocene times, which explains contemporaneous basanite intrusions into the continental crust and provides a plausible mechanism for observed crustal-scale extension and the broad, margin-wide emergence of the Oman Mountains. Thus, uplift of the mountain range might be unrelated to Arabia-Eurasia convergence.

How to cite: Wiesenberg, L., Weidle, C., Scharf, A., Agard, P., El-Sharkawy, A., Krüger, F., and Meier, T.: Lithospheric evolution of eastern Arabia, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-6580, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-6580, 2023.

X2.186
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EGU23-14376
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ECS
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Bruna Chagas de Melo, Sergei Lebedev, Nicolas Celli, Janneke De Laat, and Marcelo Assumpção

The South American continent consists of an active mountain range on the west, formed by the subduction of the oceanic Nazca slab, and a large stable platform region, mainly composed of the Precambrian basement. Within South America, we find the cratons, blocks of differentiated continental lithosphere, characterized by their cold and buoyant behavior, and surrounding the cratons, mobile belts mostly from the Neoproterozoic form a complex collage network. The lithosphere and asthenosphere underlying a continent record most past tectonic events as much as control the different dynamic episodes of current deformation, magmatism, assembly, and large-scale rifting leading to break-up. However, our understanding of South America and how it has been affected by the underlying mantle processes is limited by the availability of both geophysical and geological data, hindered by the presence of thick sedimentary covers, dense forests, and large water masses.

Seismic tomography can resolve the 3D distribution of seismic-wave velocity, sensitive to temperature and composition in the crust and upper mantle. Until recently, seismic data sampling in South America was highly uneven, and high-resolution models were obtained mainly regionally. Here, we assembled all available seismic data including the data from the FAPESP “3-Basins Thematic Project.” The massive dataset includes data from the temporary deployments in South America that became available recently and is complemented by data from all over the globe.

We compute a new S-velocity tomographic model of the upper mantle of South America and surrounding oceans using the Automated Multimode Inversion of surface, S- and multiple S-waves. The increase in the data coverage of the model combined with the optimized tuning of the inversion parameters on the continent allows us to identify for the first time the fine details present in the lithospheric structure. We observe that regions of thinner lithosphere inside cratons correspond to areas where rifting has been proposed in previous tectonic cycles. Inside the boundaries of the Amazon craton, we image two cratonic blocks, separated by the Amazon basin. In this area, an aborted rift system preceded the formation of the Amazon basin in the Neoproterozoic, and rift reactivation occurred with the break-up of Pangea in the Mesozoic. Similarly, in the São Francisco Craton, we image a significantly thinner lithosphere in the Paramirim Aulacogen area, a Paleoproterozoic intracontinental rift system. We also image high-velocity lithospheric blocks under sedimentary basins. East of the Amazon craton, we image a high-velocity anomaly known as the Parnaíba block, and under the Paraná basin, a fragmented Paranapanema block. Finally, by imaging an accurate boundary of the cratonic units, we can analyze the distribution of magmatic events and large igneous provinces and how they correlate with our model’s seismic velocities at lithospheric and asthenospheric depths.

How to cite: Chagas de Melo, B., Lebedev, S., Celli, N., De Laat, J., and Assumpção, M.: Imaging the South American Continental Interior with Waveform Tomography, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14376, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14376, 2023.

X2.187
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EGU23-16446
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ECS
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Lauren Waszek, Thuany Costa de Lima, Benoit Tauzin, Hrvoje Tkalčić, and Maxim Ballmer

The physical properties of regional seismic discontinuities in the upper mantle yield insights into lateral and radial thermochemical variations, with implications for our understanding of magmatism and convection in the mantle.The global distribution of the 300-km discontinuity (termed the “X” discontinuity) is relatively poorly resolved, as it is detected infrequently, likely due to its small impedance contrast. Reflectors observed near this depth are usually local and primarily detected beneath continent and subduction zones. Several mechanisms suggest that the X is associated with mineral transformations that occur in basalt-enriched material. Thus, imaging the X-discontinuity holds the key to mapping subducted oceanic crust remnants.

