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Mapping the Hawaiian plume conduit with converted seismic waves
Nature
|July 6, 2000
Summary
Seismic data reveal a deep mantle plume beneath Hawaii, evidenced by low shear-wave velocity in the upper mantle and a thinned transition zone. This suggests a hotter, lower-mantle origin for the Hawaiian plume.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Seismology
- Mantle dynamics
Background:
- The Hawaiian islands are thought to form from oceanic lithosphere moving over a mantle hotspot.
- Geochemical and gravity data suggest a thermal plume, but direct seismic evidence is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide direct seismic evidence for the Hawaiian mantle plume.
- To investigate the structure and thermal state of the upper mantle beneath Hawaii.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of compressional-to-shear (P-to-S) seismic converted phases.
- Recording seismic data on seismograph stations across the Hawaiian islands.
Main Results:
- Identified a zone of very low shear-wave velocity (< 4 km/s) from 130-140 km depth beneath Hawaii.
- Observed thinning of the upper-mantle transition zone (410-660 km) south-southwest of Hawaii.
- Estimated an excess temperature of ~300°C in the asthenosphere and a ~100°C higher temperature for the Hawaiian plume compared to the Iceland plume.
Conclusions:
- The seismic observations support the existence of the Hawaiian plume conduit in the asthenosphere and mantle transition zone.
- The significant thinning of the transition zone suggests a lower-mantle origin for the Hawaiian plume, similar to the Iceland plume.
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