Subduction Plate Boundary Research Articles

Miocene Alkaline Basaltic Magmatism in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau: Implications for Mantle Evolution and Plateau Outward Growth

AbstractThe widespread Cenozoic alkaline magmatism within and around the Tibetan Plateau offers a prime opportunity to probe the nature of the mantle at the depths where basalt magmas originate. The close temporal and spatial relationship between volcanism and regional strike‐slip fault systems also helps better understand the geodynamics of outward growth of the plateau in response to the continued India‐Asia convergence. We present a comprehensive study of the deeply sourced alkaline basalts formed along the Kunlun strike‐slip fault with the aim of understanding their petrogenesis and the composition of mantle sources beneath the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. High Nb/U and Ce/Pb ratios and relatively depleted bulk‐rock Sr‐Nd‐Pb isotope compositions corroborate the mantle origin of these alkaline basalts. Homogeneous and low 87Sr/86Sr of clinopyroxene indicates negligible crustal contamination during magmatic evolution. Low δ26Mg in the alkaline basalts and positive correlations with Hf/Sm and Ti/Ti* indicate that the basalts were derived from mantle that was metasomatized by melts derived from sedimentary carbonates during the Paleo‐Tethyan seafloor subduction. Based on 40Ar/39Ar dating results, it appears that the alkaline basaltic magmatism in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau occurred simultaneously with Kunlun strike‐slip faulting. These observations suggest that the India‐Asia convergence must have reactivated ancient subduction plate boundaries and resulted in strike‐slip faulting along these suture zones within and around the Tibetan Plateau. The eruption of low‐volume and deeply rooted alkaline basalts may have been controlled by fractures associated with the strike‐slip fault systems.

Path and Slip Dependent Behavior of Shallow Subduction Shear Zones During Fluid Overpressure

AbstractElevated pore fluid pressure is proposed to contribute to slow earthquakes along shallow subduction plate boundaries. However, the processes that create high fluid pressure, disequilibrium compaction and dehydration reactions, lead to different effective stress paths in fault rocks. These paths are predicted by granular mechanics frameworks to lead to different strengths and deformation modes, yet granular mechanics do not predict their effects on fault stability. To evaluate the role of fluid overpressure on shallow megathrust strength and slip behavior, we conducted triaxial shear experiments on chlorite and celadonite rich gouge layers. Experiments were conducted at constant temperature (130 and 100°C), confining pressure (130 and 140 MPa), and pore fluid pressures (between 10 and 120 MPa). Fluid overpressure due to disequilibrium compaction was simulated by increasing confining and pore fluid pressure synchronously without exceeding the target effective pressure, whereas overpressure due to dehydration reactions was simulated by first loading the sample to a target isotropic effective pressure and then increasing pore fluid pressure to reduce the effective pressure. We find that the effects of fluid pressure and stress path on the mechanical behavior of the chlorite and celadonite gouges can generally be described using the critical state soil mechanics (CSSM) framework. However, path effects are more pronounced and persist to greater displacements in chlorite because its microstructure is more influenced by stress path. Due to its effects on microstructure, the stress path also imparts greater control on the rate‐dependence of chlorite strength, which is not predicted by CSSM.

Syn‐Drift Plate Tectonics

AbstractThe paradigm of plate tectonics holds that ocean plates are rigid during drift and only experience tectonic deformation at subduction zones, but new findings from the Pacific challenge this idea. Geological and geophysical evidence from the Ontong Java, Shatsky, Hess, and Manihiki oceanic plateaux indicates that extensional deformation during plate drift is a widespread phenomenon across the Pacific plate. These anomalously thick oceanic plateaux are weaker regions of the ocean lithosphere and more prone to tectonic deformation. Numerical geodynamic models demonstrate that a slab pull force from distant subduction plate boundaries can be effectively transmitted to oceanic plateaux through strong ocean lithosphere and cause substantial extension during plate drift. Our findings reveal that a wide expanse of the Pacific has experienced syn‐drift plate tectonics linked to pull from the western Pacific subduction factory.

