Horizontal layered structure with heterogeneity beneath continents and island arcs from particle orbits of long-period P waves

Abstract

We investigate the particle orbits of long-period (about 20 s) P waves observed with the global seismic network. By analysing 84 three-component seismograms recorded at 25 stations from 60 earthquakes occurring beneath 300 km, we quantitatively evaluate the orbits by three sets of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, using a covariance matrix method. The eigenvalues for P waves recorded at stations located on continents are explained by the standard horizontal layered structure model (iasp91). On the other hand, the orbits observed at stations close to island arcs are affected not only by the horizontal layered structure but also by heterogeneity due to subducting plates, mantle diapirs and so on. On the basis of a single-scattering model for a plane P wave, we quantify the heterogeneities by an isotropic scattering coefficient g0. Fitting the theoretical eigenvalues to the observed ones, we estimate g0 for the crust and upper mantle beneath continents to be less than 0.0005 km-1, and the mean g0 for the structure beneath island arcs to be about 0.0015 to 0.003 km-1.