A new calibration of seismic velocities, anisotropy, fabrics, and elastic moduli of amphibole-rich rocks

A large portion of the middle to lower crust beneath the continents and oceanic island arcs consists of amphibolites dominated by hornblende and plagioclase. We have measured P and S wave velocities (Vp and Vs) and anisotropy of 17 amphibole‐rich rock samples containing 34–80 vol % amphibole at hydrostatic pressures (P) up to 650 MPa. Combined petrophysical and geochemical analyses provide a new calibration for mean density, average major element contents, mean Vp‐P and Vs‐P coefficients, intrinsic Vp and Vs anisotropy, Poisson's ratios, the logarithmic ratio Rs/p, and elastic moduli of amphibole‐rich rocks. The Vp values decrease with increasing SiO2 and Na2O + K2O contents but increase with increasing MgO and CaO contents. The maximum (≤0.38–0.40 km/s) and minimum S wave birefringence values occur generally in the propagation direction parallel to Y and normal to foliation, respectively. Amphibole plays a critical role in the formation of seismic anisotropy, whereas the presence of plagioclase, quartz, pyroxene, and garnet diminishes the anisotropy induced by amphibole crystallographic preferred orientations (CPOs). The CPO variations cause different anisotropy patterns illustrated in the Flinn diagram of Vp(X)/Vp(Y)‐Vp(Y)/Vp(Z) plots. The results make it possible to distinguish, in terms of seismic properties, the amphibolites from other categories of lithology such as granite‐granodiorite, diorite, gabbro‐diabase, felsic gneiss, mafic gneiss, eclogite, and peridotite within the Earth's crust. Hence, amphibole, aligned by dislocation creep, anisotropic growth, or rigid‐body rotation, is the most important contributor to the seismic anisotropy of the deep crust beneath the continents and oceanic island arcs, which contains rather little phyllosilicates such as mica or chlorite. Key Points New calibration of seismic velocities and anisotropy of amphibole‐rich rocks Amphibolites are abundant in the crust beneath continents and oceanic islands Amphibole plays a critical role in the formation of seismic anisotropy