The Correlation between Ionospheric Electron Density Variations Derived from Swarm Satellite Observations and Seismic Activity at the Australian–Pacific Tectonic Plate Boundary

Swarm electron density (Ne) observations from the Langmuir probe (LP) can detect ionospheric disturbances at the altitude of a satellite. Along-track satellite observations provide a large number of very short observations of different places in the ionosphere, where Ne is disturbed. Moreover, different perturbations occupy various Ne signal frequencies. Therefore, such short signals are more recognizable in two dimensions, where aside from their change in time, we can observe their diversity in the frequency domain. Spectral analysis is an essential tool applied here, as it enables signal decomposition and the recognition of composite patterns of Ne disturbances that occupy different frequencies. This study shows a high-resolution application of short-term Fourier transform (STFT) to Swarm Ne observations in the Papua New Guinea region in the vicinity of earthquakes, tsunamis, and related general seismic activity. The system of tectonic plate junctions, including the Pacific–Australian boundary, is located orthogonally to Swarm track footprints. The selected wavelengths of seismically induced ionospheric disturbances detected via Swarm are compared with the three sets of three-month records of seismic activity: in the winter solstice of 2016/2017, when seismic activity was highest, and in the summer solstice and vernal equinox of 2016, which were calmer. Moreover, more Swarm data records are analyzed at the same latitudes for validation purposes, in a place where there are no tectonic plate boundaries that are orthogonal to the Swarm orbital footprint. Additional validation is supplied through Swarm Ne observations from completely different latitudes, where the Swarm orbital footprint orthogonally crosses a different subducting plate boundary. Aside from the seismic energy, the solar radio flux (F10.7), equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs), and geomagnetic ap and Dst indices are also reviewed here. Their influence on the ionospheric Ne is also found in Swarm observations. Finally, the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), applied to the pairs of 3-month time series created from Swarm Ne variations, seismic energy, ap, Dst, and F10.7, summarizes the graphical inspection of mutual correlations. It points to the predominant correlation of Swarm Ne disturbances with seismicity, especially during nighttime. We show that most of the Ne disturbances at a selected wavelength of 300 km correlate more with seismicity than with geomagnetic and solar indices. Therefore, Swarm LP can be assessed as being capable of observing the lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling (LAIC) from the orbit.

New Seismic Imaging of the Crustal Structure beneath the Eastern Sichuan and Wuling Mountains, South China: Insights into the Formation of Fold-and-Thrust Belts

Abstract Intracontinental deformation is out of the theory of conventional plate tectonics. It is widely recognized with deformation within the continental interior instead of the plate margin, yet its formation mechanism has long been controversial. The eastern Sichuan–Wuling mountains (ESWM) area is located ∼1300 km away from the subduction plate boundary and had developed intracontinental deformations, including crustal shortening and fold-and-thrust (FAT) tectonics, making it an ideal place to understand the mechanism of intracontinental deformation. In this study, we obtain a new seismic image of the 3D crustal structure of the ESWM area using the continuous ambient noise data of 67 broadband seismic stations. We invert the Rayleigh-wave dispersions of 5–30 s derived from cross-correlating the Z-component of all station pairs and obtain the fine crustal VS model. Our new seismic image reveals distinct velocity characteristics between the thin-skinned chevron anticline FAT tectonics in the eastern Sichuan basin and the thick-skinned chevron syncline FAT tectonics in the Wuling mountains area. Specifically, a low-VS layer observed beneath the Wuling mountains area, together with the crystalline basement beneath the eastern Sichuan basin, marks the ductile décollements confining the folding and thrusting deformation. Based on our new VS model and some previous studies, we propose a geodynamic model, which is associated with the far-field effect of the westward paleo-Pacific subduction during the late Mesozoic. Our model meets all the structural investigations at surface and geophysical observations at depth, and is reliable and valuable for further studies on similar intracontinental deformation in other regions.

What makes low-frequency earthquakes low frequency.

