Focusing Effects of Teleseismic Wavefields by the Subducting Plate
beneath Cascadia: Evidence for Slab Continuity
Abstract
Seismic wave amplitudes have tremendous sensitivity to subduction
structure; however, they are affected by attenuation, scattering and
focusing, and have therefore been sparsely used compared with
traveltimes. We measure and model teleseismic body wave amplitudes
recorded at a dense broadband array in the Washington Cascades (iMUSH).
These data show anomalous amplitude variations with complex azimuthal
dependence at the low frequency of 0.05 Hz, accompanied by significant
multipathing. We demonstrate using spectral-element numerical
simulations that focusing of the teleseismic wavefield by the Juan de
Fuca slab is responsible for some of the amplitude anomalies. The
focusing effects can contaminate the apparent differential attenuation
measurements and produce at least 20% of the inferred attenuation
signal. The focusing results in complex azimuthal patterns that produce
different phase and amplitude variations than does intrinsic
attenuation, which should allow separation of elastic (focusing) and
anelastic effects. Our results indicate that the amplitudes are
sensitive to the subducting slab geometry and subduction structure, and
can be used to refine seismic images. Ubiquitous focusing effects are
observed along the arc, suggesting a continuous Juan de Fuca slab from
Canada to northern California.