Great earthquakes and slab pull: interaction between seismic coupling and plate–slab coupling

Conrad, Clinton P.; Bilek, S. L.; Lithgow‐Bertelloni, Carolina

doi:10.1016/s0012-821x(03)00643-5

Cited by 110 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Such high bending stresses thus explain the artificial reduction in basal velocity that we had to apply to our EPSM in order to fit GPS interseismic observations, and allows us to state that the slab-mantle boundary acts as an efficient frictional interface in the bent corner of the slab. This statement is consistent with the argumentation of Buffett (2006) that bending of the subducting plate exerts a basal friction that opposes to the motion of the downgoing plate, and that the driving forces of subduction include slab flexure (Forsyth and Uyeda, 1975), which is partially balanced by local resistance (Conrad et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The ESPM also includes the kinematic effect of slab flexure near the trench axis by considering a decreasing velocity gradient along the slab's radius of curvature. Plate flexure and its associated bending stresses have been shown to be a fundamental process that connects the dynamic force balance of tectonic plates with the seismic cycle (Conrad et al, 2004;Capitanio and Morra, 2012;Schellart, 2009;Buffett and Rowley, 2006). As demonstrated by Kanda and Simons (2010), the ESPM mimics the deformation field caused by the BSM when the thickness of the subducting plate tends to zero.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interseismic deformation at subduction zones investigated by 2D numerical modeling: case study before the 2010 Maule earthquake

Contreras

Tassara

Gerbault

et al. 2016

andgeo

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ABSTRACT. We study interseismic deformation preceding the Mw8.8 2010 Maule earthquake by means of two-dimensional finite-element modeling. Our goal is to gain insight into the fundamental factors controlling elastic strain build-up and release in subduction zones, and to evaluate different modeling approaches of surface displacement as observed by GPS. We developed a linear elasticity solver that allows us to implement a realistic subducting plate geometry constrained by geophysical data. We test the influence of subducting plate thickness, variations in the updip and downdip limit of a 100% locked interplate zone, elastic parameters, and velocity reduction at the base of the subducted slab. We compared our modeled predictions with interseismic GPS observations along an EW profile crossing the Maule earthquake rupture area, in order to determine best fitting parameters. Our results indicate little inf luence of the subducting plate thickness at a given downdip limit, which itself has a strong influence on surface deformation. However, the fit to observations is achieved only after reducing the velocity at the base of the subducted slab below the trench region to 10% of the far-field convergence rate. We link this novel result to complementary numerical models that gradually evolve toward considering longer time-scales and complex rheology in order to evaluate the mechanical meaning of the above mentioned inferred kinematic conditions. This allowed us to link the velocity reduction at the base of subducting slabs with a long-term state of high flexural stress resulting from the mechanical interaction of the slab with the underlying mantle. Even a small amount of theses high deviatoric stresses may transfer towards the upper portion of the slab as strain energy that could participate into the mechanical loading of the megathrust and therefore in triggering large earthquakes there.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interseismic deformation at subduction zones investigated by 2D numerical modeling: case study before the 2010 Maule earthquake

Contreras

Tassara

Gerbault

et al. 2016

andgeo

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“…Upper plate deformation represents a useful proxy for plate-slab coupling and subduction zone behaviour (Funiciello et al 2003;Conrad, Bilek & Lithgow-Bertelloni, 2004;Lallemand, Heuret & Boutelier, 2005;Regard et al 2004 recently concluded that back-arc opening (or compression) develops if the upper plate velocity is larger (or smaller) than a certain threshold fraction of the lower plate velocity. Friction along the interplate contact and the mantle Stokes reaction acting on the slab are indeed the two main forces competing against slab pull (Arcay, Lallemand & Doin, 2008).…”

Section: C a Case Study For Upper Plate Deformation In A Subductiomentioning

confidence: 99%

Zagros orogeny: a subduction-dominated process

et al. 2011

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-This paper presents a synthetic view of the geodynamic evolution of the Zagros orogen within the frame of the Arabia-Eurasia collision. The Zagros orogen and the Iranian plateau preserve a record of the long-standing convergence history between Eurasia and Arabia across the Neo-Tethys, from subduction/obduction processes to present-day collision (from ∼ 150 to 0 Ma). We herein combine the results obtained on several geodynamic issues, namely the location of the oceanic suture zone, the age of oceanic closure and collision, the magmatic and geochemical evolution of the Eurasian upper plate during convergence (as testified by the successive Sanandaj-Sirjan, Kermanshah and Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arcs), the P-T-t history of the few Zagros blueschists, the convergence characteristics across the Neo-Tethys (kinematic velocities, tomographic constraints, subduction zones and obduction processes), together with a survey of recent results gathered by others. We provide lithospheric-scale reconstructions of the Zagros orogen from ∼ 150 to 0 Ma across two SW-NE transects. The evolution of the Zagros orogen is also compared to those of the nearby Turkish and Himalayan orogens. In our geotectonic scenario for the Zagros convergence, we outline three main periods/regimes: (1) the Mid to Late Cretaceous (115-85 Ma) corresponds to a distinctive period of perturbation of subduction processes and interplate mechanical coupling marked by blueschist exhumation and upper-plate fragmentation, (2) the Paleocene-Eocene (60-40 Ma) witnesses slab break-off, major shifts in arc magmatism and distributed extension within the upper plate, and (3) from the Oligocene onwards (∼ 30-0 Ma), collision develops with a progressive SW migration of deformation and topographic build-up (Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone: 20-15 Ma, High Zagros: ∼ 12-8 Ma; Simply Folded Belt: 5-0 Ma) and with partial slab tear at depths (∼ 10 Ma to present). Our reconstructions underline the key role played by subduction throughout the whole convergence history. We finally stress that such a long-lasting subduction system with changing boundary conditions also makes the Zagros orogen an ideal natural laboratory for subduction processes.

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“…Subduction systems where upper plate compression occurs are not common in current subduction zones and may involve continental (Chile) and oceanic (Japan) overriding plates (e.g., Heuret and Lallemand 2005;Heuret et al 2007). It has been recognized that upper plate deformation depends on several internal parameters such as relative motion and velocities of the upper plate, trench, and subducting slab (Conrad et al 2004;Lallemand et al 2005;Heuret et al 2007). Spatial and temporal variations of those parameters may lead to drastic changes not only on the upper plate stress state but also on the subduction geometry (e.g., northwest Pacific subduction zone; Heuret and Lallemand 2005;Heuret et al 2007).…”

Section: Age Constraints and Geodynamic Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fabric Development in a Middle Devonian Intraoceanic Subduction Regime: The Careón Ophiolite (Northwest Spain)

Barreiro

Catalán²,

Prior³

et al. 2010

The Journal of Geology

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Great earthquakes and slab pull: interaction between seismic coupling and plate–slab coupling

Cited by 110 publications

References 48 publications

Interseismic deformation at subduction zones investigated by 2D numerical modeling: case study before the 2010 Maule earthquake

Interseismic deformation at subduction zones investigated by 2D numerical modeling: case study before the 2010 Maule earthquake

Zagros orogeny: a subduction-dominated process

Fabric Development in a Middle Devonian Intraoceanic Subduction Regime: The Careón Ophiolite (Northwest Spain)

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