Low-frequency earthquakes, atypical seismic events distinct from regular earthquakes, occur downdip of the seismogenic megathrust where an aseismic rheology dominates the subduction plate boundary. Well situated to provide clues on the slip regime of this unique faulting environment, their distinctive waveforms reflect either an unusual rupture process or unusually strong attenuation in their source zone. We take advantage of the unique geometry of seismicity in the Nankai Trough to isolate the spectral signature of low-frequency earthquakes after correcting for empirically derived attenuation. We observe that low-frequency earthquake spectra are consistent with the classical earthquake model, yet their rupture duration and stress drop are orders of magnitude different from ordinary earthquakes. We conclude their low-frequency nature primarily results from an atypical seismic rupture process rather than near-source attenuation.

Fine Structure of Tremor Migrations Beneath the Kii Peninsula, Southwest Japan, Extracted With a Space‐Time Hough Transform

AbstractTectonic tremors occurring on subducting plate boundaries are known to migrate at various timescales and migration speeds. Spatiotemporal patterns of tremor migration are key to investigating the rupture growth of slow earthquakes. However, spatiotemporal patterns are not sufficiently simple to visually define tremor migrations. This study developed a space‐time Hough transform to objectively extract tremor migrations. The space‐time Hough transform enables the extraction of multiple tremor migrations with various durations, migration directions, and migration speeds. We applied this method to a catalog of tremors for the period from 2012 to 2014, which was determined from the data analysis of a dense seismic array deployed in the Kii Peninsula, Southwest Japan. We successfully extracted 1,010 tremor migrations with durations ranging from 10 min to 24 hr. Along‐strike migrations propagating southwestward were predominant in the northeastern part of the Kii Peninsula, whereas those propagating northeastward were principal in the southwestern part. Regarding the along‐dip direction, tremor migrations propagating in the up‐dip directions were predominant in the deep part, and those propagating in the down‐dip directions were principal in the shallow part. The patterns of along‐strike migrations were related to the distribution of tremor energies, suggesting that tremor migrations may be controlled by heterogeneous structures of frictional properties on the plate interface. We further found that the migration speed is proportional to the inverse of the square root of the duration. This relation implies that a diffusion process controls the growth of fault ruptures behind tremor migrations.

Measurements of Wave‐Induced Attenuation in Saturated Metapelite and the Band‐Limitation of Low‐Frequency Earthquakes

AbstractThe most common explanation for the depletion of high frequency waves that defines low‐frequency earthquakes (LFEs) and very low‐frequency earthquakes (VLFEs) is that fault rupture and slip are slower than typical earthquakes. However, it is difficult to rule out the possibility that the high frequency waves are produced during slip, but attenuated near the LFE source. One reason this hypothesis has been poorly tested is that there are no measurements of attenuation on the relevant rocks. We present the results of forced oscillation experiments that measure the frequency‐dependent attenuation of a chlorite‐rich metapelitic schist, a lithology found along the subduction plate boundary where LFEs and VLFEs have been documented. Experiments were run on dry and water‐saturated schist at effective pressures of 2–10 MPa and at frequencies of 2 × 10−5–30 Hz. We find that pore fluids and low effective pressure result in the attenuation of high frequencies. The frequency‐dependent attenuation is consistent with the concomitant operation of two wave‐induced fluid flow mechanisms, squirt flow, and patchy saturation. When the effects of these mechanisms are extrapolated to geologic conditions using rock physics models, our results predict that attenuation is capable of completely diminishing the frequencies depleted in LFEs and VLFEs. Therefore, LFEs and VLFEs may not necessarily record slow fault slip, but possibly the presence of high fluid pressure.

Ocean-continent subduction cannot be initiated without preceding intra-oceanic subduction!

