Imaging the topography of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary beneath South and East Africa using S receiver functions; a key to understand continental lithospheric evolution in and around active rifting systems

这项提议的目的是研究南非和东非地下地幔岩石圈的结构。岩石圈-软流圈边界（LAB）的高分辨率图像尚未在这个地球动力学活跃区域存在，尽管为了理解全球构造，岩石圈板块的完整结构的知识是必需的，而不仅仅是容易接近的地壳结构。利用S接收函数的新技术可以实现这一目标。这种采用S-to-P转换的技术似乎很有希望探测非洲地震台站下面的LAB，并且已经证明了它在构造不同地区绘制LAB的能力（见附件）。最近测试的平原求和技术也将用于确定P和S接收器的完整格林函数。该技术将用于约束LAB的P和S倍数，从而产生绝对LAB深度估计。由于东非和南非200多个永久和临时宽带站提供的数据，现在有可能以迄今为止前所未有的分辨率获得LAB地形图。这些结果可以获得地球动力学过程的详细图像，并显著提高对大陆岩石圈演化以及与大陆裂陷有关的更深层次地幔过程的认识。

The aim of this proposal is to study the structure of the mantle lithosphere beneath South and East Africa. No high resolution image of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (LAB) exists yet in this geodynamically active region, although for understanding the global tectonics, knowledge of the complete structure of lithospheric plates is required rather than only the easier accessible crustal structure. This goal will be achieved using the novel technique of S receiver function. This technique employing S-to-P conversions appears promising for detecting the LAB beneath seismic stations in Africa and has already proven its power for mapping the LAB in the tectonically different regions (see enclosures). The recently tested plain summation technique will also be used to determine the complete P and S receiver site Green s function. This technique will serve to constrain P and S multiples from the LAB resulting in absolute LAB depth estimation. Due to the available data from more than 200 permanent and temporary broadband stations in East and South Africa, it is now possible to obtain maps of the LAB topography with so far unprecedented resolution. The results may obtain detailed images of geodynamic processes and significantly improve the knowledge of continental lithospheric evolution as well as deeper mantle processes related to the continental rifting.