Fenglin Niu
Associate Professor

Research:

We focus on determining the seismic structure of Earth's deep interior to understand its chemical composition and dynamic processes. We have applied and developed many techniques to map the fine seismic structures at various depths. A variety of research projects including the inner core hemisphericity and anisotropy, fine seismic structure near the core-mantle boundary, seismic reflectors in the mid-mantle depths, lateral variation of the mantle transition zone structure, the crust-mantle transition and depth distribution of seismic anisotropy is ongoing in our group.

• Inner core hemisphericity and anisotropy
• Fine seismic structures near the core-mantle boundary (CMB)
• Mid-mantle seismic structures
• Lateral variation of mantle transition-zone structure
• Fine seismic structures of the lowermost crust and crust-mantle transition
• Depth distribution of seismic anisotropy

Selected Publications:

F. Niu, A. Levander, S. Ham, and M. Obayashi, Mapping the subducting Pacific slab beneath southwest Japan with Hi-net receiver functions, 239, 9-17, 2005 [PDF (558 KB)].

F. Niu, and Anisa M. Perez, Seismic anisotropy in the lower mantle: a comparison of waveform splitting of SKS and SKKS, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, 10.1029/2004GL021196, 2004 [PDF (584 KB)].

F. Niu, A. Levander, C.M. Cooper, C.-T. Aeolus Lee, A. Lenardic, and D.E. James, Seismic constraints on the depth and composition of the mantle keel beneath the Kaapvaal craton, EPSL, 224, 337-246, 2004 [PDF (538 KB)]

F. Niu, P.G. Silver, R.M. Nadeau, and T.V. McEvilly, Stress-Induced Migration of Seismic Scatterers Associated with the 1993 Parkfield Aseismic Transient Event, Nature, 426, 544-548, 2003. [PDF (1.2MB)]

F. Niu, H. Kawakatsu, and Y. Fukao, A slightly dipping and strong seismic reflector at mid-mantle depth beneath the Mariana subduction zone, J. Geophys. Res., 108(B9), 2419, doi:10.1029/2002JB002384, 2003. [PDF (8MB)]

F. Niu , and D.E. James, Fine structure of the lowermost crust beneath the Kaapvaal craton and its implications for crustal formation and evolution, Earth Planet. Sci. LetT. , 200, 121-130, 2002. [PDF]

F. Niu , S.C. Solomon, P.G. Silver, D. Suetsugu, H. Inoue, Mantle Transition-zone Structure beneath the South Pacific Superswell and Evidence fo r a Mantle Plume underlying the Society Hotspot, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. , 198, 371-380, 2002. [PDF]

F. Niu , and L. Wen, Seismic anisotropy in the top 400 km of the inner core beneath the "east hemisphere", Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 10.1029/2001GL014118, 2002. [PDF]

L. Wen, and F. Niu, Seismic velocity and attenuation structures in the top of the Earth's inner-core, J. Geophys.Res. , 107, 10.1029/2001JB000170, 2002. [PDF]

F. Niu , and L. Wen, Hemispherical variations in seismic velocity at the top of the Earth's inner-core, Nature, 410, 1081-1084, 2001. [PDF]

T. Iidaka, and F. Niu , Evidence for an anisotropic lower mantle beneath eastern Asia: Comparison of shear-wave splitting data of SKS and P660s, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 675-678, 1998. [PDF]

F. Niu , and H. Kawakatsu, Depth variation of the mid-mantle seismic discontinuity, Geophys. Res. Lett., 24, 429-432, 1997. [PDF]

F. Niu , and H. Kawakatsu, Complex structure of the mantle discontinuities at the tip of the subducting slab beneath the northeast China: A preliminary investigation of broadband receiver functions, J. Phys. Earth, 44, 701-711, 1996.

H. Kawakatsu, and F. Niu , Seismic evidence for a 920-km discontinuity in the mantle, Nature, 371, 301-305, 1994.