Flexural bending curvature and yield zone of subducting plates

Abstract

ABSTRACT We quantify flexural deformation of subducting oceanic plates at a global array of 15 ocean trenches, using a new approach of modelling spatial variations in flexural bending shape and curvature. The investigated trenches are chosen to represent a diverse range of subducting plate age of 24–150 Ma, including the Middle America, Peru, Chile, West and East Aleutian, Sumatra, North and South Philippine, Tonga, Kermadec, Kuril, Japan, Izu-Bonin, and South and North Mariana. The studied trenches show systematic intra- and inter-trench variability in the calculated flexural bending curvature, stress distribution, extensional brittle yield zone, and effective elastic plate thickness Te of the subducting plates. We find that subducting plate age is a critical factor controlling the bending curvature and the corresponding extensional yield zone. The width, depth, and area of the extensional yield zone are all calculated to increase systematically with the subducting plate age. The newly-developed curvature analysis can yield continuously varying apparent Te(x) from the trench axis to outer rise. The calculated extensional yield zones from the curvature analysis are in general consistent with the observed normal faulting earthquakes of magnitude≥6.0 at the 15 global trenches. Our analyses also reveal that the five deepest regions of the global trenches, i.e. the Challenger, Horizon, Serena, and Scholl Deeps and Galathea Depth, are associated with relatively large flexural bending and calculated yield zones comparing to their respective adjacent trench segments. The Serena and Challenger Deeps of the S. Mariana trench are calculated to have the largest flexural bending among the five deeps.