TY - JOUR A1 - Negi, Sanjay S. A1 - Paul, Ajay A1 - Cesca, Simone A1 - Kamal, A1 - Kriegerowski, Marius A1 - Mahesh, P. A1 - Gupta, Sandeep T1 - Crustal velocity structure and earthquake processes of Garhwal-Kumaun Himalaya: Constraints from regional waveform inversion and array beam modeling JF - Tectonophysics : international journal of geotectonics and the geology and physics of the interior of the earth N2 - In order to understand present day earthquake kinematics at the Indian plate boundary, we analyse seismic broadband data recorded between 2007 and 2015 by the regional network in the Garhwal-Kumaun region, northwest Himalaya. We first estimate a local 1-D velocity model for the computation of reliable Green's functions, based on 2837 P-wave and 2680 S-wave arrivals from 251 well located earthquakes. The resulting 1-D crustal structure yields a 4-layer velocity model down to the depths of 20 km. A fifth homogeneous layer extends down to 46 km, constraining the Moho using travel-time distance curve method. We then employ a multistep moment tensor (MT) inversion algorithm to infer seismic moment tensors of 11 moderate earthquakes with Mw magnitude in the range 4.0–5.0. The method provides a fast MT inversion for future monitoring of local seismicity, since Green's functions database has been prepared. To further support the moment tensor solutions, we additionally model P phase beams at seismic arrays at teleseismic distances. The MT inversion result reveals the presence of dominant thrust fault kinematics persisting along the Himalayan belt. Shallow low and high angle thrust faulting is the dominating mechanism in the Garhwal-Kumaun Himalaya. The centroid depths for these moderate earthquakes are shallow between 1 and 12 km. The beam modeling result confirm hypocentral depth estimates between 1 and 7 km. The updated seismicity, constrained source mechanism and depth results indicate typical setting of duplexes above the mid crustal ramp where slip is confirmed along out-of-sequence thrusting. The involvement of Tons thrust sheet in out-of-sequence thrusting indicate Tons thrust to be the principal active thrust at shallow depth in the Himalayan region. Our results thus support the critical taper wedge theory, where we infer the microseismicity cluster as a result of intense activity within the Lesser Himalayan Duplex (LHD) system. KW - Critical taper wedge KW - Lesser Himalayan Duplex KW - Out-of-sequence thrust Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2017.05.007 SN - 0040-1951 SN - 1879-3266 VL - 712 SP - 45 EP - 63 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sankaran, Mahesh A1 - Hanan, Niall P. A1 - Scholes, Robert J. A1 - Ratnam, Jayashree A1 - Cade, Brian S. A1 - Ardo, Jonas A1 - Augustine, David J. A1 - Banyikwa, Feetham A1 - Bronn, Andries A1 - Bucini, Gabriela A1 - Caylor, Kelly K. A1 - Coughenour, Michael B. A1 - Diouf, Alioune A1 - Feral, Christie J. A1 - February, Edmund C. A1 - Frost, Peter G. H. T1 - Determinants of woody cover in African savannas N2 - Savannas are globally important ecosystems of great significance to human economies. In these biomes, which are characterized by the co-dominance of trees and grasses, woody cover is a chief determinant of ecosystem properties(1-3). The availability of resources ( water, nutrients) and disturbance regimes ( fire, herbivory) are thought to be important in regulating woody cover(1,2,4,5), but perceptions differ on which of these are the primary drivers of savanna structure. Here we show, using data from 854 sites across Africa, that maximum woody cover in savannas receiving a mean annual precipitation (MAP) of less than similar to 650 mm is constrained by, and increases linearly with, MAP. These arid and semi-arid savannas may be considered 'stable' systems in which water constrains woody cover and permits grasses to coexist, while fire, herbivory and soil properties interact to reduce woody cover below the MAP- controlled upper bound. Above a MAP of similar to 650 mm, savannas are 'unstable' systems in which MAP is sufficient for woody canopy closure, and disturbances ( fire, herbivory) are required for the coexistence of trees and grass. These results provide insights into the nature of African savannas and suggest that future changes in precipitation(6) may considerably affect their distribution and dynamics Y1 - 2005 ER -