The formation of new subduction zones is a key element of plate tectonics and the Wilson cycle, and many different controlling mechanisms have been proposed to initiate subduction. Here, we provide a brief overview of the known scenarios of subduction initiation in intra-oceanic and ocean-continent tectonic settings. Intra-oceanic subduction is most commonly associated with mechanical heterogeneities within the oceanic lithosphere, such as pre-existing fracture zones, spreading ridges, and transform faults. Numerous and well-recognized examples of new active subduction zones formed in intra-oceanic environments during the Cenozoic, suggesting that the initiation of ocean-ocean subduction must be a routine process that occurs “easily and frequently” in the mode of plate tectonics currently operating on Earth. On the contrary, the most traditional mechanisms for the establishment of classic self-sustaining ocean-continent subduction—passive margin collapse and subduction transference—are surprisingly rare in observations and difficult to reproduce in numerical models. Two alternative scenarios—polarity reversal and lateral propagation-induced subduction initiation—are in contrast much better documented in nature and experimentally. However, switching of subduction polarity due to arc-continent collision and lateral transmission of subducting plate boundaries are both inextricably linked to pre-existing intra-oceanic convergence. We, therefore, conclude that the onset of classic ocean-continent subduction zones is possible only through the transition from a former intra-oceanic subduction system. This transition is likely facilitated by the ductile damage accumulation and stress concentration across the aging continental margin. From this perspective, the future closure of the Atlantic Ocean can be viewed as an archetypal example of the role of transitional process between intra-oceanic subduction (Lesser Antilles) and the development of a new subduction zone at a passive continental margin (eastern North America).

Structural and Metamorphic History of the Leech River Shear Zone, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

AbstractThe Leech River Shear Zone (LRSZ) on southern Vancouver Island separates the metasedimentary schists of the Leech River Complex (LRC) from the accreted oceanic plateau of the Siletz‐Crescent terrane. The juxtaposition of these rock units suggests a possible origin as a subduction plate boundary but tectonic context of the LRSZ has yet to be fully established. We present field, microstructural, petrological, and geochronological observations that constrain the structural and metamorphic history of LRSZ. The mylonite zone of the LRSZ straddles the lithologic contact between the schists of the LRC and basalts of the Siletz‐Crescent terrane. Foliation orientations, a steeply plunging stretching lineation, and kinematic indicators all suggest reverse‐sinistral motion. Compositions of garnet in the schist and amphibole in the metabasalt record synkinematic growth at temperature and pressure conditions of 550°C–570°C and 450–490 MPa. These metamorphic conditions require elevated geotherms that are consistent with plate models that position the Kula‐Farallon Ridge and Yellowstone Hotspot in the region in the Eocene (∼50 Ma). Detrital zircon U‐Pb age distributions for the Leech River Schist have Paleocene maximum depositional ages and are similar to the Upper Nanaimo Group that unconformably overlies the Wrangellia terrane. Our ages support early Paleocene deposition of the schist in a subduction trench/slope environment followed by underthrusting and underplating. These results establish the exhumed mylonite zone of the LRSZ as a paleo‐plate interface that was active during Eocene subduction.

Embrittlement Within Viscous Shear Zones Across the Base of the Subduction Thrust Seismogenic Zone

AbstractGeophysical observations indicate that patches of localized fracturing occur within otherwise viscous regions of subduction plate boundaries. These observations place uncertainty on the possible down‐dip extent of the seismogenic zone, and as a result the maximum magnitude of subduction thrust earthquakes. However, the processes controlling where and how localized fracturing occurs within otherwise viscous shear zones are unclear. We examined three exposures of exhumed plate boundary on Kyushu, Japan, which contain subducted sediments and hydrated oceanic crust deformed at ∼300 to ∼500°C. These exposures preserve subduction‐related viscous deformation, which in two of the studied exposures has a mutually overprinting relationship with quartz veins, indicating localized cyclical embrittlement. Where observed, fractures are commonly near lithological contacts that form viscosity contrasts. Mineral equilibrium calculations for a metabasalt composition indicate that exposures showing cyclical embrittlement deformed at pressure‐temperature conditions near dehydration reactions that consume prehnite and chlorite. In contrast, dominantly viscous deformation occurred at intervening pressure‐temperature conditions. We infer that at conditions close to metamorphic dehydration reactions, only small stress perturbations are required for transient embrittlement, driven by localized dehydration reactions reducing effective stress, and/or locally increased shear stresses along rheological contrasts. Our results show that the protolith composition of the subducting oceanic lithosphere controls the locations and magnitudes of dehydration reactions, and the viscosity of metamorphosed oceanic crust. Therefore, compositional variations might drive substantial variations in slip style.

Rheology of Naturally Deformed Antigorite Serpentinite: Strain and Strain-Rate Dependence at Mantle-Wedge Conditions.

