Crustal seismic structure beneath the source area of the Columbia River flood basalt: Bifurcation of the Moho driven by lithosphere delamination

Abstract

The source area of the ~16 Ma Columbia River flood basalt eruptions originated beneath the Wallowa Mountains in northeast Oregon, with a distinct circular pattern of topographic uplift. Teleseismic receiver functions reveal two layers between latitude 45.5° and 46.5° beneath north of the Wallowas, one at 25 km depth and the other one at 45 km depth. A new full-wave ambient noise tomography model shows a circular anomaly, which is seismically fast in the upper crust and slow from lower crust to uppermost mantle in comparison with the surroundings, coincident with the circular pattern of the Wallowas. The seismic structures suggest that delamination of the Farallon lithosphere initiated the basalt eruptions and, consequently, modified the lowermost crust, forming a new shallow Moho. The Farallon slab is probably detached directly beneath the Wallowas while being maintained at the northern edge of the Wallowas, corresponding to the deeper interface. Key Points Teleseismic receiver functions are highly complex and azimuthally varying Bifurcating Moho is detected north of the Columbia River basalt eruptions Lithosphere delamination triggered the basalt eruptions and modified the lower crust.