Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Seismic Anisotropy of the Uppermost Mantle beneath Mid-ocean Ridges

Nature volume 218, pages 558–559 (1968)Cite this article

Abstract

IN 1965, Hess1 showed that seismic refraction measurements of Raitt and Shor in the East Pacific were consistent with seismic anisotropy of the uppermost mantle. Velocities between 8.0 km/s and 8.7 km/s were measured. The direction of the maximum velocity lay parallel to neighbouring fracture zones. Later, Backus2 showed that for small anisotropy the compressional wave velocity Vp(φ), measured at azimuth φ, should fit an equation of the form Coefficients J, K, L, M and N are related to elastic parameters of the upper mantle.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hess, H. H., Nature, 203, 629 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Backus, G. E., J. Geophys. Res., 70, 3429 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Le Pichon, X., Houtz, R. E., Drake, C. L., and Nafe, J. E., J. Geophys. Res., 70, 319 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Francis, T. J. G., and Shor, G. G., J. Geophys. Res., 71, 427 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Laughton, A. S., and Tramontini, C., Proc. Symp. World Rift System, Meeting of Intern. Union Geodesy and Geophys., 1967 (in the press).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Menard, H. W., Science, 132, 1737 (1960).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Francis, T. J. G., and Raitt, R. W., J. Geophys. Res., 72, 3015 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Heezen, B. C., Tharp, M., and Ewing, M., Geol. Soc. Amer. Spec. Paper, 65 (1959).

  9. Johnson, G. L., Earth and Plan. Sci. Lett., 2, 445 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sykes, L. R., J. Geophys. Res., 72, 2131 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Heezen, B. C., and Tharp, M., Physiographic Diagram of the Indian Ocean Geol. Soc. Amer. (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Raitt, R. W., Shor, G. G., Francis, T. J. G., and Morris, G. B., Scripps Inst. Oceanography, Univ. California, Report 67–8 (1967).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Oceanography, Wormley, Godalming, Surrey

    R. B. WHITMARSH

Authors
  1. R. B. WHITMARSH
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

WHITMARSH, R. Seismic Anisotropy of the Uppermost Mantle beneath Mid-ocean Ridges. Nature 218, 558–559 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/218558a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/218558a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing