Global SH-wave propagation using a parallel axisymmetric spherical finite-difference scheme: application to whole mantle scattering

SUMMARY We extended a high-order finite-difference scheme for the elastic SH-wave equation in axisymmetric media for use on parallel computers with distributed memory architecture. Moreover, we derive an analytical description of the implemented ring source and compare it quantitatively with a double couple source. The restriction to axisymmetry and the use of high performance computers and PC networks allows computation of synthetic seismograms at dominant periods down to 2.5 s for global mantle models. We give a description of our algorithm (SHaxi) and its verification against an analytical solution. As an application, we compute synthetic seismograms for global mantle models with additional stochastic perturbations applied to the background S-wave velocity model. We investigate the influence of the perturbations on the SH wavefield for a suite of models with varying perturbation amplitudes, correlation length scales, and spectral characteristics. The inclusion of stochastic perturbations in the models broadens the pulse width of teleseismic body wave arrivals and delays their peak arrival times. Coda wave energy is also generated which is observed as additional energy after prominent body wave arrivals. The SHaxi method has proven to be a valuable method for computing global synthetic seismograms at high frequencies and for studying the seismic waveform effects from models where rotational symmetry may be assumed.