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Global variation of body‐wave attenuation in the upper mantle from teleseismic P wave and S wave spectra
Author(s) -
Hwang Y. K.,
Ritsema J.,
Goes S.
Publication year - 2011
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 - 10.1029/2011gl046812
Subject(s) - attenuation , geology , mantle (geology) , seismology , s wave , p wave , surface wave , spectral line , geophysics , shear (geology) , physics , optics , petrology , medicine , astronomy , cardiology , atrial fibrillation
We constrain the spatial variation of P‐wave ( t P *) and S‐wave ( t S *) attenuation by inverting 190,000 teleseismic P‐ and S‐wave spectra up to 0.8 Hz. These spectra are derived from 250 deep earthquakes recorded at 880 broadband global and regional network stations. The variance and ratios of t P * and t S * values are consistent with PREM's upper mantle velocity and Q structures and conventional t P * and t S * values. High attenuation is resolved beneath stations in tectonically active regions characterized by high heat flow. Low attenuation marks stable continental regions. The maps of t P * and t S * correlate well with the variations of t S * computed and inferred from (1) the most recent surface‐wave Q model and (2) a thermal interpretation of shear‐wave velocity tomography. This indicates that maps of body‐ and surface‐wave attenuation reflect intrinsic attenuation and variable temperature in the mantle.