Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Upper-mantle flow beneath the South Pacific is investigated by analysing shear wave splitting parameters at eight permanent long-period and broad-band seismic stations and 10 broad-band stations deployed in French Polynesia from 2001 to 2005 in the framework of the Polynesian Lithosphere and Upper Mantle Experiment (PLUME). Despite the small number of eventsand the rather poor backazimuthal coverage due to the geographical distribution of the natural seismicity, upper-mantle seismic anisotropy has been detected at all stations except at Tahiti where two permanent stations with 15 yr of data show an apparent isotropy. The median value of fast polarization azimuths (N67.5°W) is parallel to the present Pacific absolute platemotion direction in French Polynesia (APM: N67°W). This suggests that the observed SKS fast polarization directions result mainly from olivine crystal preferred orientations produced by deformation in the sublithospheric mantle due to viscous entrainment by the moving Pacific Plate and preserved in the lithosphere as the plate cools. However, analysis of individualmeasurements highlights variations of splitting parameters with event backazimuth that imply an actual upper-mantle structure more complex than a single anisotropic layer with horizontal fast axis. A forward approach shows that a two-layer structure of anisotropy beneath French Polynesia better explains the splitting observations than a single anisotropic layer. Second ordervariations in the measurements may also indicate the presence of small-scale lateral heterogeneities. The influence of plumes or fracture zones within the studied area does not appear to dominate the large-scale anisotropy pattern but may explain these second-order splitting variations across the network.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-01249275
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01249275
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01249275/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01249275/file/GJI2007SKS.pdf
DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03475.x

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : National audience
New experimental data on electrical and anelastic properties of oceanic rocks at high pressures and temperatures are compared with the field data of seismic and electrical anomalies observed at oceanic spreading centers. The laboratory results of electrical conductivity and internal friction on gabbro and peridotites permit to estimate a degree of partial melting and maximum temperature in axial magma chambers (12-15% of melting at 1155-1165°C) and at the upper boundary of a source zone at the depth of 40-90 km (less than 5% of melting in the absence of pyroxene crystals and up to 11-14% in the pyroxene reach rocks at 1360-1370°C) at mid-oceanic ridges.
ISSN: 0934-6554

hal-01322920
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01322920

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
The characteristic frequencies at which two different melt-related attenuation mechanisms occur in partially molten gabbronorite are computed as a function of aspect ratios of the melt-filled cracks, and the melt viscosity. The computations were done for basaltic and andesitic melts. The melt viscosity is constrained by (i) laboratory measurements performed in the range 10(8)-10(14) Pa s with a creep apparatus and in the range 10(-1) to 10(5) Pas with a rotational Couette viscorneter, and (ii) modeling of viscosity at high temperatures. The results of the characteristic frequency calculations suggest that melt squirt flow is a viable attenuation mechanism at seismic frequencies for aspect ratio of melt inclusions in the range 10(-1) to 10(-2) for the andesite, and 10(-4) to 10(-3) for the two basalts.
ISSN: 0031-9201

hal-00412014
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00412014
DOI : 10.1016/j.pepi.2008.04.010

