Akira Ikami

Precise P and S wave velocity structures in the Kitakami Massif, Northern Honshu, Japan, from a seismic refraction experiment

The Kitakami massif, which is located in the eastern part of Northern Honshu, Japan, is composed of two geological units. The northern Kitakami terrane is characterized as a Jurassic accretionary complex, while the southern Kitakami terrane consists of pre-Silurian basement and Silurian-lower Cretaceous marine sediments. The boundary region of these two units, called the Hayachine tectonic belt (HTB), is composed of mafic to ultramafic rocks. The Kitakami massif experienced intense granitic intrusions in the Cretaceous. We present a detailed crustal structure model for the eastern part of the massif derived from an extensive seismic refraction experiment conducted on a 194-km N-S line. The uppermost crust is covered with a very thin (0.5–1 km) surface layer with a velocity of 3.1–5.4 km/s. The velocity structure below this layer shows remarkable lateral variation. In the northern Kitakami terrane the P wave velocity and Vp/Vs at the top of the basement are 5.85–5.95 km/s and 1.68–1.70, respectively. The seismic attenuation in this region is high (Qp = 150–200 and Qs = 70–100). In contrast, the uppermost crust in the southern Kitakami terrane is characterized by a high P wave velocity (6.05–6.15 km/s) and Vp/Vs (1.74–1.77). The Qp and Qs also show high values of 300–400 and 150–200, respectively. Such a structural difference persists to 14-to 16-km depth, at which the P wave velocity increases to 6.45 km/s. The low velocity and high attenuation in the northern Kitakami terrane represent a highly deformed structure of the accretionary complex. The high P wave velocity and Vp/Vs in the southern Kitakami terrane indicate the relatively mafic crustal composition, which may result from the fragment of the oceanic crust incorporated by the accretion process or the uplifting in the latest Jurassic-early Cretaceous. A midcrustal interface determined from wide-angle reflections shows an abrupt southward depth decrease from 25 to 20 km under the HTB. The P wave velocity and Vp/Vs between 14- and 16-km depth and the midcrustal interface are 6.45–6.55 km/s and 1.74–1.78, respectively. The Moho depth under the northern Kitakami terrane decreases southward from 34 to 32 km. In the southern Kitakami terrane the Moho dips slightly southward. The P wave velocity and the Vp/Vs ratio in the lower crust are 6.9–7.0 km/s and 1.75–1.76, respectively. The P wave velocity in the uppermost mantle is not well resolved but is probably less than 7.7 km/s. The S wave velocity derived from relatively clear Sn is 4.35–4.40 km/s. Our results show that the HTB is a prominent structural boundary extending to the Moho. The crust of Kitakami massif was not homogenized by the Cretaceous granitic intrusions, and the original structural difference remains in the upper crust.

Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure beneath Central Japan: low-velocity bodies in the wedge portion of the upper mantle above high-velocity subducting plates

Abstract The three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity structure beneath Central Japan has been investigated in detail by an inversion method. 7490 P-wave arrival times from 120 shallow and intermediate depth earthquakes that have occurred in this region are used to estimate velocity anomalies in 3-D subdivided blocks and hypocentral perturbations, simultaneously. The results reveal complex 3-D structures, with low-velocity zones in the wedge portion of the upper mantle above the high-velocity Philippine Sea and Pacific plates subducting beneath this region. Prominent low-velocity bodies exist just beneath active volcanoes, particularly in the Hida mountain range. Low-velocity bodies are spatially correlated with the low-Q zones estimated from seismic intensity data. One low-velocity body coincides with an anisotropic body detected from the study of shear-wave splitting. Dome-shaped low-velocity masses seem to represent partially melted mantle diapirs. No clear evidence on velocity contrast has been identified across the Fossa Magna, which is a tectonic boundary between Northeast and Southwest Japan.

