Hybrid local and teleseismic P-wave tomography in North Tanzania: role of inherited structures and magmatism on continental rifting

While local earthquake tomography is typically used to image the crust, this technique has restricted depth penetration due to short receiver-source distances. Regional tomography however aims to image the upper mantle from teleseismic events but suffers from poor resolution from 0 down to 40 km depth. We present here a hybrid method that combines the two approaches taking advantage of the short-wavelength resolution within the crust to better constrain the ray path at depth, and thus to improve the lithospheric imaging. Using this new method enhances the continuity or disruption of mantle anomalies towards the surface. Such hybrid tomographic images of crust-to-upper mantle structures are then critical to understand the relation and interplay between the thermal and mechanical lithospheric processes and the role in the localization of the deformation at the surface. We apply our approach to the North Tanzanian Divergence (NTD), where those processes interact with a cold cratonic lithosphere. Our new tomographic images clearly demonstrate the impact of deep-seated processes on surface features. First, strong lateral velocity anomalies and clustered seismicity in the crust are consistent with the surface geology of the NTD (rifted basins, volcanoes and border faults). Then, at a lithospheric scale, the velocity distribution highlights the major role of inherited structures in guiding the rift opening. In particular, our study suggests a strong influence of the Masai cratonic block, south of the NTD, in the rift evolution. The transition from the north-south axial valley into three diverging rift arms (Eyasi, Natron-Manyara and Pangani) is likely due to the change in rheology and to the presence of magma along inherited sutures between the craton and the mobile belts.

Automated summary

The newly proposed hybrid seismic tomography method combines imaging techniques of the crust and upper mantle, aiding in a better understanding of the relationship between Earth's internal structure and lithospheric processes. By applying this method, researchers are able to more clearly observe the response of surface features to deep-seated geological processes.