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
A temporary network of 10 broad-band seismic stations has been installed in French Polynesia for the Polynesian Lithosphere and Upper Mantle Experiment (PLUME). All the seismic stations were installed either on volcanic islands or on atolls of the various archipelagos of French Polynesia in a manner which complements the geographic coverage provided by the regional permanent stations. The primary aim of PLUME is to image the upper mantle structures related to plate motion and hotspot activity. However, because of its proximity to all sites, the ocean is responsible for a high level of noise in the seismic data and we show that these data can also be used to analyse ocean wave activity. The power spectral density (PSD) analyses of the seismic data recorded in French Polynesia show clear peaks in the 0.05– 0.10 Hz band (periods between 10 and 20 s), which corresponds to swell frequencies. Clear peaks in this frequency band are also observed in infrasonic data recorded on Tahiti. Ground motion analysis shows that the swell-related seismic noise (SRSN) is linearly polarized in the horizontal plane and its amplitude decreases rapidly with the distance from the shore. The microseismic and the infrasonic 'noise' amplitudes show very similar variations from station to station and both are strongly correlated with the swell amplitudes predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), wind-forced, 'WaveWatch' models. The swell direction can be estimated from SRSN polarization analysis but this has to be done with care since, for some cases, the ground motions are strongly controlled by the islands' anisometric shapes and by swell refraction processes. We find cases, however, such as Tahiti or roughly circular Tuamotu atolls, where the azimuth of the swell is in good agreement with the seismic estimates. We, therefore, demonstrate that the SRSN and the infrasonic signal observed in French Polynesia can be used in such cases as a proxy for swell amplitude and azimuth. From the continuous analysis of the data recorded in 2003 at the permanent seismic station PPTL in Tahiti, transfer functions have been obtained. This could provide a way to quantify the swell activity during the last two decades and, therefore, assist in the investigation of climate changes.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-01323691
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01323691
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01323691/document
http://hal.univ-reunion.fr/hal-01323691/file/Barruol_et_al_2006.pdf
DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.02871.x

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union
Résumé : International audience
Upper mantle structures and flow related to the South Pacific Superswell and to the associated short-lived hotspots are investigated using seismic stations deployed in French Polynesia. Beside island stations, broadband ocean bottom seismometers ( BBOBS) have been deployed between the various Polynesian archipelagos to investigate the oceanic upper mantle "unperturbed'' by thickened crust or hotspot activity. We investigate seismic anisotropy measured at BBOBS stations and found it rather similar to that from island stations. This confirms the ability of OBS to be used for anisotropy purposes and suggests some homogeneity in the upper mantle pervasive deformation. The two OBS installed on the head of the Society hotspot provide different anisotropy signatures than most of the other French Polynesian stations: one is "isotropic'' to SKS waves and the other provides a fast split direction normal to the average value observed in this area, suggesting a more complex mantle flow induced by the plume upwelling.
ISSN: 0094-8276

hal-00420907
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00420907
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00420907/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00420907/file/Barruol_SKS_PLUME_BBOBS_GRL2009.pdf
DOI : 10.1029/2009GL038139

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union
Résumé : International audience
We report measurements of long-period P wave polarization (P-pol) in Australia and Tahiti made by combining modeling of the polarization deviation and harmonic analysis. The analysis of the deviation of the horizontal polarization of the P wave as a function of event back azimuth may be used to obtain information about (1) sensor misorientation, (2) dipping discontinuities, (3) seismic anisotropy, and (4) velocity heterogeneities beneath a seismic station. The results from harmonic analysis and a grid search using Snell's law suggest the presence of a dipping seismic discontinuity beneath stations CTAO and CAN in Australia. These results are consistent with published receiver function studies for these stations. The P-pol fast axis orientation is close to the N-S absolute plate motion direction at station TAU (Tasmania), which may be due to plate-motion-driven alignment of olivine crystals in the asthenosphere. Interestingly, measurements of SKS splitting at Tahiti (French Polynesia) show an apparent isotropy, whereas an inversion of P-pol observations at PPTL seismic station located in Tahiti suggests the presence of two anisotropic layers. The fast axis azimuth is oriented E-Win the upper layer, and it is close to the NW-SE orientation in the lower layer. Since P-pol orientations are used for real-time earthquake locations, especially in poorly instrumented areas such as the South Pacific, we show that the bias from anisotropy and sensor misorientation determined here can be corrected to improve the location accuracy, which yields fundamental data for rapid location necessary for effective tsunami warning.
ISSN: 2169-9313

hal-00413141
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00413141
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00413141/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00413141/file/FontaineetalJGR2008.pdf
DOI : 10.1029/2008JB005709