The contribution of the seismic component of Topo-Iberia to the imaging of the deep structure of the Iberian Peninsula and North Morocco

Topo-Iberia has been a large-scale Spanish project running from 2007 to 2013 that integrated more than 150 researchers on Earth Sciences. One of its key assets was the management of an observatory platform, named IberArray, aimed to provide new geophysical datasets (seismic, GPS, MT) to constrain the structure of Iberia with unprecedented resolution. The IberArray seismic pool was composed by 70+ BB stations, covering the study area in 3 deployments with a site-density of 60km x 60km. The data base holds ~300 sites, including the permanent networks in the area. Hence it forms a unique seismic database in Europe that allows for multiple analyses to constrain the complex geodinamics of the Western Mediterranean. A summary of new results coming from different techniques is presented here. The SKS splitting analysis has provided a spectacular image of the rotation of the fast velocity direction along the Gibraltar Arc. In central and northern Iberia, the fast polarization directions are close to EW, consistently with global mantle flow models considering contributions of surface plate motion, density variations and net lithosphere rotation. Those results suggest an asthenospheric origin of the observed anisotropy related to present-day mantle flow. Receiver functions have revealed the crustal thickness variations beneath the Atlas, Rif and southern Iberia, evidencing a relevant crustal root beneath the Rif, in agreement with recent, high- density active seismic experiments. The Variscan Iberian massif shows a flat Moho discontinuity, while the areas reworked in the Alpine orogeny show a slightly thicker crust. Beneath N Iberia, the imbrication of the Iberian and Eurasian crusts results in complex receiver functions. Depths exceeding 45 km are observed along the Pyrenean range, while the crust thins to values of 26-28 km close to the Atlantic coasts. The geometry of the 410-km and 660-km discontinuities has been investigated using novel cross-correlation/stacking techniques. Ambient noise tomography allows to identify the main sedimentary basins and to discriminate between the Variscan and the Alpine reworked areas. Local body-wave tomography in North Morocco has improved the location of the small magnitude events on the area and the details of the crustal structure. Teleseismic tomography has confirmed, using an independent data set, the presence of a high-velocity slab beneath the Gibraltar Arc.Peer Reviewe

Coda wave attenuation tomography in Northern Morocco

In this study we focused on seismic attenuation (1/ Q) tomography in Northern Morocco. For this purpose, two different models are employed: The Single Backscattering model hypothesis of Aki and Chouet (1975) to calculate values of Coda Q (Q) and the Back-projection technique of Xie and Mitchell (1990) to estimate lateral variation in Q via a tomographic inversion. For this investigation, the Coda Q method is applied to a number of 94 local earthquakes with a magnitude between Ml=0.7 and Ml=4. The digital seismograms of these earthquakes were recorded during the year 2008 by both local temporary and permanent broadband seismic station network deployed in Northern of Morocco. The Q quality factor values have been computed at central frequencies 0.75, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 Hz. The lapse time windows are restricted to 30s in order to sample the earth's crust only. The Q results indicate that strong frequency dependence follow a power law for the entire area. The preliminary results of seismic Coda Q attenuation tomography shows a dependence at each frequency band, between seismic attenuation and the geology structure units in the study area, especially in the region of Al Hoceima and the eastern part of the Rif which are characterized by high attenuation values due to active faults area, while low attenuation values are seen in the west and the south of the Rif in high frequencies.Peer Reviewe

Crust structure of northern Morocco and southern Iberian Peninsula from local earthquake tomography

We have estimated the P-wave velocity structure under northern Morocco and Alboran Sea and Southern Spain using an iterative simultaneous inversion method of local earthquake arrival-time data for velocity and hypocentral parameters. For this investigation we applied this tomographic method to 40714 P-wave arrival times from 2429 local events recorded by 124 both temporary and permanent seismic stations of local and regional networks from January 2000 to June 2009. The P wave arrival times used are calculated by the finite difference technique which allows a flexible parameterization of the velocity model. Twenty layers with a thickness of 4km for each one were postulated to obtain the three-dimensional P-wave structure along the complex Ibero-Maghribean boundary region. The hypocenter location of the global earthquake dataset has been remarkably improved by the obtained three-dimensional velocity model (RMS reduced to 27.3%). At the uppermost level of the crust the results suggest that the most prominent feature is the very low velocity zone associated with flysch units north of the Strait of Gibraltar, and in northern Morocco extending from Al-Hoceima region to the Alboran ridge. Conversely, a high velocity anomaly is observed in the area of the Ronda Peridotites, but a similar structure is not observed in the Beni-Boussera region in Morocco. The inverted velocity model is generally consistent with geology structure of the entire area and yields more details at depth of the geology structures and tectonic units. Moreover, it shows an accurate identification at depth of the shape and the geometry of the geology structures in the area. The tomographic cross section profiles reveal a vertical downgoing highly velocity materials in the whole area and show a thick crust in either the western part of the Alboran sea or northern Morocco region compared with the eastern one. keywords: local earthquake, P arrival-time, simultaneous inversion, hypocenter relocation, tomograPeer Reviewe

The IberArray BB seismic network of Topo-Iberia: new constraints revealing the deep structure of the Iberian Peninsula and North Morocco

