Azimuthal anisotropy of the Pacific region

Azimuthal anisotropy is the dependence of local seismic properties on the azimuth of propagation. We present the azimuthally anisotropic component of a 3D SV velocity model for the Pacific Ocean, derived from the waveform modeling of over 56,000 multi-mode Rayleigh waves followed by a simultaneous inversion for isotropic and azimuthally anisotropic vsv structure. The isotropic vsv model is discussed in a previous paper (A. Maggi, E. Debayle, K. Priestley, G. Barruol, Multi-mode surface waveform tomography of the Pacific Ocean: a close look at the lithospheric cooling signature, Geophys. J. Int. 166 (3) (2006). http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.2006.03037.x). The azimuthal anisotropy we find is consistent with the lattice preferred orientation model (LPO): the hypothesis of anisotropy generation in the Earth's mantle by preferential alignment of anisotropic crystals in response to the shear strains induced by mantle flow. At lithospheric depths we find good agreement between fast azimuthal anisotropy orientations and ridge spreading directions recorded by sea-floor magnetic anomalies. At asthenospheric depths we find a strong correlation between fast azimuthal anisotropy orientations and the directions of current plate motions. We observe perturbations in the pattern of seismic anisotropy close to Pacific hot-spots that are consistent with the predictions of numerical models of LPO generation in plume-disturbed plate motion-driven mantle flow. These observations suggest that perturbations in the patterns of azimuthal anisotropy may provide indirect evidence for plume-like upwelling in the mantle.