On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone

Abstract Seismic anisotropy mainly originates from the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of minerals deformed in the convective mantle flow. While fabric transitions have been previously observed in experiments, their influence on large‐scale anisotropy is not well‐documented. Here, we im...

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Main Authors: John Keith Magali, Christine Thomas, Estelle Elisa Ledoux, Yann Capdeville, Sébastien Merkel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC011827
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author John Keith Magali
Christine Thomas
Estelle Elisa Ledoux
Yann Capdeville
Sébastien Merkel
author_facet John Keith Magali
Christine Thomas
Estelle Elisa Ledoux
Yann Capdeville
Sébastien Merkel
author_sort John Keith Magali
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Seismic anisotropy mainly originates from the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of minerals deformed in the convective mantle flow. While fabric transitions have been previously observed in experiments, their influence on large‐scale anisotropy is not well‐documented. Here, we implement 2D geodynamic models of intra‐oceanic subduction coupled with mantle fabric modeling to investigate the combined effect of pressure (P)‐and water‐dependent microscopic flow properties of upper mantle and upper transition zone (UTZ) minerals, respectively, on large‐scale anisotropy. We then compare our anisotropy models with anisotropic tomography observations across the Honshu subduction zone. Our results for the upper mantle correlate well with observations, implying that the P‐dependence of olivine fabrics is sufficient to explain the variability of anisotropy. Meanwhile, a dry UTZ tends to be near‐isotropic whereas a relatively wet UTZ could produce up to 1% azimuthal and ∼2% radial anisotropy. Because water facilitates CPO development, it is therefore likely a requirement to explain the presence of anisotropy in the transition zone close to subducting slabs.
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spelling doaj-art-2bb53ae46fda4e138b92f782acf1e0bb2025-08-20T02:10:38ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272025-03-01263n/an/a10.1029/2024GC011827On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction ZoneJohn Keith Magali0Christine Thomas1Estelle Elisa Ledoux2Yann Capdeville3Sébastien Merkel4Institute of Geophysics University of Münster Münster GermanyInstitute of Geophysics University of Münster Münster GermanyDepartment of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USALaboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique CNRS UMR 6112 Université de Nantes Nantes FranceUniversité de Lille CNRS INRAE Centrale Lille UMR 8207—UMET—Unité Matériaux et Transformations Lille FranceAbstract Seismic anisotropy mainly originates from the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of minerals deformed in the convective mantle flow. While fabric transitions have been previously observed in experiments, their influence on large‐scale anisotropy is not well‐documented. Here, we implement 2D geodynamic models of intra‐oceanic subduction coupled with mantle fabric modeling to investigate the combined effect of pressure (P)‐and water‐dependent microscopic flow properties of upper mantle and upper transition zone (UTZ) minerals, respectively, on large‐scale anisotropy. We then compare our anisotropy models with anisotropic tomography observations across the Honshu subduction zone. Our results for the upper mantle correlate well with observations, implying that the P‐dependence of olivine fabrics is sufficient to explain the variability of anisotropy. Meanwhile, a dry UTZ tends to be near‐isotropic whereas a relatively wet UTZ could produce up to 1% azimuthal and ∼2% radial anisotropy. Because water facilitates CPO development, it is therefore likely a requirement to explain the presence of anisotropy in the transition zone close to subducting slabs.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC011827transition zonewadsleyiteolivinetexturesubductionanisotropy
spellingShingle John Keith Magali
Christine Thomas
Estelle Elisa Ledoux
Yann Capdeville
Sébastien Merkel
On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
transition zone
wadsleyite
olivine
texture
subduction
anisotropy
title On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
title_full On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
title_fullStr On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
title_full_unstemmed On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
title_short On the Influence of Pressure, Phase Transitions, and Water on Large‐Scale Seismic Anisotropy Underneath a Subduction Zone
title_sort on the influence of pressure phase transitions and water on large scale seismic anisotropy underneath a subduction zone
topic transition zone
wadsleyite
olivine
texture
subduction
anisotropy
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GC011827
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