Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle

Details Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle

Feb 1995

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995rvgeo..33....1r&link_type=abstract

Reviews of Geophysics (ISSN 8755-1209), vol. 33, no. 1, p. 1-66

Physics

Geophysics

56

Earth Mantle, Elastic Properties, Seismology, Surface Waves, Three Dimensional Models, Topography, Discontinuity, Distance, Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Tomography, Waves

Scientific paper

The purpose of this paper is to characterize and compare quantitatively a set of three-dimensional models of the elastic structure of the Earth, to assess their similarities and differences, and to analyze their fit to one class of data in order to highlight fruitful directions for future research. The aspherical models considered are the following: M84C (Woodhouse and Dziewonski, 1984), LO2.56 (Dziewonski, 1984), MDLSH (Tanimoto, 1990a), SH.10c.17 (Masters et al., 1992), and S12_WM13 (Su et al, 1994). The fit of each model to previously tabulated even degree normal mode structure coefficients taken from Smith and Masters (1989a) and Ritzwoller et al. (1988) for multiplets along the normal mode fundamental and first, second, and fifth overtone branches is also presented. Rather than concentrating on detailed comparisons of specific features of the models, analyses of these models are general and statistical in nature. In particular, we focus on a comparison of the amplitude and the radial and geographical distribution of heterogeneity in each model and how variations in each affect the fit to the normal mode observations. In general, the results of the comparisons between the models are encouraging, especially with respect to the geographical distribution of heterogeneity and in the fit to the normal mode data sensitive to the upper mantle and lower-most lower mantle. There remain, however, significant discrepancies in amplitude and in the radial distribution of heterogeneity, especially near the top of the upper mantle and near the top of the lower mantle. The confident use of these models to constrain compositional and dynamical information about the mantle will await the resolution of these discrepancies. The factors that may be responsoble for the differences in the models and/or for the misfit between the observed and predicted normal mode data are divided into two types: intrinsic (or procedural) and extrinsic (or structural). We discuss only three extrinsic factors at length here, including errors in the reference crustal models, unmodeled topography on discontinuities in the interior of the mantle, and errors in the assumed relationships between shear (v(sub s)) and compressional (v(sup p)) heterogeneity.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Three-dimensional seismic models of the Earth's mantle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1824636