Review on crustal anisotropy investigations beneath the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau based on azimuthal variations of receiver functions

Seismic anisotropy provides key information about the past and present deformations of the crust and mantle below and is crucial for understanding the interior structure of the Earth and deep dynamic processes. Receiver function is a frequently used method with high lateral resolution to detect velocity discontinuity, composition and anisotropy. In recent years, investigating crustal azimuthal anisotropy based on the azimuthal variations of receiver functions has been widely applied to the study of the uplift and expansion mechanisms of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. This paper first briefly introduces several main models regarding the uplift and expansion of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, the formation mechanisms of seismic anisotropy, and the methods for analyzing crustal anisotropy using receiver functions. Then the recent advances in studying crustal anisotropy of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau based on the azimuthal variations of receiver functions are introduced in detail. Finally, based on the current research status, this paper briefly summarizes the challenges and conclusions. Although the formation mechanisms of the observed crustal anisotropy remain controversial, these studies provide important observational constraints on the crustal anisotropy characteristics of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and significant implications into its uplift and expansion mechanisms. Based on the high lateral resolution of the receiver function method and an increasing number of dense seismic array observations, it is expected that more details of crustal deformation will be observed in the future, which will play a significant role in the study of deep dynamic processes.