Another discontinuity, at around 520 km depth, is detected more frequently and sometimes observed to be split into two signals. Its existence is predicted by the wadsleyite to ringwoodite mineral phase transition. However, the variations in ambient thermochemistry, which influence its visibility, depth variation, reflectivity, and/or splitting, are not fully understood, necessitating further investigations. Improved constraints on the nature of the 520 will inform regarding thermal and compositional gradients within the mantle transition zone.

In this study, we use large global datasets of SS and PP precursors to obtain new maps of these discontinuities. Our observations indicate regionally weak yet clear signals at both depths, linked to variations in basalt fraction and potential temperature. We perform mineral physics modeling and investigate the characteristic temperature and composition associated with the signatures of these signals. These results provide insight into our understanding of the chemical segregation and plume stagnation in the upper mantle.

How to cite: Waszek, L., Costa de Lima, T., Tauzin, B., Tkalčić, H., and Ballmer, M.: Observations of Regional Seismic Discontinuities in the Earth’s Upper Mantle from SS- and PP- precursors, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-16446, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-16446, 2023.

X2.188
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EGU23-5213
Alexandra Guy, Karel Schulmann, Christel Tiberi, and Jörg Ebbing

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is a Paleozoic accretionary-collisional orogen located at the eastern Pangea in between the Siberian Craton to the north and the North China and Tarim cratons to the south. Several contradictory geodynamic models were proposed to explain the tectonic assemblage: oroclinal bending and strike-slip duplication of a giant intraoceanic arc or a progressive lateral accretion of linear continental and oceanic terranes towards the Siberian Craton. However, none is generally accepted. A multidisciplinary and multiscale approach integrating potential field analysis and modelling provides new insights into understanding the crustal structures beneath the CAOB.

First, we present a synthesis of the previous geophysical studies, which constitute the constraints for the modelling. Second, based on global gravity and magnetic anomaly grids, the large-scale statistical analysis of their lineaments reveals the distribution of the contrasting tectonic zones. Then, the topography of the Moho is determined by 3D forward modelling of the GOCE gravity gradients, which is then integrated into 2D and 3D crustal scale models of southern and central Mongolia. A geodynamic model is derived from the resulting crustal architectures. Thus, the combination of these methods allows us to: (1) unravel the existence and distribution of suspect terranes in accretionary systems; (2) correlate the contrasting tectonic zones with the gravity and magnetic signals and the thickness of the crust, thereby revealing the inheritance of Paleozoic and Mesozoic orogenic history; and (3) determine the significance and possible origin of the major anomalies, which are related to tectonic processes such as lower crustal relamination, presence of deep-seated fault zones and sutures, or delimitation of main tectonomagmatic domains. Finally, with the case study of Central Mongolia, we demonstrate the real benefit and the significant progress, which can be achieved by using potential field analysis combined with seismic receiver function and geological analyses.

How to cite: Guy, A., Schulmann, K., Tiberi, C., and Ebbing, J.: Multiscale geophysical characterization of the continental crust of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-5213, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-5213, 2023.

X2.189
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EGU23-15662
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ECS
Rafet Ender Alemdar, Metin Kahraman, Alexey Shulgin, Rolf Mjelde, Irina Artemieva, and Hans Thybo

The Senja onshore-offshore seismic profile is located in the north-western part of Europe across the Norwegian coast into the North Atlantic ocean. A number of terranes and microcontinents collided to form this region from the Archean to the Paleoproterozoic. The Sveconorwegian (Grenvillian) and Caledonian orogenies significantly affected this region and created the major Caledonian mountain belt. Despite being far from any active plate boundaries, the Baltic Shield contains a mountain range called the Scandes that reaches heights of up to 2500 meters. This mountain range is oriented northeast-southwest and mainly correlates with the deformed Caledonian and Sveconorwegian part of the western North Atlantic coastal region.

We present a crustal scale seismic profile along the northwest-to-southeast-directed Senja OBS Survey Profile in northern Scandinavia between 12°E and 20°E. This profile extends offshore and onshore for a total of ~300 kilometres across the Norwegian shelf in the North Atlantic Ocean, the Senja Island and into mainland Norway. The seismic sources were airgun shots from the vessel Hakon Mosby along the offshore profile. The seismic data set was collected by 68 onshore stations located at 1.3 kilometer distance and 5 ocean bottom seismometers located on the shelf, slope, and within the oceanic environment. The results of this investigation will provide new data for interpretation of the cause of the unusual onshore topography and offshore bathymetry at the North Atlantic Ocean's edge. We present the results from ray tracing modelling of a seismic P-wave velocity section  along the profile.

