The upper mantle (2)

This lecture is devoted to the various observations of seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle and their dynamic interpretation :

1. global seismic tomography describing recent results on the distribution of polarization anisotropy and azimuthal anisotropy ;
2. observation of the birefringence of SKS waves (shear waves that pass through the liquid core as compressional waves and are sensitive to anisotropy in the upper mantle on the side of the observation station), complemented by measurements on other seismic waves involved in the study of subduction zone dynamics.

To learn more about anistropy in the upper mantle :

Books on seismic anistropy

Babuska, V. and M. Cara (1991) Seismic Anisotropy in the Earth, coll. "Modern Approaches in Geophysics", Dordrecht, Springer Netherlands, 10.

Journal articles

Karato, S., H. Jung, I. Katayama and P. Skemer (2008) "Geodynamic Significance of Seismic Anisotropy of the Upper Mantle: New Insights from Laboratory Studies", Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 36, 59-95.

Long, M. (2013) "Constraints on subduction geodynamics from seismic anisotropy", Rev. Geophys., 51, 76- 112.

Maupin, V. and J. Park (2015) "Theory and Observations-Seismic Anisotropy", Treatise on Geophysics, Vol. 1, B. Romanowicz and A. M. Dziewonski, Editors, Elsevier Publ. chap 1.09.

Montagner, J. P. (2015) "Deep Earth Structure: Upper mantle structure: Global isotropic and anisotropic elastic tomography", Treatise on Geophysics, Vol. 1, B. Romanowicz and A. M. Dziewonski, Editors, Elsevier Publ. chap 1.19.

Mainprice, D. (2015) "Seismic Anisotropy of the Deep Earth from a Mineral and Rock Physics Perspective", Treatise on Geophysics, Vol 2. eds. G. D. Price and L. Stixrude, chap 2.20.