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Shear Wave Splitting and Mantle Flow in the Vicinity of the North American-Caribbean Plate Boundary in Central America
  • Tu Xue,
  • Kelly Liu,
  • Stephen Gao
Tu Xue
Missouri University of Science and Technology

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Kelly Liu
Missouri University of Science and Technology
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Stephen Gao
Missouri University of Science and Technology
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Abstract

Azimuthal anisotropy quantified by teleseismic SKS, SKKS, PKS (“XKS”) and Local S wave splitting parameters is used to investigate mantle deformation and flow beneath the boundary of the North American and Caribbean plates and adjacent areas. A total of 2556 XKS and 299 pairs of local S wave splitting parameters were obtained at 23 stations. The observations can be divided into two groups based on the spatial distribution of the resulting fast polarization orientations. Those observed on the Caribbean Plate are mostly WNW-ESE which are mostly trench-parallel. In contrast, the fast orientations observed on the North American Plate are dominantly NNE-SSW which are approximately trench-orthogonal and are consistent with those previously observed in southern Mexico to the north of the area of the current study. At most of the stations at which XKS and local S wave splitting parameters are available, the splitting parameters from the two types of shear waves are comparable, suggesting that the observed azimuthal anisotropy is mostly from the mantle wedge above the slab. The observations especially those obtained at recently deployed stations in Guatemala provide new insights into the complicated mantle flow system associated with slab subduction and rollback, as well as lithospheric shearing along the southern boundary of the North American Plate.