Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Crustal thickness and Poisson’s ratio beneath the Yunnan region

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A total of 1939 receiver functions were obtained from 732 teleseismic events (M>5.0) recorded at 21 broadband portable seismic stations on the Tengchong, Baoshan and Simao blocks and Yangtze platform. These stations were installed by the Institute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration during 2010 and 2011. Using the H-κ stacking and searching method, crustal thickness and velocity ratio beneath the stations are obtained. Results show that crustal thickness and Poisson’s ratio inferred from the velocity ratio clearly vary, and they illustrate block features in deep structures. Except for the Tengchong block, crustal thickness increases from south to north along the same block and from west to east across different blocks. In the Yangtze platform, Poisson’s ratio and crustal thickness show a consistent and significant increasing trend from south to north, possibly indicating that crustal thickening is caused mainly by lower crustal variations. In contrast, Poisson’s ratio has no significant change within the Baoshan and Simao blocks. Such differences demonstrate that the Jinshajiang-Red River fault is a southern boundary of the South China block. The H-κ results inferred from three portable stations on the Tengchong block show high Poisson’s ratios, but they vary clearly with back-azimuth, implying the existence of strong anisotropy in the crustal medium beneath the stations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Zhong D L. Yunnan Western Parts of Paleotethysides (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press, 1998

    Google Scholar 

  2. LI J L. The tectonic evolution of western Yunnan Sanjiang belt (in Chinese). Geol Sci, 1998, 4: 337–345

    Google Scholar 

  3. Wang C, Huangfu G. Crustal structure in Tengchong volcano-geothermal area, western Yuannan, China. Tectonophysics, 2004, 380: 69–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Li C, van der Hilst R, Engdahl R. Subduction of the Indian lithosphere beneath the Tibetan Plateau and Burma. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2008, 274: 157–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lei J S, Zhao D P, Su Y J. Insight into the origin of the Tengchong intraplate volcano and seismotectonic in southwest China from local and teleseismic data. J Geophys Res, 2009, 113: B05302, doi: 10.1029/2008JB005881

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Lei J S, Xie F R, Mishra O P, et al. The 2011 Yingjiang, China, earthquake: A volcano-related fluid-driven earthquake? Bull Seismol Soc Amer, 2012, 102: 417–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Royden L. Coupling and decoupling of crust and mantle in convergent orogens: Implications for strain partitioning in the crust. J Geophys Res, 1998, 103: 15069–15087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bai D H, Unsworth M J, Meju M A, et al. Crustal deformation of the eastern Tibetan Plateau revealed by magnetotelluric imaging. Nature Geosci, 2010, 3: 358–362, doi: 10.1038/NGEO830

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wu J P, Ming Y H, Wang C Y. The S wave velocity structure beneath digital seismic stations of Yunnan province inferred from teleseismic receiver function modeling (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 2001, 44: 228–237

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lei J S, Zhang G W, Xie F R, et al. Relocation of the 10 March 2011 Yingjiang, China, earthquake sequence and its tectonic implications. Earthq Sci, 2012, 25: 103–1

    Google Scholar 

  11. Zhong D L, Ding L. Discuss Gondwana Dispersion and Asian Continental Accretion From Sanjiang and Adjacent Areas Tethyan Evolution (in Chinese). Beijng: Seismology Press, 1993. 5–8

    Google Scholar 

  12. Deng Q D, Zhang P Z, Ran Y K, et al. Basic characteristics of active tectonics in China. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2003, 46: 356–372

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kan R J, Hu H X, Zeng R S, et al. Crustal structure of Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China, from Seismic Refraction Profiles. Science, 1986, 234: 433–437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lin Z Y, Hu H X, Zhang W B, et al. The preliminary interpretation of deep seismic sounding in western Yunnan (in Chinese with English abstract). Acta Seismol Sin, 1993, 15: 427–440

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wang C Y, Huang P G, Wang D B, et al. Deep seismic sounding of crustal structure in Tengchong volcanic area (in Chinese with English abstract). Earthq Res, 2000, 23: 148–156

    Google Scholar 

  16. Zhang Z J, Bai Z M, Wang C Y, et al. The crustal structure under Sanjiang and its dynamic implications: Revealed by seismic reflectionΠrefraction profile between Zhefang and Binchuan, Yunnan. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2005, 48: 1329–1336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Zhang Z J, Bai Z M, Wang C Y, et al. Crustal structure of Gondwana- and Yangtze-typed blocks: An example by wide-angle seismic profile from Menglian to Malong in the western Yunnan. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2005, 48: 1828–1836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Chen Y, Zhang Z J, Sun C Q, et al. Crustal anisotropy from Moho converted Ps wave splitting analysis and geodynamic implications beneath the eastern margin of Tibet and surrounding regions. Gondwana Res, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.gr.2012.04.003

