Anelasticity and Lateral Heterogeneities in Earth's Upper Mantle: Impact on Surface Displacements, Self‐Attraction and Loading, and Ocean Tide Dynamics

Surface displacement and self-attraction loading (SAL) elevation induced by ocean tides are known to be affected material properties of the solid Earth. Recent studies have shown that, in addition elasticity, anelasticity considerably impacts surface displacements due tide (OTL). We employ consistent 3D seismic elastic attenuation tomography models construct anelastic earth models, derive corresponding averaged 1D elastic/anelastic models. apply these systematically study impact lateral heterogeneity on M2 OTL SAL elevation. find that neglecting heterogeneities highly underestimates mid-ocean-ridge regions some coastal areas North Central America. In comparison PREM, can increase predicted amplitudes vertical up 1.5 mm. The increased reduce discrepancy between GPS-observed their predictions based PREM places like Cornwall (England), Brittany (France), Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Applying our results tides, we discover dynamics exceeds correction with an RMS about 1 mm, reaching more than 5 mm Atlantic or East Pacific. Due fact such a value reaches accuracy modern data-constrained tidal regard shear relaxation as significant modeling.