 

How to cite: Alemdar, R. E., Kahraman, M., Shulgin, A., Mjelde, R., Artemieva, I., and Thybo, H.: Crustal Structures Across The Northern Scandinavia Along The SENJA OBS SURVEY Profile, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-15662, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-15662, 2023.

X2.190
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EGU23-11855
Jaroslava Pánisová, Miroslav Bielik, Vladimír Bezák, and Dominika Godová

During the last 21 Ma, widespread and geo-chemically variable volcanism took place in the Pannonian Basin and surrounding areas. The Nógrád-Gömör Volcanic Field (NGVF) is the northernmost Neogene monogenetic alkali basalt volcanic field of the Carpathian–Pannonian region, where the magma transported numerous upper mantle xenoliths to the surface. Alkaline basalt volcanism in this area represents a typical intraplate association, which is a result of decompression melting at the interface of the mantle and asthenosphere. The deep structure of this area has long been of interest to the geologists, volcanologists, geophysicists and geochemists.

 

Long period MT data collected along a ~50 km long NNW-SSE profile helped to explain the electric conductivity behaviour of the lithospheric rocks and to indicate the LAB too (Patkó et al. 2021). A massive conductive wehrlitic cumulates were indicated at ~30-60 km depths which arose as a product of the mantle metasomatism. Wehrlite-bearing xenolith suites found in the central part of the NGVF supports this interpretation. We are aiming to understand the crustal architecture and interpret the rather complicated gravity field of the NGVF. Therefore, a robust 3D density model was constructed using the 3D potential field modelling tool IGMAS+.

 

Only the gridded gravity data were utilized in the modelling, as the amplitudes of multiple magnetic anomalies aligned in a belt formation indicates rather shallow sources related to basalt volcanism along the Hurbanovo-Diósjenő fault. To be able image the deeper structures we have constructed bigger starting 3D model containing all important geological interfaces, i.e. pre-Cenozoic basement, UC/LC boundary, Moho and LAB. Then all available geophysical and geological constraints (seismic, MT, faults positions, main tectonic units) were applied to produce a more detailed, structural model in the central part of the studied area.

 

The Hurbanovo-Diósjenő fault is confirmed to be a steep and deeply penetrating tectonic zone beneath the central part of the NGVF, separating the Trans-danubian Range and Bükk units from the Veporic and Gemeric units of the Inner Western Carpathians. Thanks to a higher density of wehrlite (3 350 kg/m3; Aulbach et al. 2020) we could identify the deep-seated geobody (located in a depth range of 30-55 km) through the gravity modelling. We assume that this mantle lithosphere geobody is closely related to alkaline basalt volcanism in the NGVF. It contributes with a smaller gravity effect of +5.7 mGal maximally to the overall positive gravity anomaly over the volcanic field. The observed Bouguer anomalies contain superimposed effects of the following upper crustal units too: Gemeric, South Veporic and crystalline basement probably of the Cadomian age.

 

Acknowledgement:

This work was supported by the projects Nos. APVV-16-0482, APVV-16-0146 and VEGA projects Nos. 2/0002/23 and 2/0047/20.

 

References:

Aulbach S. et al. 2020: Wehrlites from continental mantle monitor the passage and degassing of carbonated melts. Geochemical Perspective Letters 15, 30–34.

Patkó L. et al. 2021: Effect of metasomatism on the electrical resistivity of the lithospheric mante – An integrated research using magnetotelluric sounding and xenoliths beneath the Nógrád-Gömör Volcanic Field. Global and Planetary Change 197, 103389.

How to cite: Pánisová, J., Bielik, M., Bezák, V., and Godová, D.: Crustal structure beneath the Nógrád-Gömör Volcanic Field from 3D density modelling, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-11855, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-11855, 2023.

