Evidence for an Imbricated Lower Crust and Its Role in Accommodating Crustal Shortening in Sikkim Himalaya

Abstract

Geometrical heterogeneity of the subducting Indian continental crust along the Himalaya‐Tibet collision zone remains enigmatic. Mass budget estimates describing shortening across the orogen are partly derived from observations made from seismic imaging of the deep earth. Here, using data from 38 broadband seismic stations covering Sikkim Himalaya, we produce high resolution seismic images in order to fill crucial gaps in our understanding of the evolution of Himalayan collision zone. We used 12,288 high quality receiver functions computed using waveforms of earthquakes having magnitude >5.5 in the distance range of 30°–100°. Our results reveal a highly imbricated and heterogeneous crust beneath Sikkim Himalaya. The Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) responsible for large scale earthquakes in the Himalayan collision zone is not so distinct in the migrated images, but intermittent. A dominant cluster of earthquakes at shallower depths is associated with the MHT, marked by negative amplitude arrivals. The Moho is found to be gently dipping, reaching depths of ∼60 km beneath the Higher Himalaya compared to ∼40 km in the Himalayan foredeep. Interestingly, the Moho in this part of Himalaya has offsets and overlapping segments, indicating crustal imbrication in response to active shortening. Clusters of lower crustal earthquakes coincide with the junction of offsets in the Moho.