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Anisotropic Layering and Seismic Body Waves: Deformation Gradients, Initial S-Polarizations, and Converted-Wave Birefringence

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Abstract

We apply an updated computer algorithm for reflectivity synthetic seismograms to examine observational scenarios for seismic plane-wave propagation through horizontally stratified anisotropic media. Based on the commercial software package Matlab, the ANIMATIVITY software can compute synthetic seismograms using anisotropic models described either by a full elastic tensor or using common notations for an elastic tensor with a symmetry axis. This algorithm enables us to simulate wave propagation with high frequency components and to consider all transmission and reflection coefficients in one step. We validate the ANIMATIVITY code with synthetic P–S receiver functions in layered anisotropic media, compared against legacy reflectivity codes. Contrasting synthetic RFs for models with either sharp or gradual anisotropy transitions, we observe features in the gradual-transition models that could be misconstrued as caused by dipping interfaces. We find that S–P receiver functions have the potential to constrain anisotropy at depth via the back-azimuth variation of Sp-phase amplitude on the vertical component. We conclude that practical use of S receiver functions to investigate anisotropy will depend on accurate determination of the initial S-wave polarization. The ANIMATIVITY simulations of shear-wave splitting include S–P converted waves that precede the split SKS wave.

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source at an angular distance of 90°, predicted using iasp91 model via the TauP toolkit (Crotwell et al. 1999). The highest frequency is limited to 10 Hz. Converted phases from different interfaces are marked on the figures as PdS where d is the depth of the interface in km. Parameters of the Earth models used to compute the time series are listed in Table 1. b, d Adopt the same elastic model except in b the elastic materials are isotropic thus B = C = E = 0

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Code Availability

The code package can be accessed through https://github.com/RUseismology/ANIMATIVITY.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NSF Grants EAR-1147831 (XC and VL) and EAR-1818792 (JP) and the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies (XC). Part of the figures are drafted using GMT (Wessel and Smith 1991). The synthetic code and its corresponding waveforms are developed and executed using Matlab R2016a. Authors appreciate thoughtful and constructive anonymous reviews, and guidance from the Editor Dr. Sergio Ruiz.

Funding

This work was supported by NSF Grant EAR-1147831 and the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies for Xiaoran Chen and NSF Grant EAR-1818792 for Jeffrey Park.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Xiaoran Chen & Vadim Levin

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Jeffrey Park

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  1. Xiaoran Chen
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XC wrote the computational code, performed the calculations, made the figures and composed most of the text. JP suggested some of the computational examples, and added some text. VL added text and supervised the project.

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Correspondence to Xiaoran Chen.

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Chen, X., Park, J. & Levin, V. Anisotropic Layering and Seismic Body Waves: Deformation Gradients, Initial S-Polarizations, and Converted-Wave Birefringence. Pure Appl. Geophys. 178, 2001–2023 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-021-02755-6

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