Geometrical Effects of a Subducted Seamount on Stopping Megathrust
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 40, 1–6, doi:10.1002/grl.50509, 2013 Geometrical effects of a subducted seamount on stopping megathrust ruptures Hongfeng Yang,1,2 Yajing Liu,1,3 and Jian Lin1 Received 6 March 2013; revised 18 April 2013; accepted 25 April 2013. [1] We have numerically simulated dynamic ruptures along rich sediments into seismogenic zone [Bangs et al., 2006]. a “slip-weakening” megathrust fault with a subducted The presence of entrained fluid-rich sediments in the vicinity seamount of realistic geometry, demonstrating that of a subducted seamount would reduce effective normal seamounts can act as a barrier to earthquake ruptures. Such stress and lubricate the thrust interface, leading to little barrier effect is calculated to be stronger for increased elastic strain accumulation and thus inhibiting coseismic seamount normal stress relative to the ambient level, for ruptures [Mochizuki et al., 2008; Singh et al., 2011]. Further- larger seamount height-to-width ratio, and for shorter more, it was proposed that seamount subduction may create seamount-to-nucleation distance. As the seamount height a complex fracture network in the overriding plate, making it increases from 0 to 40% of its basal width, the required unfavorable for the generation of large earthquakes [Wang increase in the effective normal stress on the seamount to and Bilek, 2011]. Thus, the specific mechanisms for stop ruptures drops by as much as ~20%. We further subducted seamounts to stop coseismic ruptures could be demonstrate that when a seamount is subducted adjacent to complex and remain open for debate. the earthquake nucleation zone, coseismic ruptures can be [3] Previous numerical studies have modeled a subducted stopped even if the seamount has a lower effective normal seamount as a patch under elevated effective normal stress stress than the ambient level.
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