Surface wave velocity structure of the western Himalayan syntaxis

Abstract

The Nanga Parbat Haramosh massif (NPHM) is located in the western syntaxis of the India- Eurasia collision zone and is subject to erosion rates that are so extreme as to impact the isostatic equilibrium of the massif. In order to investigate the interaction between large scale tectonic forces and local isostatic processes, we employ a Rayleigh wave tomography method to measure phase velocities within the massif and surrounding region at crust and mantle depths. Our inversion solves for phase velocity anomalies by representing perturbations in the wavefield as the interference of two plane waves. Our data set was obtained from a temporary seismic array deployed in 1996 and includes 53 teleseismic events with Mw ≥ 5.0, at periods from 20 to 79 s. Phase velocities at short periods are low, ranging from 3.2 km s-1 at 20 s, and increasing gradually to 3.5 kms-1 at 40 s. These velocities are 11 per cent lower than velocities observed in the Indian continental Plate at periods below 45 s. Above 50 s, phase velocities in the Nanga Parbat region are significantly higher, ranging from 3.7 km s-1 at 45 s to 4.0 km s-1 at 79 s. These high phase velocities above 60 s are consistent with average velocities measured within the Indian Plate. Comparison of these results with surface wave studies in other regions of the Tibetan plateau including the eastern syntaxis and central Tibet show a similar low velocity anomaly below 45 s. Phase velocities above 55 s, however, are significantly higher in the Nanga Parbat region compared to velocities reported for all other regions of the plateau. Shear wave inversions produce significantly low velocities in the upper crust of the NPHM but exceed average lithospheric velocities below the Moho. We suggest the combination of anomalously low velocities in the upper crust and high velocities at lithospheric depths is due to rapid exhumation of deep crustal material causing elevated geothermal gradients. Azimuthal anisotropy shows a NNW-SSE fast direction at 1.5 per cent peak to peak for periods from 22 to 80 s. This suggests deformation occurs at lithospheric depths, that is driven by large scale stresses of the India-Eurasia collision zone, along an axis parallel to the least principal stress direction. © The Authors 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Royal Astronomical Society.