Constraining Sedimentary and Crustal Structure from Teleseismic P-wave Receiver Functions and Coda Autocorrelations

Summary Thicknesses and bulk Vp/Vs ratios of crustal layers (or Poisson’s ratio) are fundamental parameters for understanding continental structure, composition, and tectonic evolution. Traditional receiver function (RF) methods analyze P-to-S converted phases to estimate these parameters but face significant challenges in regions with low-velocity sedimentary layers, where sediment-related multiples contaminate deeper crustal signals and bias parameter estimates. We present a sequential RF-AC H-κ phase-weighted stacking method that jointly analyzes RFs and coda autocorrelations (ACs) to simultaneously constrain sedimentary and underlying crystalline crustal properties. Integration of AC data provides independent constraints on P- and S-wave reflection times, improving estimation robustness. Synthetic tests demonstrate that our method effectively suppresses sediment multiple interference and yields more reliable layer thickness and Vp/Vs ratio estimates than conventional RF-only approaches. We apply this method to four broadband stations in contrasting tectonic settings: the extensional Bohai Bay Basin and stable Tarim Basin, China. Results reveal 2.0 – 10.0 km thick sedimentary layers with Vp/Vs ratios decreasing from ~ 2.90 to 2.00 with depth, consistent with progressive compaction. Crustal thickness estimates show significant tectonic variability: 28.0 – 32.0 km in the extensional Bohai Bay Basin versus ~ 40 km in the stable Tarim Basin. Crystalline crustal Vp/Vs ratios of 1.66 – 1.73 at three stations indicate predominantly felsic composition, while a higher ratio (~ 1.80) in southwestern Tarim suggests more mafic materials. These findings agree with independent geophysical observations and geological constraints, demonstrating that this method provides a robust framework for constraining layered continental crust with thick sedimentary basins.