Shear-wave velocity structure of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre, New Zealand: Fast Rayleigh and slow Love waves indicate strong shallow anisotropy

Most of the measured group velocities of fundamental mode Love-waves across the TgVC are 0.1-0.4 km/s slower than those of fundamental mode Rayleigh-waves in the frequency range of 0.25-1 Hz. First-higher mode Love-waves are similarly slower than first-higher mode Rayleigh waves. This is incompatible with synthetic dispersion curves we calculate using isotropic, layered velocity models appropriate for Ruapehu and Tongariro, in which Love waves travel more quickly than Rayleigh waves of the same period. The Love-Rayleigh discrepancy is likely due to structures such as dykes or cracks in the vertical plane having increased influence on surface-wave propagation. However, several measurements at Ruapehu have Love-wave group velocities that are faster than Rayleigh-wave group velocities. The differences between the Love- and Rayleigh-wave dispersion curves also vary with the azimuth of the interstation path across Ruapehu and Tongariro Volcanoes. Significant azimuthal dependence of both Love and Rayleigh-wave velocities are also observed. This suggests azimuthal anisotropy within the volcanic structures, which coupled with radial anisotropy, makes the Vs structures of Ruapehu and Tongariro Volcanoes anisotropic with orthorhombic or lower order symmetry. We suggest that further work to determine three-dimensional volcanic structures should include provisions for such anisotropy.