The oceanic Nazca plate subducts beneath the South American continent at a rate of ∼5.3-6.3 cm/yr (Kendrick et al., 2003), resulting in the nonuniform distribution patterns of Quaternary arc volcanoes and earthquakes along the margin (Figure 1a). There are two distinct volcanic gaps, located in Peru (latitudes of ∼3°-14°S) and central Chile/Argentina (latitudes of ∼27°-33°S), respectively. The earthquakes have been widely observed along the margin from the trench down to the depths of ∼100-120 km. Starting at ∼120 km depths, the intermediate-depth earthquakes are scarce beneath southern Peru (latitudes of ∼11°-14°S) and central Chile/Argentina (latitudes of ∼25.5°-27.5°S and ∼29°-31°S). It is commonly agreed that the observed gaps in arc volcanoes and intermediate-depth earthquakes result from the presence of the Peruvian and Pampean flat slab segments (e.g., Ma &
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