Structures and active tectonics of compressionally reactivated back-arc failed rift across the Toyama trough in the Sea of Japan, revealed by multiscale seismic profiling

Abstract

Compressional reactivation of back-arc failed rifts in the Sea of Japan and its mechanism that mobilizes active tectonics based on the crustal structures remains poorly understood. Here, we show new results and interpretations of onshore-offshore deep seismic reflection profiles across the Toyama trough and its southern extension, located in the Sea of Japan back-arc rift, to reveal their deep to shallow structures of the crust and reactivated active faults. We observed (1) approximately 5km thick, syn- and post-rift Neogene sediments underlain by pre-Neogene basement rocks characterized by high velocity anomalies, and (2) crustal thrust wedges adjacent to the rift axis. Shallower high-resolution seismic reflection profiles also suggest Quaternary structural growth of the reactivated thrusts and thrust wedges, consistent with tectonic geomorphology of the middle to late Pleistocene marine and fluvial terraces. These findings demonstrate that the mechanical contrasts between the crustal thrust wedges, primarily composed of the pre-rift continental crust and high velocity lower crust caused by mafic intrusions in the rifting stage, have fundamentally controlled the styles of active deformation during the post-rift Quaternary compressional stress regime. These results also contribute to the construction of the seismic source fault models for tsunamis and seismic hazard estimations of this region. In addition, we emphasize that combining multi-scale seismic reflection profiles with tectonic geomorphology sheds light on complicated structural characteristics and recent activities of reactivated normal faults that are mostly blind because of the dynamic subsidence of failed rift structures.