Nature of seismic coupling along simple plate boundaries of the subduction type

Pacheco, Jesús; Sykes, Lynn R.; Scholz, Christopher H.

doi:10.1029/93jb00349

Cited by 431 publications

(429 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Moreover, the experimental negative relation between energy release (i.e., stress drop) and driving rate (Figure 3) for intermediate-to-high values of the latter parameter is consistent with the nonlinear relation between seismicity in subduction zones and relative plate velocity. This observation highlights the complex role played by subduction velocity in tuning seismic interplate behavior, explaining why faster subduction zones (i.e., Tonga, New Hebrides) are not associated with powerful activity [Pacheco and Sykes, 1992;Pacheco et al, 1993;Gutscher and Westbrook, 2009;Heuret et al, 2011].…”

Section: Implications For Subduction Zone Seismogenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Seismic variability of subduction thrust faults: Insights from laboratory models

Corbi¹,

Funiciello²,

Faccenna³

et al. 2011

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] Laboratory models are realized to investigate the role of interface roughness, driving rate, and pressure on friction dynamics. The setup consists of a gelatin block driven at constant velocity over sand paper. The interface roughness is quantified in terms of amplitude and wavelength of protrusions, jointly expressed by a reference roughness parameter obtained by their product. Frictional behavior shows a systematic dependence on system parameters. Both stick slip and stable sliding occur, depending on driving rate and interface roughness. Stress drop and frequency of slip episodes vary directly and inversely, respectively, with the reference roughness parameter, reflecting the fundamental role for the amplitude of protrusions. An increase in pressure tends to favor stick slip. Static friction is a steeply decreasing function of the reference roughness parameter. The velocity strengthening/weakening parameter in the state-and rate-dependent dynamic friction law becomes negative for specific values of the reference roughness parameter which are intermediate with respect to the explored range. Despite the simplifications of the adopted setup, which does not address the problem of off-fault fracturing, a comparison of the experimental results with the depth distribution of seismic energy release along subduction thrust faults leads to the hypothesis that their behavior is primarily controlled by the depth-and time-dependent distribution of protrusions. A rough subduction fault at shallow depths, unable to produce significant seismicity because of low lithostatic pressure, evolves into a moderately rough, velocity-weakening fault at intermediate depths. The magnitude of events in this range is calibrated by the interplay between surface roughness and subduction rate. At larger depths, the roughness further decreases and stable sliding becomes gradually more predominant. Thus, although interplate seismicity is ultimately controlled by tectonic parameters (velocity of the plates/trench and the thermal regime), the direct control is exercised by the resulting frictional properties of the plate interface.

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Section: Implications For Subduction Zone Seismogenesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Seismic variability of subduction thrust faults: Insights from laboratory models

Corbi¹,

Funiciello²,

Faccenna³

et al. 2011

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…Studies of interplate seismicity have shown that large earthquakes generally initiate within specific depth limits, generally between ~10 and 40 km (Byrne et al, 1988;Pacheco et al, 1993;Tichelaar and Ruff, 1993;Scholz, 2002), but the precise limits vary with temperature (Hyndman et al, 1997). This observation led to a conceptual model in which the subduction thrust is divided into three zones (e.g., Scholz, 1988).…”

Section: Background Seismogenesis At Convergent Marginsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expedition 344 summary

