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Seismic evidence for a 1000 km mantle discontinuity under the Pacific

Author

Listed:
  • Zhendong Zhang

    (Princeton University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Jessica C. E. Irving

    (University of Bristol)

  • Frederik J. Simons

    (Princeton University)

  • Tariq Alkhalifah

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Seismic discontinuities in the mantle are indicators of its thermo-chemical state and offer clues to its dynamics. Ray-based seismic methods, though limited by the approximations made, have mapped mantle transition zone discontinuities in detail, but have yet to offer definitive conclusions on the presence and nature of mid-mantle discontinuities. Here, we show how to use a wave-equation-based imaging method, reverse-time migration of precursors to surface-reflected seismic body waves, to uncover both mantle transition zone and mid-mantle discontinuities, and interpret their physical nature. We observe a thinned mantle transition zone southeast of Hawaii, and a reduction in impedance contrast around 410 km depth in the same area, suggesting a hotter-than-average mantle in the region. Here, we furthermore reveal a 4000–5000 km-wide reflector in new images of the mid mantle below the central Pacific, at 950–1050 km depth. This deep discontinuity exhibits strong topography and generates reflections with polarity opposite to those originating at the 660 km discontinuity, implying an impedance reversal near 1000 km. We link this mid-mantle discontinuity to the upper reaches of deflected mantle plumes upwelling in the region. Reverse-time migration full-waveform imaging is a powerful approach to imaging Earth’s interior, capable of broadening our understanding of its structure and dynamics and shrinking modeling uncertainties.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhendong Zhang & Jessica C. E. Irving & Frederik J. Simons & Tariq Alkhalifah, 2023. "Seismic evidence for a 1000 km mantle discontinuity under the Pacific," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37067-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37067-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scott W. French & Barbara Romanowicz, 2015. "Broad plumes rooted at the base of the Earth's mantle beneath major hotspots," Nature, Nature, vol. 525(7567), pages 95-99, September.
    2. A. W. Hofmann, 1997. "Mantle geochemistry: the message from oceanic volcanism," Nature, Nature, vol. 385(6613), pages 219-229, January.
    3. Chunquan Yu & Elizabeth A. Day & Maarten V. de Hoop & Michel Campillo & Saskia Goes & Rachel A. Blythe & Robert D. van der Hilst, 2018. "Compositional heterogeneity near the base of the mantle transition zone beneath Hawaii," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
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