Open AccessSurface waves image the top of the Eifel plume
Author(s) -
Mathar Jan P.,
Ritter Joachim R. R.,
Friederich Wolfgang
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2006.02835.x
Subject(s) - geology , plume , rayleigh wave , seismology , volcano , surface wave , asthenosphere , geophysics , discontinuity (linguistics) , lithosphere , tectonics , meteorology , optics , physics , mathematical analysis , mathematics
SUMMARY We obtain well‐resolved 1‐D models of the shear wave velocity v s under the Eifel region, Central Europe, from teleseismic surface waves. Using 41 temporary and permanent broad‐band stations and 30 events we determine regional and local dispersion curves from Rayleigh and Love waves. The inverted regional v s models show the asthenosphere at about 70 km depth. A subset of 35 stations, which are located close to the Quaternary Eifel volcanic fields, provide data with high resolution for a local Eifel v s model. Both, Rayleigh and Love wave models indicate an upper boundary of a low‐velocity zone (LVZ) at just 45–50 km depth. The maximum v s perturbation is about −3 per cent. We interpret this shallow LVZ as the top of the Eifel plume. Receiver functions reveal a similar depth for this seismic discontinuity, but body wave tomography could not clearly resolve the top of the Eifel plume due to smearing along subvertical ray paths. Thus our results provide an important piece of information about the small Eifel upper mantle plume.