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2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Receiver function imaging of high-resolution seismic discontinuity structure in the crust and the mantle beneath the Japan Islands

Research Project

Project/Area Number 14340131
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field 固体地球物理学
Research InstitutionNagoya University

Principal Investigator

HIRAHARA Kazuro  Nagoya University, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Professor, 大学院・環境学研究科, 教授 (40165197)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) SHIBUTANI Takuo  Kyoto University, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Associate Professor, 防災研究所, 助教授 (70187417)
FURUMURA Takashi  University of Tokyo, Earthquake Research Institute, Associate Professor, 地震研究所, 助教授 (80241404)
TADOKORO Keiichi  Nagoya University, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Researcher, 大学院・環境学研究科, 助手 (70324390)
Project Period (FY) 2002 – 2004
KeywordsReceiver Function / Seismic Velocity Discontinuities / Moho Discontinuity / Slab / 410 km Velocity Discontinuity / 660km Velocity Discontinuity / Stagnant Slab / S to P Converted Wave
Research Abstract

We migrate the receiver functions(RFs) observed at high-density short and broad-band seismic stations (J-array, Hi-net and F-net) to investigate the seismic velocity discontinuity structure in the crust and the upper mantle beneath the Japan Islands.
For the crust and the uppermost mantle structure, we use short-period RFs. In the Chugoku and Kinki region in southwest Japan where the stations are closely installed, we can recognize positive RF amplitudes corresponding to P-S converted phases at the velocity discontinuity between the upper and lower crust and the Moho discontinuity. The positive RF amplitudes corresponding to the oceanic Moho above the subducting Philippine Sea(PHS) plate are clearly traced down to a depth of 100 km. Comparison of the RFs with deep seismicity shows that the earthquakes in the oceanic crust and in the slab occur down to a depth of 40-60km and the PHS has the deeper aseismic portion.
In the northeast Japan, we can successfully catch the slab layering struct … More ure. Namely, we can clearly image the top of the subducting Pacific slab, the oceanic Moho and surprisingly the bottom of the slab. And the RFs suggest the existence of seismic discontinuity structure corresponding to the lower seismic zone in the double seismic zone. These new findings impose strong constraints on the thermal structure and the material composition in and around the subducting slab.
For the deep discontinuity structure in the upper mantle, we use the data from broadband seismic stations. The 410 km discontinuity seems to be fiat except for the inside of the slab, where the 410 is elevated locally by 30 km. The 660 is gradually inclined toward the west, which depression is caused by the cold stagnant slab. In addition, examination of frequency dependence of RF amplitudes corresponding to 410 and 660 km shows that RFs in the Japan Islands has different frequency appearance comparing to those in the Korea, suggesting that there exists different amount of water in the upper mantle beneath the Japan Islands and the Korea. Less

  • Research Products

    (3 results)

All 2005 2003

All Journal Article (3 results)

  • [Journal Article] Detailed structure of the upper mantle discontinuities around the Japan subduction zone imaged by receiver function analyses2005

    • Author(s)
      Tonegawa, T., K.Hirahara, T.Shibutani
    • Journal Title

      Earth, Planets and Space 57

      Pages: 5-14

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] High resolution receiver function imaging of the seismic discontinuities in the crust and the uppermost mantle beneath southwest Japan2003

    • Author(s)
      Yamauchi, M., K.Hirahara, T.Shibutani
    • Journal Title

      Earth, Planet and Space 55

      Pages: 59-64

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] High resolution receiver function imaging of the seismic discontinuities in the crust and the uppermost mantle beneath southwest Japan2003

    • Author(s)
      Yamauchi, M., K.Hirahara, T.Shibutani
    • Journal Title

      Earth, Planets and Space 55

      Pages: 59-64

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より

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Published: 2006-07-11  

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