Low-velocity heterogeneities redistributed by subducted material in the deepest mantle beneath North America

Abstract

The origins and composition of seismic low-velocity heterogeneities atop the core-mantle boundary (CMB) remain poorly understood. It is also debated whether they are static features or whether they can be displaced and modified by mantle convection, although recent seismological and geodynamic evidence suggests the latter. In this work, we perform the first simultaneous analysis of SPdKS waves to characterize low-velocity heterogeneity and seismic anisotropy, which is evidence for deformation, at the base of the mantle. We find seismic velocity heterogeneity and seismic anisotropy that are co-located with, or adjacent to, each other. Our study region, the lowermost mantle beneath North America, has been shaped by long-term subduction. Through geodynamic modeling simulations, we show that the sinking of subducted slabs to the lowermost mantle can trigger formation of hot thermal anomalies near subducted slabs, where chemical heterogeneities can accumulate. The thermochemical anomalies can cause reduction of seismic velocity while the slab-induced flow can cause seismic anisotropy, potentially explaining our seismic observations.