Evidence for magmatic underplating and partial melt beneath the Canary Islands derived using teleseismic receiver functions

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have focussed on resolving the internal structure of ocean island volcanoes. Traditionally, active source seismic experiments have been used to image the volcano edifice. Here we present results using the analysis of compressional to shear (P to S) converted seismic phases from teleseismic events, recorded by stations involved in an active source experiment “TOM-TEIDEVS” (Ibáñez et al., 2008), on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. We supplement this data with receiver function (RF) analysis of seismograms from the Canary Islands of Lanzarote and La Palma, applying the extended-time multitaper frequency domain cross-correlation estimation method (Helffrich, 2006). We use the neighbourhood inversion approach of Sambridge, 1999a and Sambridge, 1999b to model the RFs and our results indicate magmatic underplating exists beneath all three islands, ranging from 2 to 8 km, but showing no clear correlation with the age of the island. Beneath both La Palma and Tenerife, we find localized low velocity zones (LVZs), which we interpret as due to partial melt, supported by their correlation with the location of historical earthquakes (La Palma) and recent earthquakes (Tenerife). For Lanzarote, we do not sample the most recently volcanically active region and find no evidence for a LVZ. Instead, we find a simple gradational velocity structure, with discontinuities at ∼4, 10 and 18 km depth, in line with previous studies.

► We present new receiver function (RF) results for Tenerife.
► We apply an alternative RF technique to data from Lanzarote and La Palma.
► Our results indicate magmatic underplating beneath all three islands.
► We interpret the low velocity zones we find as due to partial melt.
► The locations of the partial melt zones coincide with both historical and recent earthquakes.