a b s t r a c tTomographic images have shown that there are clear high-velocity heterogeneities to the north of the Pacific Anomaly near the core-mantle boundary (CMB), but the detailed structure and origin of these heterogeneities are poorly known. In this study, we analyze PKP precursors from earthquakes in the Aleutian Islands and Kamchatka Peninsula recorded by seismic arrays in Antarctica, and find that these heterogeneities extend $400 km above the CMB and are distributed between 30°and 45°N in latitude. The scatterers show the largest P-wave velocity perturbation of 1.0-1.2% in the center (160-180°E) and $0.5% to the west and east (140-160°E, 180-200°E). ScS-S differential travel-time residuals reveal similar features. We suggest that these seismic scatterers are the remnants of ancient subducted slab material. The lateral variations may be caused either by different slabs, or by variations in slab composition resulting from their segregation process.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.