Complex pattern of seismic anisotropy beneath the Iranian plateau and Zagros

• We performed shear wave splitting analyses on core-refracted teleseismic shear waveforms from 150 broad-bandstations across the Iranian plateau and Zagros to investigate seismic anisotropy in the region. Seismic anisotropyis quantified by shear-wave splitting parameters, i.e. fast polarization direction and split delay time.Our measurements revealed a complex pattern of splitting parameters with variations in the trend and strength ofanisotropy across the tectonic boundaries. This complex pattern implies that a system of simple asthenosphericflow related to the absolute plate motion cannot alone explain our observations and that the lithosphere also hasa significant contribution in many parts. We compare our results to the surface deformation and velocity fieldsinferred from geodetic measurements to assess the role of the mantle in continental deformation. The rotationalpattern of the fast directions around the collision zone in Central Zagros may indicate the presence of a mantleflow around a continental keel beneath the Zagros. The agreement between the crustal and mantle deformationfield in Central Iran implies a vertically coherent deformation in this region, whereas the azimuthal variations insplitting parameters in the collision zone may suggest multi-layered anisotropy with different contributions fromthe crust and mantle.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Hållbar stadsutveckling

Sustainable Urban Development

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