Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Seismic tomographic imaging of P wave velocity perturbation beneath Sumatra, Java, Malacca Strait, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

P wave tomographic imaging of the crust down to a depth of 90 km is performed beneath the region encompassing Sumatra, Java, Malacca Strait, peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Inversion is performed with 99,741 first-arrival p waves from 16,196 local and regional earthquakes occurred around the Sumatra Subduction Zone (SSZ) between 1964 and 2018. Tomographic results show low-velocity (low-V) anomalies that reflect both accretion and possibly, asthenospheric upwelling associated with subduction of the Australian Plate beneath Eurasia around the SSZ. The prominent low-V anomaly is thickest around the Conrad, extending beneath Straits of Malacca and parts of peninsular Malaysia, but disappears around the Moho in the region. Below the Moho, the subducting slab, represented by a high-velocity (high-V) anomaly, trends in the orientation of Sumatra. At these depths, the eastern shorelines of Sumatra, most parts of Malacca Strait and the west coast of peninsular Malaysia show varying degrees of positive velocity anomalies. We consider that asthenospheric upwelling around the SSZ may provide heat source for the 40 or more hot springs distributed north–south in peninsular Malaysia. Different east–west and north–south cross-sections reveal the subsurface anomalies at various parts of the region. The predominant low-V anomaly is less than 35 km in depth, but other low-V anomalies are deeper.

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

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amalfi O, Phil C, David R and Sri H 2016 Sensitivity analysis for probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) in the Aceh Fault Segment, Indonesia; Geol. Soc. London, Spec. Publ. 441 121–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baioumy H, Nawawi M, Wagner K and Arifin M H 2015 Geochemistry and geothermometry of non-volcanic hot springs in West Malaysia; J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 290 12–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall P S and Kincaid C 2001 Diapiric flow at subduction zones: A recipe for rapid transport; Science 292(5526) 2472–2475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Havskov J and Ottemoller L 1999 SEISAN earthquake analysis software; Seismol. Res. Lett. 70(5) 532–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong T K, Lee J, Kim W, Hahm I K, Woo N C and Park S 2017 The 12 September 2016 ML5. 8 midcrustal earthquake in the Korean peninsula and its seismic implications; Geophys. Res. Lett. 44(7) 3131–3138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang J and Zhao D 2006 High-resolution mantle tomography of China and surrounding regions; J. Geophys. Res. 111(B9) B09305, 1–21.

  • Huchon P and Le Pichon X 1984 Sunda Strait and central Sumatra fault; Geology 12(11) 668–672.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchison C S 2010 Oroclines and paleomagnetism in Borneo and south-east Asia; Tectonophys. 496(1–4) 53–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Irsyam M, Dangkua D T, Hoedajanto D, Hutapea B M, Kertapati E K, Boen T and Petersen M D 2008 Proposed seismic hazard maps of Sumatra and Java Islands and microzonation study of Jakarta city, Indonesia; J. Earth Syst. Sci. 117(2) 865–878.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang Y A, Kim W and Kang T S 2013 Relocation of earthquakes beneath the East Sea of Korea: Uncertainty of hypocentral parameters caused by refracted waves; Geosci. J. 17(2) 173–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennett B L N and Engdahl E R 1991 Traveltimes for global earthquake location and phase identification; Geophys. J. Int. 105(2) 429–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim W and Baag C E 2002 Rapid and accurate two-point ray tracing based on a quadratic equation of takeoff angle in layered media with constant or linearly varying velocity functions; Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 92(6) 2251–2263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komoo I and Othman M 2005 The 26.12.04 Tsunami Disaster in Malaysia: An Environmental, Socio-economic and Community Well-being Impact Study; Institut Alam Sekitar dan Pembangunan.

  • Kopp H, Klaeschen D, Flueh E R, Bialas J and Reichert C 2002 Crustal structure of the Java margin from seismic wide-angle and multichannel reflection data; J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth 107(B2) ETG 1-1–ETG 1–24.

  • Krabbenhöft A, Weinrebe R W, Kopp H, Flueh E R, Ladage S, Papenberg C, Planert L and Djajadihardja Y 2010 Bathymetry of the Indonesian Sunda margin-relating morphological features of the upper plate slopes to the location and extent of the seismogenic zone; Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 10(9) 1899–1911.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lévěque J J, Rivera L and Wittlinger G 1993 On the use of the checker-board test to assess the resolution of tomographic inversions; Geophys. J. Int. 115(1) 313–318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin J Y, Pichon X L, Rangin C, Sibuet J C and Maury T 2009 Spatial aftershock distribution of the 26 December 2004 great Sumatra–Andaman earthquake in the northern Sumatra area; Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 10 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Macpherson K A, Hidayat D, Feng L and Goh S H 2013 Crustal thickness and velocity structure beneath Singapore’s seismic network; J. Asian Earth Sci. 64 245–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marschall H R and Schumacher J C 2012 Arc magmas sourced from mélange diapirs in subduction zones; Nature Geosci. 5(12) 862–867.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marto A, Soon T C, Kasim F and Yunus N Z M 2013 Seismic impact in Peninsular Malaysia Paper presented at the The 5th International Geotechnical Symposium, Incheon.

