Lithospheric structure beneath the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and the western Sino-Korea Craton revealed by Rayleigh wave tomography

A new 3-D shear wave velocity model of the northeastern (NE) Tibetan Plateau and western Sino-Korea Craton is presented. The model is based on Rayleigh waves recorded at 650 portable stations deployed in the region. Interstation phase and group velocity dispersions for more than 18 000 paths were estimated using the two-station method and then inverted to produce phase velocity maps for 10-80 s period and group velocity maps for 10-60 s period. Local 1-D shear wave velocity profiles for each 0.5 degrees x 0.5 degrees grid node were obtained by inverting Rayleigh wave dispersions obtained in this study together with previously published Rayleigh wave group velocities between 60 and 145 s and then assembled into a 3-D shear wave velocity model. The images obtained reveal an obvious mid-crustal low-velocity zone (LVZ) and low-velocity anomaly in the upper mantle beneath the Songpan-Ganzi terrane. The mid-crustal LVZ can be explained by the presence of partial melting, most likely from asthenospheric upwelling. The existence of a relatively weak mid-crustal LVZ beneath the Qilian orogeny is also confirmed. This LVZ is likely caused by the presence of deep crustal fluids. The Yinchuan-Hetao graben is characterized by relatively low velocities that extend to at least 200 km below the Earth's surface, strongly contrasting with the seismically fast lithosphere of the Ordos and Alax blocks. The model presented here shows the presence of a relatively thick and high-velocity lithosphere beneath the Ordos and NE Alxa blocks, as well as evidence of thinning of the lithosphere beneath the southwestern Alxa and Qilian blocks, indicating that the Alxa block is not subducting beneath NE Tibet.