Splitting intensity tomography to image depth-dependent seismic anisotropy patterns beneath the Italian Peninsula and surrounding regions

The region between central Europe and the centre of the Mediterranean is characterised by complex tectonics and kinematics. Here, the interaction between thickened crust, subducting lithosphere and surrounding asthenosphere produces strong and pervasive anisotropy in the upper mantle. Shear wave splitting measurements, the most adopted method to image seismic anisotropy so far, when interpreted in a ray-based framework result in little or no depth resolution, hampering a correct image of the anisotropy distribution with depth. In this study, we aim to better constrain the depth-dependent seismic anisotropy beneath Italy and surrounding regions, by isolating for the first time the source region of anisotropy at different depths. To do that, we perform an anisotropy tomography, adopting the splitting intensity inversion method. It is entirely based on the finite-frequency effect in the splitting of SKS waves. We first computed the splitting intensity using SKS waves recorded at all available permanent and temporary stations over the region, obtaining a huge dataset of measurements used as an input for the tomographic inversion. The large-scale 3D model of seismic anisotropy obtained with the inversion shows a clear change of anisotropy properties in terms of fast polarisation direction and intensity for different depths, thus improving the characterization of the main sources of anisotropy in the mantle as a function of depth. Shallower layers (70–100 km depth) are characterised by a complex and variable oriented pattern of anisotropy fast direction and intensity, which becomes progressively more organised with depth (100–300 km). This pattern suggests a strong control exerted by the geometry and motion of the different slab segments and the large-scale asthenospheric flow generated by subduction and roll-back processes. The strength of anisotropy increases with depth, with high values affecting the bulge of the Alps and Apennines chains and the southern Tyrrhenian subduction system. On the contrary, weaker anisotropy characterises the transition zone from the Apennines to Alpine domains beneath the Po plain, and both the Adriatic and European domains.