Simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data results in a model for
the western branch of the East African Rift system between 1S and
10N characterized by a 35 km crust and thin high-velocity lid, overlying
a channel possessing both low S and low P velocities (4.47 and 7.69
km/sec, respectively). A strong reflector at 140 km depth marks the
boundary to high-velocity material (4.67 and 8.44 km/sec, respectively).
The eastern branch has a crustal thickness of 40 km and is characterized
by low S velocities, 4.43 km/sec in the lid to a depth of 78 km,
4.09-4.21 km/sec in a channel which extends to 161 km depth. The
S velocities remain relatively low at greater depths, but cannot
be precisely determined because of the limited resolution. We have
interpreted these and other geophysical data as due to a diapiric
intrusion of material with a high pyroxene content and possibly with
some low-density eclogite, coming from the mesosphere. A mushroom
of this rock has stalled below the western branch at about 55 km
below the surface and is cooling. The diapirism in the eastern branch
has broken through to the surface. The mantle of the African shield
to the west of the Rift shows seismic velocities which indicate that
it is depleted in basaltic components.
%0 Journal Article
%1 nolet_muller:1982
%A Nolet, G.
%A Müller, S.
%D 1982
%J Tectonophysics
%K geophysics seismology
%N 2--4
%P 151--178
%R 10.1016/0040-1951(82)90158-5
%T A model for the deep structure of the east African rift system from
simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(82)90158-5
%V 84
%X Simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data results in a model for
the western branch of the East African Rift system between 1S and
10N characterized by a 35 km crust and thin high-velocity lid, overlying
a channel possessing both low S and low P velocities (4.47 and 7.69
km/sec, respectively). A strong reflector at 140 km depth marks the
boundary to high-velocity material (4.67 and 8.44 km/sec, respectively).
The eastern branch has a crustal thickness of 40 km and is characterized
by low S velocities, 4.43 km/sec in the lid to a depth of 78 km,
4.09-4.21 km/sec in a channel which extends to 161 km depth. The
S velocities remain relatively low at greater depths, but cannot
be precisely determined because of the limited resolution. We have
interpreted these and other geophysical data as due to a diapiric
intrusion of material with a high pyroxene content and possibly with
some low-density eclogite, coming from the mesosphere. A mushroom
of this rock has stalled below the western branch at about 55 km
below the surface and is cooling. The diapirism in the eastern branch
has broken through to the surface. The mantle of the African shield
to the west of the Rift shows seismic velocities which indicate that
it is depleted in basaltic components.
@article{nolet_muller:1982,
abstract = {Simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data results in a model for
the western branch of the East African Rift system between 1S and
10N characterized by a 35 km crust and thin high-velocity lid, overlying
a channel possessing both low S and low P velocities (4.47 and 7.69
km/sec, respectively). A strong reflector at 140 km depth marks the
boundary to high-velocity material (4.67 and 8.44 km/sec, respectively).
The eastern branch has a crustal thickness of 40 km and is characterized
by low S velocities, 4.43 km/sec in the lid to a depth of 78 km,
4.09-4.21 km/sec in a channel which extends to 161 km depth. The
S velocities remain relatively low at greater depths, but cannot
be precisely determined because of the limited resolution. We have
interpreted these and other geophysical data as due to a diapiric
intrusion of material with a high pyroxene content and possibly with
some low-density eclogite, coming from the mesosphere. A mushroom
of this rock has stalled below the western branch at about 55 km
below the surface and is cooling. The diapirism in the eastern branch
has broken through to the surface. The mantle of the African shield
to the west of the Rift shows seismic velocities which indicate that
it is depleted in basaltic components.},
added-at = {2012-09-01T13:08:21.000+0200},
author = {Nolet, G. and M\"{u}ller, S.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2f304f2448aa93a268935224738f48799/nilsma},
day = 20,
doi = {10.1016/0040-1951(82)90158-5},
interhash = {4f40887b32f6f6b1047d3622c6023f89},
intrahash = {f304f2448aa93a268935224738f48799},
issn = {00401951},
journal = {Tectonophysics},
keywords = {geophysics seismology},
month = apr,
number = {2--4},
pages = {151--178},
timestamp = {2021-02-09T13:27:42.000+0100},
title = {A model for the deep structure of the east African rift system from
simultaneous inversion of teleseismic data},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(82)90158-5},
volume = 84,
year = 1982
}