Li¹,

Malinverno²,

Torres³

et al. 2013

Proceedings of the IODP

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Expedition 344 summaryProc. IODP | Volume 344 2 from velocity-strengthening to velocity-weakening friction, and shear becomes localized. The onset of seismogenic behavior is correlated with the intersection of the 100°-150°C isotherm and the subduction thrust (Hyndman et al., 1997;Oleskevich et al., 1999). With increasing depth down the subduction thrust, the frictional characteristics undergo a second transition either due to the juxtaposition with the forearc mantle or because the rocks are heated to 350°-450°C and can no longer store elastic stresses needed for rupture. Transitional regions between the three zones have conditional stability and can host rupture but are generally not thought to be regions where large earthquakes initiate.Although this three-zone two-dimensional view of the subduction thrust provides a reasonable framework, it is simplistic. Rupture models for large subduction earthquakes suggest significant fault plane heterogeneity in slip and moment release that in three dimensions is characterized as patchiness (Bilek and Lay, 2002). Additionally, we now know the transition zone from stable to unstable sliding is not simple but hosts a range of fault behaviors that includes creep events, strain transients, slow and silent earthquakes, and low-frequency earthquakes (Peng and Gomberg, 2010;Beroza and Ide, 2011;Ide, 2012).Fundamentally unknown are the processes that change fault behavior from stable sliding to stick-slip behavior. Understanding these processes is important for understanding earthquakes, the mechanics of slip, and rupture dynamics. For a fault to undergo unstable slip, fault rocks must have the ability to store elastic strain, be velocity weakening, and have sufficient stiffness. Hypotheses for mechanisms leading to the transition between stable and unstable slip invoke temperature, pressure, and strain-activated processes that lead to downdip changes in the mechanical properties of rocks. These transitions are also sensitive to fault zone composition, lithology, fabric, and fluid pressures.The composition of the material in the fault zone and its contrast with the surrounding wall rock play a key role in rock frictional behavior. The frictional state of the incoming sediment changes progressively with increasing temperature and pressure as it travels downdip. Important lithologic factors influencing friction are composition, fabric, texture, and cementation of rocks, as well as fluid pore pressure (Bernabé et al., 1992;Moore and Saffer, 2001;Beeler, 2007;Marone and Saffer, 2007;Collettini et al., 2009). For example, fault rocks with high phyllosilicate content are generally weaker than rocks with low phyllosilicate content (Ikari et al., 2011). Sediment properties including porosity, permeability, consolidation state, and alteration history also exert a strong influence on fault zone behavior. At erosive margins, where the plate boundary cuts into the overriding plate, the composition and strength of the upper plate is also important (McCaffrey, 1993).Field observations and la...

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“…For many subduction zone thrust faults there is an updip limit, seaward of which there is little or no seismicity (Figure 1) [House andJacob, 1983; Byrne et al, 1988; Byrne andFisher, 1990; Pacheco et al, 1993]. The updip aseismic zone could result from thrust contact with accretionary prism sediments where stable sliding is taken to be a property of unconsolidated However, this depth range represents only about :1:10-20 km in the landward seismogenic limit because of the quite steep dip of the thrusts at these depths.…”

Section: Updip Temperature Limitmentioning

confidence: 99%

The updip and downdip limits to great subduction earthquakes: Thermal and structural models of Cascadia, south Alaska, SW Japan, and Chile

Oleskevich¹,

Hyndman²,

Wang³

1999

J. Geophys. Res.

507

445

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Abstract. This study examines thermal and structural controls of the updip and downdip rupture limits of great subduction thrust earthquakes. Data on past great earthquake seismic limits have been compiled for four continental subduction zones, Cascadia, SW Japan, south Alaska, and Chile. These limits have then been compared to the predictions of several models for what constrains great earthquake rupture. Temperatures on the subduction thrusts have been estimated by finite element numerical models. The landward limits of the observed updip aseismic zones correspond to the position where the thrust temperature reaches about 100øC, that is, depths of about 2 to 10 km for the subduction zones studied. This temperature agrees with the dehydration of stable sliding smectite clays to illite-chlorite. The temperatures in this region are controlled mainly by the thickness of sediment on the incoming crust and by the crustal age and thus heat flow. The downdip limits correspond to the depth on the thrust where either (1) the temperature reaches about 350øC, which corresponds to thermally activated stable-sliding behavior for crustal rocks (with a transition to 450øC), or (2) about 40 km depth if 350øC is reached at greater depth. Depths of about 40 km approximately correspond to the intersection of the thrust with the continental forearc Moho, and this downdip limit may be a consequence of stable-sliding serpentinite or talc and other hydrated forearc mantle rocks. The primary temperature controls on the downdip region are the age of the subducting oceanic plate and the thrust dip profile. Secondary control comes from the thickness of incoming sediment, the convergence rate, and the radioactive heat generation in the overlying forearc. The 100øC updip limit occurs near the trench for young subducting plates with a thick sediment section such as Cascadia (6-8 Ma), and up to 80 km landward for older oceanic crust such as south Alaska (-50 Ma). The 350øC downdip thermal limit is applicable for young oceanic plates (e.g., Cascadia and Nankai), whereas the forearc mantle limit applies for older plates (e.g., south Alaska and Chile except near the Chile Rise). For the margins studied that have experienced great earthquakes, there is generally good agreement between the postulated thermal and Moho limits and the rupture or seismogenic zone as defined by the distribution of aftershocks and by waveform, tsunami and dislocation modeling. The downdip limit of the interseismic locked zone from dislocation modeling is also in agreement with these limits.

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Nature of seismic coupling along simple plate boundaries of the subduction type

Cited by 431 publications

References 75 publications

Seismic variability of subduction thrust faults: Insights from laboratory models

Seismic variability of subduction thrust faults: Insights from laboratory models

Expedition 344 summary

The updip and downdip limits to great subduction earthquakes: Thermal and structural models of Cascadia, south Alaska, SW Japan, and Chile

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