Inhomogeneous distribution of deep slow earthquake activity along the strike of the subducting Philippine Sea Plate

Abstract

The spatial distribution of deep slow earthquake activity along the strike of the subducting Philippine Sea Plate in southwest Japan is investigated. These events usually occur simultaneously between the megathrust seismogenic zone and the deeper free-slip zone on the plate interface at depths of about 30 km. Deep low-frequency tremors are weak prolonged vibrations with dominant frequencies of 1.5–5 Hz, whereas low-frequency earthquakes correspond to isolated pulses included within the tremors. Deep very-low-frequency earthquakes have long-period (20 s) seismic signals, and short-term slow-slip events are crustal deformations lasting for several days. Slow earthquake activity is not spatially homogeneous but is separated into segments some of which are bounded by gaps in activity. The spatial distribution of each phase of slow earthquake activity is usually coincident, although there are some inconsistencies. Very-low-frequency earthquakes occur mainly at edges of segments. Low-frequency earthquakes corresponding to tremors of relatively large amplitude are concentrated at spots where tremors are densely distributed within segments. The separation of segments by gaps suggests large differences in stick-slip and stable sliding caused by frictional properties of the plate interface. Within each segment, variations in the spatial distribution of slow earthquakes reflected inhomogeneities corresponding to the characteristic scales of events.