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Shear velocity structure beneath the central U nited S tates: implications for the origin of the I llinois B asin and intraplate seismicity
Author(s) -
Chen Chen,
Gilbert Hersh,
Andronicos Christopher,
Hamburger Michael W.,
Larson Timothy,
Marshak Stephen,
Pavlis Gary L.,
Yang Xiaotao
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.928
H-Index - 136
ISSN - 1525-2027
DOI - 10.1002/2015gc006206
Subject(s) - geology , intraplate earthquake , rift , crust , shear zone , seismology , lithosphere , mantle (geology) , shear (geology) , structural basin , petrology , tectonics , geophysics , geomorphology
We present new estimates of lithospheric shear velocities for the intraplate seismic zones and the Illinois Basin in the U.S. midcontinent by analyzing teleseismic Rayleigh waves. We find that relatively high crustal shear velocities ( V S ) characterize the southern Illinois Basin, while relatively low crustal velocities characterize the middle and lower crust of the central and northern Illinois Basin. The observed high crustal velocities may correspond to high‐density mafic intrusions emplaced into the crust during the development of the Reelfoot Rift, which may have contributed to the subsidence of the Illinois Basin. The low crustal V S beneath the central and northern basin follow the La Salle deformation belt. We also observe relatively low velocities in the mantle beneath the New Madrid seismic zone where V S decreases by about 7% compared to those outside of the rift. The low V S in the upper mantle also extends beneath the Wabash Valley and Ste. Genevieve seismic zones. Testing expected V S reductions based on plausible thermal heterogeneities for the midcontinent indicates that the 7% velocity reduction would not result from elevated temperatures alone. Instead this scale of anomaly requires a contribution from some combination of increased iron and water content. Both rifting and interaction with a mantle plume could introduce these compositional heterogeneities. Similar orientations for the NE‐SW low‐velocity zone and the Reelfoot Rift suggest a rift origin to the reduced velocities. The low V S upper mantle represents a weak region and the intraplate seismic zones would correspond to concentrated crustal deformation above weak mantle.

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