Crustal structure in the Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica, by a two-dimensional ray approximation

Abstract Studies on the crustal and upper-mantle structure in Antarctica have been one of the major contributions to Antarctic research since the International Geophysical Year of 1957–1958. Many refraction surveys with small charge size have been conducted in Antarctica, but long-range experiments were also made in 5 regions on the margin of the Antarctic continent. In 1979–1981, the scientific program of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition was focused on the earth sciences, and in particular, an explosion seismic experiment along a long survey line was the major item during these years. An experiment along a 300 km-long line with three shots and 27 observation stations was successfully made in the northern Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica. From the analysis of travel times and the amplitude study of synthetic seismograms, the crustal structure of the northern Mizuho Plateau was determined. The depths of the Conrad and the Moho discontinuties were determined as 31 km and 42 km, respectively. The P-wave velocity and depth relation was determined as 6.0 km/s on the surface of the bedrock, 6.3 km/s at a depth of 2 km, 6.8 km/s at the Conrad and 7.9 km/s at the Moho. The velocity in the crust increases gradually. The crustal structure obtained is representative of East Antarctica.

Crustal structure of the Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica from geophysical data

Abstract Various kinds of geophysical surveys have been carried out in the Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica by the Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions (JARE). The correlation between the high-level gravity anomaly and the bedrock elevation is examined along a route where both data are sufficient to permit deriving a crustal model from gravity, radio-echo sounding and explosion seismic data. The bedrock elevation usually correlates well with the high-level gravity anomaly. However, along the traverse route S-H-Z from the Syowa to Mizuho stations, the bedrock elevation has a weak negative correlation with the high-level gravity anomaly. Such a weak negative correlation is attributed to the deeper part of the crust. The crustal structure between the Syowa and Mizuho stations is modeled from the gravimetric data and the radio-echo sounding of bedrock elevations, so as to fit the P-wave velocity structure derived from the data of explosion seismic experiments. Then the structure is extended from Syowa Station seaward across Lutzow-Holm Bay and from Mizuho Station southeastwards inland, where only gravimetric data are available. Thus, a crustal section about 600 km long is obtained on a margin of East Antarctica. The depth of the Moho increases by about 7 km from Syowa Station to the point Y200 (71° 46′S, 48° 56′E), about 500 km from the coast. A graben-like structure is obtained along the line across Lutzow-Holm Bay. This suggests that both sides of the bay are bounded by faults.

Geophysical studies of crustal structure of the Ongul Islands and the Northern Mizuho Plateau, East Antarctica

Abstract Explosion seismic experiments, gravity measurements and aeromagnetic surveys were made in the northern Mizuho Plateau including the Ongul Islands, East Antarctica, from 1979 to 1982 by the Japanese Antarctic Research Expeditions. The objective of these field operations was to determine the crustal structure along the 300 km-long oversnow traverse route between Syowa and Mizuho Stations. Three big shots were fired; at sea near Syowa Station, in an ice hole near Mizuho Station and in an ice hole between both stations. Twenty-seven temporal seismic stations were set up along the route. Gravity measurements were carried out at 30 points along this route. Aeromagnetic surveys over the area were made four times. In the seismic experiments, clear refracted waves from the Conrad (estimated depth 30 km) and the Moho (estimated depth 40 km) discontinuities were recorded. No layer with a velocity of less than 6 km/s was found in the Ongul Islands nor beneath the ice sheet in the surveyed area. The P-wave velocity in the upper layer varies with depth from 6.0 km/s on the surface to 6.4 km/s at a depth of 13 km. Comparing the observed record section with synthetic seismograms, it was derived that the Conrad was not associated with a sharp velocity discontinuity, but a linear velocity increase of 0.55 km/s in a transition zone of 2.4 km thick. Velocities of P∗ and Pn were determined as 6.95 km/s and 7.93 km/s assuming a flat layered structure. Bouguer gravity anomalies could not be calculated along the whole profile because of a lack of data on bedrock topography, so reduced gravity anomalies were calculated. These anomalies indicate no abrupt changes of the bedrock topography.