Topo-Iberia has been a large-scale Spanish project running from 2007 to 2013 that integrated more than 150 researchers on Earth Sciences. One of its key assets was the management of an observatory platform, named IberArray, aimed to provide new geophysical datasets (seismic, GPS, MT) to constrain the structure of Iberia with unprecedented resolution. The IberArray seismic pool was composed by 70+ BB stations, covering the study area in 3 deployments with a site-density of 60km x 60km. The data base holds ~300 sites, including the permanent networks in the area. Hence it forms a unique seismic database in Europe that allow for multiple analyses to constrain the complex geodinamics of the Western Mediterranean. A summary of new results coming from different techniques is presented here. The SKS splitting analysis has provided a spectacular image of the rotation of the fast velocity direction along the Gibraltar Arc. In central and northern Iberia, the fast polarization directions are close to EW, consistently with global mantle flow models considering contributions of surface plate motion, density variations and net lithosphere rotation. Those results suggest an asthenospheric origin of the observed anisotropy related to present-day mantle flow. Receiver functions have revealed the crustal thickness variations beneath the Rif and southern Iberia, including a crustal root beneath the Rif. The Variscan Iberian massif shows a flat Moho discontinuity, while the areas reworked in the Alpine orogeny show a slightly thicker crust. Beneath N Iberia, the imbrication of the Iberian and Eurasian crusts results in complex receiver functions. Depths exceeding 45 km are observed along the Pyrenean range, while the crust thins to values of 26-28 km close to the Atlantic coasts. The geometry of the 410-km and 660- km discontinuities has been investigated using novel cross-correlation/stacking techniques. Ambient noise tomography allows to identify the main sedimentary basins and to discriminate between the Variscan and the Alpine reworked areas. Local body-wave tomography in North Morocco has improved the location of the small magnitude events on the area and the details of the crustal structure. Teleseismic tomography has confirmed, using an independent data set, the presence of a high-velocity slab beneath the Gibraltar Arc.Peer Reviewe

Ambient seismic noise levels: A survey of the permanent and temporary seismographic networks in morocco

We present, in this paper, the results of an analysis of the variations in ambient seismic noise levels from data collected for the first time in Morocco. For this purpose, 23 broadband seismic stations were deployed in different structural domains covering Rif Mountains, Middle and High Atlas and parts of the Anti-Atlas. We calculated power spectral densities (PSD) of background noise for each ground motion component recorded at different sites, and then compared the results with the high-noise and low-noise models of Peterson (1993). Time intervals (of day and night) were indiscriminately considered for computation of noise level regardless of the selected earthquakes. Furthermore, we have extended the discussion about noise to different frequency bands of interest. We found several variabilities in the PSD levels at all stations. The significant variability was observed at long periods in most stations. The results of this study could be used to evaluate future emplacements of new seismic stations and therefore can help to develop new seismic noise models in North Africa.This study was sponsored by the Scientific Institute of the University Mohammed V, Rabat (Morocco).Peer Reviewe

Crustal structure of the Betic-Rif system, western Mediterranean, from local earthquake tomography

We have determined the three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Iberia-Africa collision zone using local earthquake tomography. We have inverted arrival times of first-arriving P phases listed in the bulletins of the Instituto Geográfico Nacional and phases picked by us on permanent stations of other regional networks and on temporary broadband stations deployed in the frame of the TOPO-IBERIA project. In total we have used 38,624 P-wave arrival times from 2362 local events recorded at 120 seismic stations. The most remarkable result is the imaging of a large high velocity body following approximately the western Alboran coastline, with a horizontal dimension of at least 200. km and extending in depth from the surface down to 24. km. This body, not imaged previously with this extent using seismic tomography, coincides with surface exposures of subcontinental mantle (peridotites) in Iberia and Africa and with a belt of positive gravity anomalies. We have also found a marked contrast in the seismic velocities of the middle and lower crust of the Alboran basin, coinciding with the location of the Trans-Alboran Shear Zone. We attribute this contrast to widespread magmatic intrusions in the eastern part of the basin, resulting in higher P-wave velocities than in the west. This contrast would also explain the different orientation of the Trans-Alboran Shear zone with respect to the surface features and faults in the Alboran basin. We also image thick crust beneath the Betics and Rif, accompanied by downgoing lithosphere of the Iberian foreland and Gulf of Cadiz beneath the Betic-Rif-Alboran system.This is a contribution of the Team Consolider-Ingenio 2010 TOPO-IBERIA (CSD2006-00041).Additional funding was provided by the SIBERIA (CGL2006-01171), RIFSIS (CGL2009-09727) and ALERTES-RIM (CGL2013-45724-C3-3-R) projectsPeer Reviewe

Estimation of Coda Wave Attenuation in Northern Morocco

We studied the attenuation of coda waves and its frequency and lapse-time dependence in northern Morocco. We analysed coda waves of 66 earthquakes recorded in this region during 2008 for four lapse time windows of length 30, 40, 50, and 60 s, and at five frequency bands with central frequency in the range of 0.75–12 Hz. We determined the frequency dependent Q relation for the horizontal (NS and EW) and vertical (Z) component seismograms. We analyzed three-component broadband seismograms of 66 local earthquakes for determining coda-Q based on the single back-scattering model. The Q values show strong frequency dependence in 1.5–12 Hz that is related to high degree of heterogeneity of the medium. The lapse time dependence of Q shows that Q (Q at 1 Hz) significantly increases with lapse time that is related to the depth dependence of attenuation and hence of the level of heterogeneity of the medium. The average frequency-dependent Q(f) values are Q= (143.75 ± 1.09) f, Q= (149.12 ± 1.08) f and Q= (140.42 ± 1.81) f for the vertical, north–south and east–west components of motion, respectively. The frequency-dependent Q(f) relations are useful for evaluating source parameters (Singh et al. 2001), which are the key inputs for seismic hazard assessment of the region.Peer Reviewe