High resolution Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomography in northern North China

This study presents the Rayleigh wave phase velocity tomographic results in northern North China. The data are from 190 broad-band and 10 very broad-band stations of the North China Seismic Array and 50 permanent stations nearby. All available teleseismic vertical component time-series are used to extract the phase velocity dispersion curves of the fundamental mode Rayleigh wave by interstation method. Tomographic maps are obtained at periods of 10, 15, 25 and 60 s with a grid spacing of 0.25 degrees x 0.25 degrees. The short-period phase velocity maps show good correlation with the geological and tectonic features. To be specific, lower velocities correspond to North China Basin and depression area whereas higher velocities are associated with Taihangshan and Yanshan uplifts. At 25 s, there are obvious low-velocity anomalies in Jizhong depression and BeijingTianjinTangshan region, indicating that ascendant low velocity channel may be formed beneath these areas and induce the velocity difference in the upper crust. The phase velocity map at 60 s reflects the upper-mantle information in the study area. High-velocity anomalies are observed at Yanshan blocks north to ZhangjiakouBohai seismic belt, suggesting that the materials are stable beneath these areas or the asthenosphere is at deeper location. Low-velocity anomalies are mainly south to the seismic belt, implying the asthenosphere is shallower and the materials are transformed by the open stretching rift trending NNE, resulting in many NNE-directed fault belts. These structural differences at depth may be controlled by the fault activity and strong tectonic movements.