Hydrous mantle minerals reveal possible source of seismic anisotropy in stagnant slabs‎

Seismic waves traveling through Earth's interior often propagate at different speeds depending on their direction, a phenomenon known as seismic anisotropy. Such anisotropy is commonly detected beneath subduction zones, particularly near stagnant slabs in the mantle transition zone and uppermost lower mantle. However, the physical origin of these signals has remained uncertain.