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    Absolute plate velocities from seismic anisotropy: Importance of correlated errors

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    Author
    Zheng, Lin; Gordon, Richard G.; Kreemer, Corné
    Date
    2014
    Abstract
    The errors in plate motion azimuths inferred from shear wave splitting beneath any one tectonic plate are shown to be correlated with the errors of other azimuths from the same plate. To account for these correlations, we adopt a two-tier analysis: First, find the pole of rotation and confidence limits for each plate individually. Second, solve for the best fit to these poles while constraining relative plate angular velocities to consistency with the MORVEL relative plate angular velocities. Our preferred set of angular velocities, SKS-MORVEL, is determined from the poles from eight plates weighted proportionally to the root-mean-square velocity of each plate. SKS-MORVEL indicates that eight plates (Amur, Antarctica, Caribbean, Eurasia, Lwandle, Somalia, Sundaland, and Yangtze) have angular velocities that differ insignificantly from zero. The net rotation of the lithosphere is 0.25 ± 0.11° Ma−1 (95% confidence limits) right handed about 57.1°S, 68.6°E. The within-plate dispersion of seismic anisotropy for oceanic lithosphere (σ = 19.2°) differs insignificantly from that for continental lithosphere (σ = 21.6°). The between-plate dispersion, however, is significantly smaller for oceanic lithosphere (σ = 7.4°) than for continental lithosphere (σ = 14.7°). Two of the slowest-moving plates, Antarctica (vRMS = 4 mm a−1, σ = 29°) and Eurasia (vRMS = 3 mm a−1, σ = 33°), have two of the largest within-plate dispersions, which may indicate that a plate must move faster than ≈ 5 mm a−1 to result in seismic anisotropy useful for estimating plate motion. The tendency of observed azimuths on the Arabia plate to be counterclockwise of plate motion may provide information about the direction and amplitude of superposed asthenospheric flow or about anisotropy in the lithospheric mantle.
    Citation
    Zheng, Lin, Gordon, Richard G. and Kreemer, Corné. "Absolute plate velocities from seismic anisotropy: Importance of correlated errors." Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 119, no. 9 (2014) American Geophysical Union: 7336-7352. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013JB010902.
    Published Version
    http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2013JB010902
    Keyword
    seismic anisotropy; absolute plate motion; correlated errors; asthenosphere
    Type
    Journal article
    Publisher
    American Geophysical Union
    Citable link to this page
    https://hdl.handle.net/1911/77667
    Rights
    Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
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    • Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Publications [232]
    • Faculty Publications [4990]

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    Home | FAQ | Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Accessibility Statement
    Managed by the Digital Scholarship Services at Fondren Library, Rice University
    Physical Address: 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005
    Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O.BOX 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892
    Site Map