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Structure of the Kaapvaal Craton from surface waves
Author(s) -
Freybourger Marion,
Gaherty James B.,
Jordan Thomas H.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012436
Subject(s) - craton , geology , lithosphere , seismic anisotropy , slowness , geophysics , seismology , mantle (geology) , rayleigh wave , anisotropy , seismic wave , surface wave , tectonics , physics , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Phase delays of Rayleigh and Love waves from teleseismic earthquakes recorded during the Southern Africa Seismic Experiment have been inverted for upper‐mantle seismic velocities along the propagation paths and beneath the station array. Successful models of subarray structure displayed significant radial anisotropy in the uppermost mantle but no shear‐wave low‐velocity zone, supporting the hypothesis that the lithosphere beneath the Kaapvaal craton is thick. The azimuthal variations of Rayleigh‐wave slowness are not consistent with simple models based on SKS splitting observations and anisotropy measurements of Kaapvaal mantle xenoliths. This discrepancy may imply some amount of small‐scale heterogeneity in anisotropy.