Crustal Deformation in Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis Constrained by Ambient Noise Tomography

Abstract

ABSTRACT As the leading edge of the Indian–Asian collision, the eastern Himalayan syntaxis region has experienced extensive tectonic activities, resulting in complex crustal uplift and deformation in the corner area of the southeastern pathway for the extrusion of Tibetan plateau materials. Despite considerable efforts, the corresponding deformation mechanisms remain uncertain. This study presents a new 3D high-resolution azimuthal anisotropic shear-wave velocity model in the crust and uppermost mantle derived from ambient noise dispersion data. Results show that the upper crustal anisotropy aligns with the geological boundaries and major faults nearby, suggesting shape-preferred orientations. The upper crustal low velocity and weak anisotropy beneath the core of the eastern Himalayan syntaxis (EHS) are closely associated with the high fragmentation of shallow rocks and the upwelling of hot materials during the ongoing subduction of the Indian plate. Our model also reveals relatively complex anisotropic patterns in the midlower crust. The eastern Lhasa terrane, in particular, exhibits low velocity and strong anisotropy with a northwest–southeast-oriented fast axis, supporting the local scale midlower crustal “channel flow” model. In addition, a conspicuous, elongated low-velocity zone along the northwest–southeast direction is observed in the midlower crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Bangong–Nujiang suture. The anisotropy in this region increases with depth, and the fast directions are consistently parallel to the northeast subduction of the Indian plate. We infer that this low-velocity zone may result from partial melting under local compression driven by the Indian–Asian collision. On the basis of newly revealed anisotropic model and previous studies, we construct a new dynamic model, which reveals that the migration of mechanically weak material in the midlower crust and the significant contribution of the northeast subduction of the Indian plate jointly control the crustal deformation of the EHS region.