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Regional crustal structure of Indonesia from receiver functions

October 20, 2023

Characterizing the crustal structure of Indonesia is important to gain a better understanding of its geodynamic evolution and improve seismic hazard assessments in the area. However, a unified crustal model of the entire Indonesian region and its surroundings is lacking. We present new maps of crustal thickness and bulk Vp/Vs ratio in Indonesia and the surrounding area that are obtained using P-wave receiver functions at 36 seismic stations from several permanent regional networks. The measured crustal thickness varies from ∼24 km to ∼38 km. The thickest crust, ∼38 km, is beneath Flores Island, southern Maluku, and neighboring northernmost Australia, whereas the thinnest crust, ∼24 km, is found under eastern Malaysia. Thus, crustal thickness varies by ∼14 km (from ∼24 km to ∼38 km) despite the small changes in elevation at the measurement points. The Vp/Vs ratios are 1.79±">±0.11, with high values (>1.85) found along the Banda-Sunda arc-trench system. We attribute these high values to: (1) the presence of mafic island arc and oceanic crust and (2) partial melting within this volcanic region, which causes a larger decrease in S-wave velocities compared with P-wave velocities. The comparison of the seismic properties of Indonesian island arc crust, particularly the Vp/Vs ratio, with laboratory measurements and the petrology of the exhumed Talkeetna island arc, Alaska, allows us to infer the crustal composition of Indonesian island arc crust.

Publication Year 2023
Title Regional crustal structure of Indonesia from receiver functions
DOI 10.1016/j.tecto.2023.230033
Authors Ying Zhang, Walter D. Mooney
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Tectonophysics
Index ID 70263958
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Earthquake Science Center
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