Seismic Anisotropy of the Deep Earth from a Mineral and Rock Physics Perspective

David Mainprice (1)

1 Géosciences Montpellier

The seismic anisotropy of the deep Earth is reviewed as a profile from the upper mantle to the solid inner core at the centre of the Earth. The upper mantle is by far the most anisotropic region of the Earth, followed the D” layer above the core mantle boundary. In contrast it is shown that many minerals that are present in the upper mantle, transition zone, lower mantle, D” layer and solid inner core are elastically anisotropic to different degrees. The anisotropy of hydrous phases present in subduction zones is briefly introduced. The basic concepts of single crystal and polycrystalline elasticity and the extrapolation of elastic properties to high temperature and pressure are presented. The specific features of elastic wave propagation in an anisotropic medium of any arbitrary symmetry are illustrated using mantle and inner core phases. The roles of crystal preferred orientation, water and melt in producing seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle are discussed.

Mots clés: Geodynamics; Mantle; Core; Elasticity; Wave propagation; Seismic anisotropy; Plasticity

Domaines: Géophysique [physics.geo-ph]

David Mainprice. Seismic Anisotropy of the Deep Earth from a Mineral and Rock Physics Perspective. Treatise on Geophysics, 2, Elsevier, pp.437-491, 2007, Mineral Physics, ⟨10.1016/B978-044452748-6.00045-6⟩. ⟨hal-00408321⟩