Lithospheric structure of the Antarctic region revealed by Rayleigh wave tomography

Abstract

A novel tomographic model of Rayleigh wave group velocity variations in the Antarctic region reveals significant features, related to the geological structure of the crust and upper mantle of the region. The East Antarctic craton is shown to be characterized by a thick crust and deep cold roots, whereas the West Antarctic rift system has a thin crust, and a hot thermal anomaly in the mantle under the Ross Sea. Other hot mantle anomalies are located under the Balleny and Kerguelen hot spots, and under the Bransfield Strait and Scotia Sea back arc basins. Surface wave tomography has shown to be an appropriate tool for investigating lithospheric structure in the Antarctic region, characterized by a sparse distribution of earthquakes and seismographic station.