X2.191
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EGU23-14956
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ECS
Lin Wang, WanYin Wang, and YiMi Zhang

The Beibu-Gulf Basin is one of the important petroleum-bearing basins in offshore South China Sea. Decades of exploration has found great petroleum resource potential in it, but the overall petroleum geological reserves level is not very high when it comes to specific structure unit. Traditional petroleum exploration was concentrated on the shallower sediment geological conditions, however some studies have shown that there is a close relationship between petroleum resources and deep earth structures, especially the Moho interface or the crust. In this abstract we calculated the depth of Moho interface in Beibu Gulf Basin by dual-interface fast inversion algorithm and the thickness of crust with satellite potential field data. It shows that the depth of Moho shallows from the land to sea area and reaches its highest value up to 46.5 km in the northwest land area, while there is an obviously uplift in the southwest Yinggehai Basin in which the depth only comes to 12.7 km, and ranges greatly from different sags in Beibu Gulf Basin. Based on these results, we researched the quantitative relationship between the distribution of petroleum-rich sags and the fluctuation deviation of Moho depth and its horizontal gradient, together with the stretch factor of crust. We also found that there is a strong correlation among the uplift zone of the Moho or the thinning area of crust (stretch factor>1.0) and the oil and gas sources or gathering places, which will produce a beneficial temperature, pressure, chemistry as well as structure condition for organic matter to form oil and gas. So this research will offer a perspective about the controlling mechanism of the differential distribution in petroleum-rich sags due to the deep earth structure, and help for the further selection of target areas in Beibu Gulf Basin.

How to cite: Wang, L., Wang, W., and Zhang, Y.: Study of the Moho interface and its controlling mechanism on petroleum-rich sag in Beibu Gulf Basin by satellite potential field data, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14956, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14956, 2023.

Posters virtual: Mon, 24 Apr, 14:00–15:45 | vHall GMPV/G/GD/SM

Chairpersons: Alexey Shulgin, Ehsan Qorbani Chegeni, Xiaoqing Zhang
vGGGS.31
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EGU23-6029
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ECS
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Priyank Pathak, William Kumar Mohanty, and Prakash Kumar

At the beginning of the Cretaceous period, India and Antarctica started breaking apart. There were major changes to the seafloor in the Bay of Bengal (BOB) and geodynamic processes after this episode. Therefore, it is interesting to detailed understanding of the tectonics of the BOB. The BOB is surrounded by Bangladesh to the north, the Andaman-Sumatra arc to the east, and the eastern coast of India to the west. Bouguer gravity anomaly, elevation, and sediment thickness data are used in this study to determine the gravity Moho and Isostatic Moho topography of the BOB. The gravity effects of sediments are calculated by using the recent GlobSed model. Gravity Moho is derived from the inversion of sediments corrected gravity data using the Parker‐Oldenburg method. Generally, it is observed that the thin crust is associated with the BOB while the thicker crust is associated with two aseismic ridges: Ninetyeast and 85°E ridges, situated in the eastern and central parts of BOB, respectively. This suggests that these ridges may have formed due to the interaction of the plume-spreading centre. The thick depressed crust beneath the northernmost part of BOB, implies that it is due to a load of sediments, and abrupt ~12 km deepening of gravity Moho from eastern BOB (Sumatra trench) to Andaman Arc. The consequences of the difference between gravity and isostatic Moho for the isostatic state of the crust are examined in order to understand the geodynamics of the study area. The isostatic analysis of crust, which takes into account the difference between the two types of Moho, shows that all of the regions except for the north of Bengal fan, Ninetyeast ridge, and southern region of 85°E ridge are compensated. The Moho of the Andaman Arc and the north of Bengal fan, are overcompensated, which should be uplifted, while the Moho of the Sumatra trench, Ninetyeast ridge, and the southern region of 85°E ridge become depressed. In order to make isostatic compensation of the region, an additional upper mantle density variation between 47 to 62 kg/m3 has to be added. This implies an additional compensation mass is needed under the Ninetyeast ridge and the southern region of 85°E ridge is 47 kg/m3 and 56 kg/m3, respectively, for providing isostatic equilibrium.

How to cite: Pathak, P., Kumar Mohanty, W., and Kumar, P.: Estimation of the Moho depth in the Bay of Bengal using gravity data and understanding of its tectonic implications, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-6029, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-6029, 2023.