Development of three‐dimensional basement structure in Taiwan deduced from past plate motion: Consistency with the present seismicity

Abstract

Using colored clay, we examined geometrical evolution of the three‐dimensional basement structure in Taiwan due to relative plate motion under the following assumptions: the motion of the Philippine Sea plate relative to the Eurasian plate has been constant during the last 15 Myr, the Ryukyu and Manila trenches had been connected by a transform fault before the collision between the Luzon arc and Eurasian continental margin, and the collision started at 5 Ma. The basement structure obtained from the clay model was fully consistent with observed deep seismicity, which led us to the following conclusions. There are no oceanic slabs beneath central Taiwan. Instead, the Eurasian continental margin is underthrusting beneath it. The Philippine Sea slab extends northwestward from the Ryukyu trench, while the South China Sea slab extends southeastward from the Manila trench. The downdip length of the South China Sea slab becomes shorter from south to north.