The Upper Mantle Seismic Velocity Structure of South-Central Africa and the Seismic Architecture of Precambrian Lithosphere Beneath the Congo Basin

摘要: The seismic architecture of the lithosphere beneath Congo Basin is investigated using a new shear wave velocity model upper mantle for central and southern Africa derived from an inversion Rayleigh group measurements. similar to other tomographic models phase velocities, revealing region fast velocities in 50–100 km depth interval northwestern, portions basin, slower northeastern part as well Proterozoic mobile belts east south basin. pattern indicates that may lie side but it does not support presence entire northern portion This finding suggests lithospheric structure basin uniform, commonly assumed geodynamic explaining how formed. A second implication concerns Neoproterozoic rifting event have initiated subsidence. proposed locations rifts are where begin change faster going center toward northeast. Thus, formed along border between two separate, smaller Archean blocks, opposed within middle single, larger block, alleviating need explain rift might form interior large craton.