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Upper mantle seismic anisotropy and lithospheric decoupling

Nature volume 289, pages 234–239 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

The lithosphere underlying stable continental shield regions is thought to extend to a depth of ∼200 km. Compressional wave velocity models derived from a recent approximately NS refraction profile in northern Australia include a pronounced high-velocity zone at a depth of around 200–250 km. Conventional petrological interpretations in terms of mineralogical or compositional changes cannot readily explain this feature. Calculated velocities for the garnet pyrolite model (using a derived geotherm), fit the velocities above and below this high-velocity zone, but cannot account for the high-velocity (∼8.6 km s−1) zone itself. This feature is explained in terms of velocity anisotropy, which might reflect mechanical decoupling of the continental lithosphere from the underlying mantle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, PO Box 4, Canberra, 2600, Australia

    J. H. Leven, I. Jackson & A. E. Ringwood

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  1. J. H. Leven
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  2. I. Jackson
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  3. A. E. Ringwood
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Leven, J., Jackson, I. & Ringwood, A. Upper mantle seismic anisotropy and lithospheric decoupling. Nature 289, 234–239 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289234a0

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