Antigorite serpentinite is expected to occur in parts of subduction plate boundaries, and may suppress earthquake slip, but the dominant deformation mechanisms and resultant rheology of antigorite are unclear. An exhumed plate boundary shear zone exposed near Nagasaki, Japan, contains antigorite deformed at 474°C ± 30°C. Observations indicate that a foliation defined by (001) crystal facets developed during plate‐boundary shear. Microstructures indicating grain‐scale dissolution at high‐stress interfaces and precipitation in low‐stress regions suggest that dissolution‐precipitation creep contributed to foliation development. Analysis of crystal orientations indicate a small contribution from dislocation activity. We suggest a frictional‐viscous rheology for antigorite, where dissolution‐precipitation produces a foliation defined by (001) crystal facets and acts to resolve strain incompatibilities, allowing for efficient face‐to‐face sliding between facets. This rheology can not only explain aseismic behavior at ambient plate boundary conditions, but also some of the contrasting behaviors shown by previous field and laboratory studies.

Extension of Aseismic Slip Propagation Theory to Slow Earthquake Migration

AbstractNatural faults host various types of migrating slow earthquake phenomena, with migration speeds much lower than seismic wave speeds and different moment‐duration scaling from regular earthquakes. To advance the obtained quantitative understanding of the migration process and long duration of slow earthquakes, I study a chain reaction model in a population of brittle asperities based on a rate‐ and state‐dependent friction on a 3‐D subduction plate boundary. Simulation results show that the migration speed is quantitatively related to frictional properties by an analytical relation derived here. By assuming that local pore water in front of the migration drives rapid tremor reversal and is so local as to hold a constant stress drop, the application of the analytical solution to observational results suggests that (a) the temporal changes of observed migration speeds for the rapid tremor reversal could be explained by about 70% reduction of the effective normal stress; (b) effective normal stress for the deeper extension of seismogenic segment in the western part of Shikoku is about 1.5 times greater than that in the central part. Applying rupture time delay between slow earthquake asperities for the duration longer than regular earthquake, I also conclude that (c) the characteristic slip distance of rate‐and‐state friction for low‐frequency earthquakes is roughly between 30 µm and 30 mm; (d) the stress and strength drops of very low‐frequency earthquakes is much smaller than 1 MPa.

Aftershock Regions of Aleutian‐Alaska Megathrust Earthquakes, 1938–2021

AbstractWith five earthquakes (1938, 1946, 1957, 1964, and 1965), the Aleutian‐Alaska subduction plate boundary ruptured a length of 3,548 km. We revisit these five earthquakes—first studied in detail by Sykes (1971, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB076i032p08021)—through probabilistic relocation of carefully selected mainshocks and aftershocks. Our final catalog of 324 events is established from a set of 12 mainshocks that includes all Mw ≥ 7.7 megathrust earthquakes. Using the relocated catalog, we create revised aftershock regions delimited both parallel and normal to the trench. These aftershock regions exhibit significant differences from previous studies, with the following basic findings: the 10 November 1938 Mw 8.3 earthquake extended further west, to the Shumagin Islands, and further east, into the Kodiak region, relative to the prevailing aftershock region established by McCann et al. (1979, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-6430-5_2). The 01 April 1946 Mw 8.6 sequence was anomalously concentrated near the trench, which implies near‐trench coseismic slip that contributed to the exceptionally large tsunami. The 09 March 1957 Mw 8.6 aftershocks spanned a 1,230 km length with numerous aftershocks within the outer‐rise region of the incoming Pacific plate. The 28 March 1964 Mw 9.2 aftershocks extended east into the Pamplona thrust system (south of Icy Bay, Alaska), suggesting coseismic rupture into this region; this is consistent with coseismic static displacements, as well as current estimates of interseismic locking. The post‐1965 events we examine are all smaller than the earlier events, but since they occurred in an era of improved data collection (seismic, geodetic, and tsunami), they provide a better opportunity for assessing the link between the distribution of aftershocks and the occurrence of coseismic, postseismic, and interseismic slip.

