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Slab detachment under the Eastern Alps seen by seismic anisotropy
Ehsan Qorbani1, Irene Bianchi1, Götz Bokelmann1
1Department of Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Vienna, Austria.
Seismic anisotropy in the Eastern Alps reveals a distinct change in shear-wave splitting patterns. A two-layer anisotropy model suggests a detached European plate slab in the east, influencing asthenospheric flow.
Area of Science:
- Geophysics
- Seismology
- Tectonics
Background:
- Seismic anisotropy studies in the Western Alps show a consistent mountain-chain-parallel fast orientation.
- The Eastern Alps present a complex anisotropic character, particularly at the transition to the Carpathian-Pannonian region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze seismic anisotropy in the Eastern Alps using shear-wave splitting.
- To investigate the transition of anisotropy patterns from west to east and its relation to tectonic structures.
Main Methods:
- Shear-wave splitting analysis of SKS and SKKS seismic phases.
- Modeling backazimuthal variations to infer vertical changes in anisotropy.
Main Results:
- A significant lateral change in anisotropy patterns occurs east of 12°E.
- The eastern Eastern Alps exhibit two anisotropic layers: a deeper layer with SW-NE fast orientations (linked to a detached slab) and an upper layer with NW-SE fast orientations (linked to asthenospheric flow).
Conclusions:
- The deeper anisotropic layer is likely a detached European plate slab, potentially connecting to the lithosphere and a slab graveyard.
- The upper layer's anisotropy indicates asthenospheric flow above the foundering slab, explaining the breakdown of the previously observed pattern.
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