Low velocity crustal flow and crust–mantle coupling mechanism in Yunnan, SE Tibet, revealed by 3D S-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy

• We built a 3D S-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy model in SE Tibet.
• We found two crustal low-V channels, which support the crust flow model.
• We revealed complex crust–mantle coupling mechanisms in SE Tibet.

We used teleseismic data recorded by a permanent seismic network in Yunnan, SE Tibet, and measured the interstation Rayleigh wave phase velocity between 10 and 60 s. A two-step inversion scheme was used to invert for the 3D S-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy structure of 10–110 km. The results show that there are two low velocity channels between depths of 20–30 km in Yunnan and that the fast axes are sub-parallel to the strikes of the low velocity channels, which supports the crustal flow model. The azimuthal anisotropy pattern is quite complicated and reveals a complex crust–mantle coupling mechanism in Yunnan. The N–S trending Lüzhijiang Fault separates the Dianzhong Block into two parts. In the western Dianzhong Block, the fast axis of the S-wave changes with depth, which indicates that the crust and the lithospheric mantle are decoupled. In the eastern Dianzhong Block and the western Yangtze Craton, the crust and the lithospheric mantle may be decoupled because of crustal flow, despite a coherent S-wave fast axis at depths of 10–110 km. In addition, the difference between the S-wave fast axis in the lithosphere and the SKS splitting measurement suggests that the lithosphere and the upper mantle are decoupled there. In the Baoshan Block, the stratified anisotropic pattern suggests that the crust and the upper mantle are decoupled.