Time-independent forecast model for large crustal earthquakes in southwest Japan using GNSS data

In this study, we developed a regional likelihood model for crustal earthquakes using geodetic strain-rate data from southwest Japan. First, the smoothed strain-rate distributions were estimated from continuous Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements. Second, we removed the elastic strain rate attributed to interplate coupling on the subducting plate boundary, including the observed strain rate, under the assumption that it is not attributed to permanent loading on crustal faults. We then converted the geodetic strain rates to seismic moment rates and calculated the 30-year probability for M ≥ 6 earthquakes in 0.2 × 0.2° cells, using a truncated Gutenberg–Richter law and time-independent Poisson process. Likelihood models developed using different conversion equations, seismogenic thicknesses, and rigidities were validated using the epicenters and moment distribution of historical earthquakes. The average seismic moment rate of crustal earthquakes recorded during 1586–2020 was only 13–20% of the seismic moment rate converted from the geodetic data, which suggests that the observed geodetic strain rate includes considerable inelastic strain. Therefore, we introduced an empirical coefficient to calibrate the moment rate converted from geodetic data with the moment rate of the earthquakes. Several statistical scores and the Molchan diagram showed all models could predict real earthquakes better than the reference model, in which earthquakes occur uniformly in space. Models using principal horizontal strain rates exhibited better predictive skill than those using the maximum horizontal shear strain rate. There were no significant differences in predictive skill between uniform and variable distributions for seismogenic thickness and rigidity. The preferred models suggested high 30-year probability in the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone and central Kyushu, exceeding 1% in more than half of the analyzed region. The model predictive skill was also verified by a prospective test using earthquakes recorded during 2010–2020. This study suggests that the proposed forecast model based on geodetic data can improve the regional likelihood model for crustal earthquakes in Japan in combination with other forecast models based on active faults and seismicity.Graphical

An 8‐Year‐Long Low‐Frequency Earthquake Catalog for Southern Cascadia

AbstractLow‐frequency earthquakes (LFEs) are small magnitude earthquakes with typical magnitude less than 2 and reduced amplitudes at frequencies greater than 10 Hz relative to ordinary small earthquakes. Their occurrence is often associated with tectonic tremor and slow‐slip events along the plate boundary in subduction zones and occasionally transform fault zones. They are usually grouped into families with all the earthquakes of a given family originating from the same small patch on the plate interface and recurring more or less episodically in a bursty manner. In this study, we extend the LFE catalog obtained by Plourde et al. (2015), https://doi.org/10.1002/2015gl064363 during an episode of high tremor activity in April 2008 to the 8‐year period 2004–2011. All of the tremors in the Boyarko et al. (2015), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2015.06.026 catalog south of 42° North have associated LFE activity, but we have identified several smaller episodes of LFEs without associated tremor activity, and extend their catalog forward and backward by a total of about 3 years. As in northern Cascadia, the downdip LFE families have recurrence intervals several times smaller than the updip families. For the April 2008 Episodic Tremor and Slip event, the best recorded LFE families exhibit a strong tidal Coulomb stress sensitivity starting 1.5 days after the rupture front passes by each LFE family. The southernmost LFE family, which has been interpreted to be on the subduction plate boundary, near the updip limit of tremor, has a very short recurrence time. Also, these LFEs tend to occur during times when predicted tidal Coulomb stress is discouraging slip on the plate boundary. Both observations suggest that this LFE family may be on a different fault.

Decadal and Yearly Forerunning Earthquakes to Cape Mendocino, Northern California, Mainshock of 1992 Magnitude 6.9

The area near the Cape Mendocino earthquake of 1992, magnitude 6.9, was the site of many moderate to large shocks during the previous decades. It and the Honeydew event of 1991, however, are distinguished from most earthquakes in the region by their thrust-fault mechanisms. The magnitude of the 1991 shock was also unusually large for the preceding decades, Mw 6.1. The mechanisms of most other large events involved strike-slip faulting. The 1992 mainshock occurred in a volume of space characterized by few decadal forerunning earthquakes of moderate to large size. Most of those forerunners took place on the periphery of that volume. The presence of that zone suggests that it broke previously in a large to great earthquake. Precise locations indicate that slip in the 1991 and 1992 earthquakes occurred on faults dipping shallowly to the NE and ENE. They likely took place within the North American plate above the subduction plate boundary. Their implications for earthquake forecasting using sparse precursors are discussed.

