Mijian Xu

University of Toronto | U of T · Department of Physics

A new technique for P‐wave receiver function (PRF) inversion, within the framework of wave equation‐based adjoint tomography and referred to as receiver function adjoint tomography (RFAT), has been developed to obtain models of Vp, Vs, and density. This innovative technique fits the synthetic PRFs with observed PRFs and can better image the lateral...

The genesis of the Cenozoic intraplate volcanism in Central Mongolia, characterized by sustained and low-volume eruptions remains debated due to the lack of a comprehensive model to interpret the Cenozoic volcanic activities. Here, we introduce a high-resolution 3D velocity model of the Hangay Dome, using a novel joint method which combines receive...

In this study we recast surface wave traveltime tomography as an inverse problem constrained by an eikonal equation and solve it using the efficient adjoint‐state method. Specifically, recognizing that large topographic variations and high surface wave frequencies can make the topographic effect too significant to ignore, we employ an elliptically...

We propose a novel framework for teleseismic traveltime tomography that requires no ray tracing. The tomographic inverse problem is formulated as an Eikonal equation‐constrained optimization problem, aiming at the determination of a slowness model that minimizes the difference between observational and predicted differential traveltimes. Two improv...

Seispy is a graphical interface Python module for receiver function (RF) calculation and postprocessing in seismological research. Automated workflows of RF calculations facilitate processing large volume of different types of seismic data. The graphical user interface enables an intuitive and straightforward evaluation of RF quality. All parameter...

The detailed images of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) give insights into the nature of mantle upwelling from the deep Earth. We use receiver function to investigate the MTZ structure beneath the Mongolia Plateau using earthquakes recorded by 223 stations deployed in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. The topographies of the 410 km (D410) and 660 km...

We investigate the crustal structure and Moho topography beneath the northwest Ordos rift zone by employing receiver functions analysis at dense broadband seismic stations. The results delineate a depressed Moho zone (by ~5 km) beneath the Cenozoic rifts, which is unconventional for classical continental rift zones. We interpret this depressed Moho...

The Ailaoshan Red River shear zone (ARSZ) was formed in the Mesozoic as a suture zone between the Indochina block and the Yangtze craton. Since the Cenozoic, block extrusion due to the Indo‐Asian collision has reactivated the fault zone and caused large‐scale shearing. Affected by the Cenozoic orogeny, a large volume of magmatic and metamorphic roc...

The Moho discontinuity plays an important role in crustal growth and evolution. In this study, we delineate the Moho geometry in southern California by jointly using local Moho‐reflected waves PmP and teleseismic Moho‐converted waves Ps. To well constrain the Moho geometry, we have developed a two‐stage process to pick PmP waves and have created a...

The tectonic uplift of the Tibetan Plateau is a focus in the geosciences. Middle‐lower crustal flow is a popular model to interpret the geodynamic mechanism on the margin of the Tibetan Plateau. The model predicts different surface and Moho topographies across the plateau boundary due to the different strengths of the surrounding blocks, that is, s...

The southeastern (SE) Tibetan plateau is uplifting accompanying strong seismicity, but the relationship between the crustal structure and tectonic process in this region is still unclear. Seismic anisotropy provides important clues for the deformation mechanism. Here we applied the harmonic decomposition approach and further conducted a Markov-Chai...

The eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau is under ongoing expansion. Rise and growth of the Longmenshan are results of the interaction between the Songpan-Ganzi Terrane and the Sichuan Basin. In order to understand the block interactions in the eastern plateau margin, we studied the crustal structures using P wave receiver functions (including H-k...

We add new modules for receiver function (RF) analysis in SplitLab toolbox, which includes the manual RF analysis module, automatic RF analysis and related quality control modules, and H-k stacking module. The updated toolbox (named SplitRFLab toolbox), especially its automatic RF analysis module, could calculate the RFs quickly and efficiently, wh...

The structure and dynamics in SE Tibet are the key to understand the tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. In this study we determined high-resolution P-wave seismic images in the upper mantle and transition zone in SE Tibet by jointly inverting the travel-time residuals of local events and the relative travel-time residuals of teleseismic eve...