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, Q.-F. Chen, Seismic evidence for distinct anisotropy in the innermost inner core, Nature Geoscience, 1, 692 - 696, doi:10.1038/ngeo314, 2008 [PDF (2.5 MB)].

F. Niu, P. Silver, T. Daley, X. Cheng, E. Majer, Preseismic velocity changes observed from active source monitoring at the Parkfield SAFOD drill site, Nature, 454, doi:10.1038/nature07111, 2008 [PDF]

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

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