  • MMD 2012 The decision and dissemination supports systems (DADS) for the Malaysian National Tsunami Early Warning System; Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

  • MMD and ASM 2009 Seismic and tsunami hazards and risks study in Malaysia Final Report; Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MOSTI).

  • Molnar P and Dayem K E 2010 Major intracontinental strike-slip faults and contrasts in lithospheric strength; Geosphere 6(4) 444–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osagie A U, Nawawi M, Khalil A E and Abdullah K 2017 Regional travel-time residual studies and station correction from 1-D velocity models for some stations around Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore; NRIAG J. Astron. Geophys. 6(1) 19–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osagie A U and Woohan K 2013 Relocation of earthquakes that occurred beneath Parkfield Region of California using VELHYPO; IOSR J. Appl. Geol. Geophys. 1(3) 66–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paige C C and Saunders M A 1982 LSQR: An algorithm for sparse linear equations and sparse least squares; ACM Trans. Math. Softw. 8(1) 43–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philibosian B, Sieh K, Avouac J P, Natawidjaja D H, Chiang H W, Wu C C, Perfettini H, Shen C, Daryono M R and Suwargadi B W 2014 Rupture and variable coupling behavior of the Mentawai segment of the Sunda megathrust during the supercycle culmination of 1797 to 1833; J. Geophys. Res. 119(9) 7258–7287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rawlinson N and Sambridge M 2003 Seismic traveltime tomography of the crust and lithosphere; Adv. Geophys. 46 81–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rawlinson N, Pozgay S and Fishwick S 2010 Seismic tomography: A window into deep Earth; Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 178 101–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rawlinson N, Fichtner A, Sambridge M and Young M K 2014 Seismic tomography and the assessment of uncertainty; Adv. Geophys. 55 1–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samsudin A R, Hamzah U, Rahman R A, Siwar C, Jani M F M and Othman R 1997 Thermal springs of Malaysia and their potential development; J. Asian Earth Sci. 15(2–3) 275–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shuib M K 2009 The recent Bukit Tinggi earthquakes and their relationship to major geological structures; Bull. Geol. Soc. Malaysia 55(55) 67–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieh K and Natawidjaja D 2000 Neotectonics of the Sumatran fault, Indonesia; J. Geophys. Res. 105(B12) 28,295–28,326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian Y, Zhao D, Sun R and Teng J 2009 Seismic imaging of the crust and upper mantle beneath the North China Craton; Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 172(3–4) 169–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tjia H D 2010 Growing evidence of active deformation in the Malay basin region; Bull. Geol. Soc. Malaysia 56 6.

    Google Scholar 

  • USC 2012 JWEED South Carolina Seismology Department at the University of South Carolina; http://www.seis.sc.edu/software.

  • Van der Hilst R D, Widiyantoro S and Engdahl E R 1997 Evidence for deep mantle circulation from global tomography; Nature 386(6625) 578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao D, Hasegawa A and Horiuchi S 1992 Tomographic imaging of P and S wave velocity structure beneath northeastern Japan; J. Geophys. Res. 97(B13) 19,909–19,928.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao D 2001 New advances of seismic tomography and its applications to subduction zones and earthquake fault zones: A review; Island Arc 10(1) 68–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao D 2004 Global tomographic images of mantle plumes and subducting slabs: insight into deep Earth dynamics; Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 146(1–2) 3–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao D 2015 Methodology of Seismic Tomography; In: Multiscale Seismic Tomography, Springer, pp. 21–54.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Kim Woohan for the use of his two-point ray tracing codes which was modified in a subroutine within our algorithm. The original codes by Zhao Dapeng was modified and used in the model parameterization and traveltime derivative stages of the inversion process. The authors acknowledge the Bulletin of International Seismological Center (ISC) from where most part of the arrival time data used in this study is obtained. Also, the data services of Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) were used for access waveforms and earthquake catalog which form part of the data used in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Abuja, P.M.B 117, Abuja, Nigeria

    Abel Uyimwen Osagie

  2. School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Penang, Malaysia

    Ismail Ahmad Abir

Authors
  1. Abel Uyimwen Osagie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ismail Ahmad Abir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Osagie Abel: Conceptualization, data curation, methodology, software, visualization, and writing-reviewing. Ismail Abir: reviewing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abel Uyimwen Osagie.

Additional information

Communicated by Anand Joshi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Osagie, A.U., Ahmad Abir, I. Seismic tomographic imaging of P wave velocity perturbation beneath Sumatra, Java, Malacca Strait, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 23 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01530-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-020-01530-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation