Seafloor borehole observatories in the Northwestern Pacific

Abstract

Seismic imaging of the Earth’s interior is useful for understanding mantle structure and dynamics from a regional to a global scale. One of the limitations of the imaging is the uneven distribution of seismic stations, specifically the lack of seafloor stations. The asymmetry and non-uniformity of the existing seismic station distribution makes high-resolution imaging of some parts of the mantle nearly impossible.