A low attenuation layer in the Earth's uppermost inner core

Abstract

The attenuation structure of the Earth's inner core, in combination with the velocity structure, provides much insight into its rheological and mineralogical properties. Here, we use a large data set of PKIKP/PKiKP amplitude ratios to derive attenuation models for the upper 100 km of the inner core, incorporating the effects of velocity models calculated using the same data set. We confirm that the upper inner core is hemispherical in attenuation, with stronger attenuation in the east hemisphere. We also observe, for the first time, a low attenuation upper layer of approximately 30 km thickness throughout the top of the inner core. Attenuation increases beneath this layer, and then gradually decreases going deeper into the inner core. Although the data appear to show attenuation anisotropy below 57.5 km depth in the west, we find that this can be explained by the velocity models alone, with no requirement for attenuation anisotropy in the upper inner core