Objective For more than 30 years, seismologists have used seismic waves to produce 3D images of the structure of the Earth. Despite many successes, a number of key questions still remain, which are of the uttermost importance to understand plate tectonics. What is the nature of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary? What is the structure and history of the continental lithosphere? The problem is that different seismic observables sample the Earth at different scales; they have different sensitivity to structure, and are usually interpreted separately. Images obtained from short period converted and reflected body waves see sharp discontinuities, and are interpreted in terms of thermo-chemical stratification, whereas seismic models constructed from long period seismograms depict a smooth and anisotropic upper mantle, and are usually interpreted in terms of mantle flow. However, sharp discontinuities may also produce effective anisotropy at large scales, and only a joint interpretation of different frequency bands can allow to fully localizing the patterns of deformation in the mantle. The proposed work consists in developing and applying an entirely new approach to geophysical data interpretation, where different data types sampling the Earth at different scales are jointly embraced into a single Bayesian procedure. This proposal focuses on theoretical, algorithmic and computational advances needed for a new generation of tomographic models. We will use the large amount of data available in North-America (surface wave measurements, scattered body waves, SKS splitting measurements) to produce a multiscale model under North-America, depicting both discontinuities and anisotropy. This will allow us to answer some crucial questions about the structure and evolution of Earth. We will also produce a first fully Bayesian global Earth model by jointly inverting normal modes, surface and body wave observations. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologyseismologyplate tectonics Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2016-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2016-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Coordinator CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS Net EU contribution € 1 498 750,00 Address Rue michel ange 3 75794 Paris France See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS France Net EU contribution € 1 498 750,00 Address Rue michel ange 3 75794 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