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sun C Q, Chen Y, Gao E G. The crustal anisotropy and its geodynamical significance of the strong basin-range interaction zone beneath the east margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 2011, 54: 1205–1214

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yang H Y, Hu J F, Li G Q, et al. Analysis of the crustal thickness and Poisson’s ratio in eastern Tibet from teleseismic receiver functions. Geophys J Int, 2011, 186: 1380–1388, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X. 2011.05118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Hu J F, Su Y J, Zhu X G, et al. S-wave velocity and Poisson’s ratio structure of crust in Yunnan and its implication. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2005, 48: 210–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Xu M J, Wang L S, Liu J H, et al. Crust and uppermost mantle structure of the Ailaoshan-Red River fault from receiver function analysis. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 2006, 49: 1043–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Li Y H, Wu Q J, Tian X B, et al. Crustal structure in the Yunnan region determined by modeling receiver functions (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 2009, 52: 67–80

    Google Scholar 

  24. Zhang H S, Tian X B, Teng J W. Estimation of crustal V p/V s with dipping Moho from receiver functions (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 2009, 52: 1243–1252

    Google Scholar 

  25. Xu L L, Rondenay S, van der Hilst R D. Structure of the crust beneath the southeastern Tibetan Plateau from teleseismic receiver functions. Phys Earth Planet Inter, 2007, 165: 176–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Wang P, Wang L S, Mi N, et al. Crustal thickness and average V p/V s ration variations in southwest Yunnan, China, from teleseismic receiver functions. J Geophys Res, 2010, 115: B11308, doi: 10.1029/2009JB006651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Kong X R, Liu S J, Dou Q C, et al. The geoelectric structure of the crust and upper mantle under Panzhihua-Xichang region (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 1987, 30: 136–144

    Google Scholar 

  28. Zhu L P, Kanamori H. Moho depth variation in southern California form teleseismic receiver functions. J Geophys Res, 2000, 105: 2969–2980

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Niu F, Bravo T, Pavlis G, et al. Receiver function study of the crustal structure of the southeastern Caribbean Plate boundary and Venezuela. J Geophys Res, 2007, 112: B11308, doi: 10.1029/2006JB004802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Owens T J, Zandt G, Taylor S R. Seismic evidence for an ancient rift beneath the Cumberland plateau, Tennessee: A detailed analysis of broadband teleseismic P waveforms. J Geophys Res, 1984, 89: 7783–7795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Chen Y L, Niu F L, Liu R F, et al. Crustal structure beneath China from receiver function analysis. J Geophys Res, 2010, 115: B03307, doi: 10.1029/2009JB006386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ligorria J P, Ammon C J. Iterative deconvolution and receiver-function estimation. Bull Seismol Soc Amer, 1995, 89: 1395–1400

    Google Scholar 

  33. Efron B, Tibshirani R. Statistical data analysis in the computer age. Science, 1991, 253: 390–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Chevrot S, Robert D, van der Hilst R. The Poisson ratio of the Australian crust: Geological and geophysical implications with receiver functions. Earth Planet Sci Lett, 2000, 183: 121–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Kennett B L N, Engdahl R. Travel times for global earthquake location and phase identification. Geophys J Int, 1991, 105: 429–465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Lombardi D, Braunmiller J, Kissling E, et al. Moho depth and Poisson’s ration in the Western-Central Alps from receiver functions. Geophys J Int, 2008, 173: 249–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Kennett B L N, Engdahl R, Buland R. Constraints on seismic velocities in the Earth from traveltimes. Geophys J Int, 1995, 122: 108–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Liu Q L, Wang C Y, Yao Z X, et al. Study on crustal thickness and velocity ratio in mid-western North China Craton (in Chinese with English abstract). Chin J Geophys, 2011, 54: 2213–2224

    Google Scholar 

  39. Sun L, Liu R F, Huang Z B, et al. Crustal thickness and velocity ratio beneath national seismic stations in the Sichuan-Yunnan area in terms of receiver function (in Chinese with English abstract). China Earthq, 2008, 24: 362–369

    Google Scholar 

  40. Mao H L, Qin J Z. Study on the shear wave at Tengchong seismic station (in Chinese with English abstract). J Seismol Res, 2011, 34: 494–497

    Google Scholar 

  41. Zhao C P, Ran H, Chen K H. Present-day magma chambers in Tengchong volcano area inferred from relative geothermal gradient (in Chinese with English abstract). Acta Petrol Sin, 2006, 22: 1517–1528

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Crustal Dynamics, Institute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing, 100085, China

    XiaoHui Zha & JianShe Lei

Authors
  1. XiaoHui Zha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. JianShe Lei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to JianShe Lei.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zha, X., Lei, J. Crustal thickness and Poisson’s ratio beneath the Yunnan region. Sci. China Earth Sci. 56, 693–702 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4583-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4583-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation