Towards 3D attenuation tomography of the Northern Chile forearc

Abstract

In subduction zones, intermediate-depth earthquakes typically occur in two discrete layers, delineating an upper and a lower seismicity plane with a separating aseismic or minimally seismic region, a phenomenon named Double Seismic Zone (DSZ). However, the seismicity pattern in Northern Chile features two parallel planes of seismic activity only in the shallower section of the slab. Around depths of 80–90 km, the seismicity undergoes a transition to a significantly seismogenic zone approximately 25–30 km thick, effectively connecting the initial seismicity planes. This variation presents a distinct form of intraslab seismicity that deviates from the traditional DSZ structure and prompts further investigation into its underlying mechanisms and implications for regional seismic hazard assessment. Insights derived from this region's seismicity could provide pivotal constraints and enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between geological processes, mineral transformations, and fluid migrations in shaping subduction zone seismicity. The attenuation of seismic waves in a rock volume is a property that is highly sensitive to the presence and concentration of fluids as well as spatial variations of temperature. As intermediate-depth seismicity is thought to originate from dehydration processes in the downgoing slab, along-strike or along-dip changes in slab seismicity should have a signature in seismic attenuation of the slab as well as the overlying mantle wedge. We hence aim at better understanding the aforementioned seismicity configuration in Northern Chile by acquiring a 3D image of its attenuation signature.  The primary dataset for our analysis comes from the seismic stations of the Integrated Plate boundary Observatory Chile (IPOC) network in Northern Chile's forearc, augmented by additional data from different temporary deployments. Using the extensive seismicity catalog of Sippl et al. (2023), we have about 180,000 events at over 50 seismic stations at our disposal from the period 2007 to 2021; we select only the high quality traces for the analysis. The rays are traced in a 3D velocity model. We invert the spectral ratios obtained with the coda normalization method to obtain total-Q values. We present images of the 3D attenuation structure of the Northern Chile Forearc between 21ºS and 23ºS, which are obtained with measurements of the coda normalization method using the Multi-Resolution Attenuation Tomography algorithm (Sketsiou et al., 2021).