A regional test of global models for flow, rheology, and seismic anisotropy at the base of the mantle

The study of flow patterns and seismic anisotropy in the lowermost mantle is fraught with uncertainties, given the limitations in our understanding of the physical properties of the lowermost mantle and the relationships between deformation and anisotropy. Here we use a set of SKS, SKKS, and ScS splitting measurements that sample the eastern edge of the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province to test predictions of seismic anisotropy derived from previously published 3D global mantle flow models and anisotropy modeling (Walker et al., 2011). The observations can be fit by a model that invokes flow directed to the southwest with a component of downwelling in our study region, and slip that occurs along the (0 1 0) plane of post-perovskite. Most importantly, we demonstrate the ability of a regional shear wave splitting data set to test the robustness of models for flow and deformation in the lowermost mantle. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.