Seismic anisotropy and implications for lithospheric deformation beneath the Ordos Block and surrounding regions

Abstract

SUMMARY The Ordos Block is located at the intersection of the Tibetan Plateau, the South China Plate and the North China Craton. The deep deformation of its surrounding areas is geologically complicated. Seismic anisotropy provides information about past and present deformation of the upper mantle and helps to better understand deep deformation processes. We obtained the anisotropic pattern at high resolution within and surrounding the Ordos Block by analysing teleseismic data from ∼710 newly deployed temporary seismic stations based on SKS phases from ∼86 earthquakes. The central and eastern Ordos Block with a relatively thick and rigid lithosphere is characterized by a weak anisotropy. In the western part of the Ordos Block, the fast-wave polarization direction is dominantly NW–SE. We believe the lithosphere in the western part of the Ordos Block may have undergone significant deformation caused by expansion and compression of the Tibetan Plateau. Near the Datong Basin, the delay time is 0.92 s and the fast-wave polarization direction is mainly oriented NW–SE, perpendicular to the NE-directed compression of the Tibetan Plateau and parallel to the basin extension direction. We speculate that this anisotropy is related to the long-range effect of NE compression of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau on the low-velocity upper mantle in this area. The weak anisotropy in the central part of the Shanxi Rift indicates that the thickness and mechanical strength of the high-velocity lithosphere are higher than in the southern and northern regions.