Terrane geodynamics: Evolution on the subduction conveyor from pre-collision to post-collision and implications on Tethyan orogeny

Terranes are passengers within drifting oceanic plate, and ride with the plate to subduction plate boundaries. Although oceanic lithosphere readily subducts into the mantle at the plate boundary, terranes may resist sinking or not, depending on a variety of controlling factors that are not very well understood. Further, the tectonic development of terranes prior to their arrival at a subduction zone is not well documented. We performed numerical experiments to explore these unknowns of terrane geodynamics during the whole pre- to post-collisional period. Our analyses reveal that terranes can undergo considerable extension prior to their arrival to subduction plate boundaries owing to the pull force exerted by sinking oceanic slabs. Increasing terrane crustal thickness, decreasing terrane width or imposed convergence velocity, and an intra-oceanic subduction setting aggrandizes the pre-collisional terrane extension. The numerical models identify increasing terrane crustal thickness and width, and decreasing imposed convergence velocity as factors that promote terrane accretion. Additionally, having a continental overriding plate at the subduction boundary increases the propensity for terrane accretion. Some intra-oceanic subduction experiments demonstrate ablative subduction and subduction polarity reversal events in connection with terrane collisions/subduction. We compare our models to the evolution of a controversial Tethyan terrane, the Nilufer oceanic plateau. Our models suggest that the Nilufer terrane may have undergone pre-collisional extension owing to the pull of the sinking Tethys Ocean plate. Further, uninterrupted subduction of the Tethys Ocean, despite the accretion of the Nilufer terrane, is illustrated by our results which have implications on other regions along the Tethyan orogenic belt.

Crustal Structure of the Northern Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand: Variable Accretion and Overthrusting Plate Strength Influenced by Rough Subduction

AbstractExploring the structure of convergent margins is key to understanding megathrust slip behavior and tsunami generation. We present new wide‐angle and marine multichannel seismic data that constrain the crustal structure and accretion dynamics of the northern Hikurangi margin. The top of the basement of the Hikurangi Plateau is overlain by a rough, 2–3 km thick layer of volcanic cover with P‐wave velocities (VP) between 3 and 5 km/s. This volcanic cover contributes significantly to seismic reflectivity beneath the shallow subduction plate boundary. The frontal prism structure varies along‐strike from ∼25 km wide with imbricate thrust faults where accretion of trench sediments is undisrupted, to narrower (∼14 km) with slumps and branching, irregular thrust fault geometries, which may reflect lower sediment supply or past seamount collisions. A large thrust fault network in the inner prism with a seismically fast hanging wall indicates a mechanical boundary between a seismically faster deforming backstop and the seismically slower frontal prism. Near the coastline, VP increases between 2.8 and 4 km/s at 2–8 km depth and is 0.5–1.7 km/s slower than the southern Hikurangi margin. Low seismic wavespeeds and low vertical velocity gradients in the inner prism support the hypothesis that a weak overthrusting plate contributes to historic tsunami‐earthquakes and long duration seismic ground motion.

The Role of Fluid‐Related Heterogeneous Structures in Controlling the Fault Slip Behavior in the Slow‐Earthquake Source Region Along the Nankai Subduction Zone, Southwest Japan

AbstractA seismic array observation across the slow‐earthquake source region in the eastern Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan, reveal the detailed structure and seismicity along the upper boundary of the subducted Philippine Sea Plate. Tomography analysis and earthquake reflection imaging clarify the geometry of the upper boundary of the Philippine Sea Plate with a subduction angle of ∼15° at a depth range of 22–30 km. We observe intraslab low‐frequency earthquakes (LFEs) in and around the low‐Vp and high‐Vp/Vs zones, which are located above the intraslab earthquakes that are controlled by the dehydration embrittlement of serpentine. The intraslab LFE activity may be related to fluid movement. Fluids, which are derived from both dehydration of the serpentinized oceanic mantle and crustal eclogitization, may control the fault slip behavior. Therefore, the fluid behavior around the subducting plate boundary has an important role in controlling the downdip limit of the seismogenic zone.