Depth of seismic coupling along subduction zones

Abstract

Underthrusting at subduction zones can cause large earthquakes at shallow depths but it is always accommodated by aseismic deformation below a certain depth. The maximum depth of the seismically coupled zone (or seismogenic zone) is a transition from unstable to stable sliding along the plate interface. We have determined the depth of this stability transition for the circurn‐Pacific subduction zones of: Honshu, Kuriles, Kamchatka, Aleutians, Alaska, Mexico, and Chile. These subduction zones have experienced great interplate earthquakes and the aftershock regions are well‐located. Depth estimates of interplate events that are located at the downdip edge of the aftershock regions are used to determine the maximum depth of seismic coupling. For an average P wave velocity of 6.7 km s−1 above the plate interface, we find that for most subduction zones the stability transition occurs at 40 ± 5 km depth. There are, however, several exceptions. At the Hokkaido trench junction, where the Japan trench and the Kurile trench intersect, seismic coupling is deep and extends down to 52–55 km. Deep coupling was also found in the Coquimbo region in central Chile. The Mexico subduction zone has shallow coupling: the transition occurs at 20–30 km depth. Previous studies of micro‐earthquakes in Honshu, Hokkaido, the Aleutians, and Alaska show that earthquakes within the upper plate extend no deeper than the downdip edge of the coupled zone that we find. Given our measurements of seismic coupling depth, we then explore the mechanism that may determine coupling depth. The concept of critical temperature has been used to explain the depth of seismic coupling in other tectonic environments, thus we first test whether a critical temperature can explain our results. Temperatures at the plate interface are dependent on many variables; but two that are poorly determined are shear stress and radiogenic heat generation. Shear stress has been constrained by inversion of heat flow data. Assuming a crustal radiogenic heat production rate of 3.1 exp−z/8.5 μWm−3 and a constant coefficient of friction, we find two critical temperatures of about 400 ° C and 550 ° C. The lower critical temperature may be characteristic of regions with a relatively thick continental crust and the higher temperature of regions with a relatively thin continental crust. On the other hand, one single critical temperature of about 250 ° C can explain the coupling depths if shear stresses are constant with depth.

How weak is the subduction zone interface?

“…Due to overpressure and serpentinization-related volume increase, a significant portion of the fore-arc rocks and water migrate toward the surface where they extrude within mud and serpentine volcanoes [Fryer, 2012] or are eroded and dragged down into the mantle wedge [Tonarini et al, 2011]. This is consistent with the observation that subduction zones do not become increasingly weaker with time.…”

Expedition 344 summary

“…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).…”

Probabilistic Analysis of Tsunami Hazards*

“…Several authors have noted the shallow depth of the seismogenic zone for the Mexican interplate thrust (Sua´rez et al, 1990;Tichelaar and Ruff, 1993;Sua´rez and Sa´nchez, 1996), indicating a narrow potential rupture width compared to many other continental subduction zones. This limits the maximum magnitude along the subduction zone to M = 8-8.5 (Singh (Sanchez andFarreras, 1993).…”