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Imaging the Indian subcontinent beneath the Himalaya
Vera Schulte-Pelkum1, Gaspar Monsalve, Anne Sheehan
1Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0399, USA. vera.schulte-pelkum@colorado.edu
Nature
|July 1, 2005
Summary
Researchers imaged the Indian plate beneath the Himalaya, revealing its decollement and Moho. Seismic anisotropy develops above the decollement, and a high-velocity region in the lower crust suggests eclogite formation, impacting Tibetan plateau dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Tectonics
- Seismology
Background:
- The Indian subcontinent's crust plunges beneath the Himalaya and Tibetan plateau.
- Surface observations in Tibet are modified by Himalayan geological processes.
- The geometry of the Indian plate within the Himalaya remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To image the decollement and Moho beneath the Himalaya.
- To understand the geometry of the Indian plate's dismantling process.
- To investigate crustal properties and their influence on the Tibetan plateau.
Main Methods:
- Seismic reflection profiling to image subsurface structures.
- Analysis of seismic data to identify the decollement and Moho.
- Interpretation of seismic velocity and anisotropy.
Main Results:
- Direct seismic images of the decollement and Moho beneath the Himalaya were obtained.
- Strong seismic anisotropy was observed above the decollement, linked to shear processes and earthquakes.
- A high-velocity region in the lower Indian crust, indicative of eclogite, was identified north of the Himalaya.
Conclusions:
- The study provides unprecedented imaging of the Indian plate's underthrusting geometry.
- Seismic anisotropy and eclogite formation are key factors influencing Himalayan tectonics and Tibetan plateau dynamics.
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