Takahiro Shiina

Slab-derived fluids, fore-arc hydration, and sub-arc magmatism beneath Kyushu, Japan

We estimate the three-dimensional (3-D) P wave attenuation structure beneath Kyushu, Japan, using a large number of high-quality waveform data. Our results show that the mantle wedge is characterized by high-attenuation regions in the fore-arc corner and in the back-arc beneath volcanoes, with the two regions separated by a low-attenuation area. The volcanic gap in central Kyushu is underlain by low attenuation below the Moho. High attenuation in the fore arc is probably associated with serpentinized peridotite, while that in the back arc is interpreted as an upwelling flow that is the source of arc magmas. The presence of low-attenuation mantle that separates the high-attenuation hydrated, fore-arc, and back-arc mantle regions suggests that fluids are supplied from two depth levels of the slab by different mechanisms. Low attenuation beneath the volcanic gap probably results from intricate 3-D mantle flow that is caused by tectonic processes such as back-arc extension and ridge collision.

Intermediate-depth earthquakes facilitated by eclogitization-related stresses

Eclogitization of the basaltic and gabbroic layer in the oceanic crust involves a volume reduction of 10%–15%. One consequence of the negative volume change is the formation of a paired stress field as a result of strain compatibility across the reaction front. Here we use waveform analysis of a tiny seismic cluster in the lower crust of the downgoing Pacific plate and reveal new evidence in favor of this mechanism: tensional earthquakes lying 1 km above compressional earthquakes, and earthquakes with highly similar waveforms lying on well-defined planes with complementary rupture areas. The tensional stress is interpreted to be caused by the dimensional mismatch between crust transformed to eclogite and underlying untransformed crust, and the earthquakes are probably facilitated by reactivation of fossil faults extant in the subducting plate. These observations provide seismic evidence for the role of volume change–related stresses and, possibly, fluid-related embrittlement as viable processes for nucleating earthquakes in downgoing oceanic lithosphere.

Guided wave observations and evidence for the low-velocity subducting crust beneath Hokkaido, northern Japan

At the western side of the Hidaka Mountain range in Hokkaido, we identify a clear later phase in seismograms for earthquakes occurring at the uppermost part of the Pacific slab beneath the eastern Hokkaido. The later phase is observed after P-wave arrivals and has a larger amplitude than the P wave. In this study, we investigate the origin of the later phase from seismic wave observations and two-dimensional numerical modeling of wave fields and interpret it as a guided P wave propagating in the low-velocity subducting crust of the Pacific plate. In addition, the results of our numerical modeling suggest that the low-velocity subducting crust is in contact with a low-velocity material beneath the Hidaka Mountain range. Based on our interpretation for the later phase, we estimate P-wave velocity in the subducting crust beneath the eastern part of Hokkaido by using the differences in the later phase travel times and obtain velocities of 6.8 to 7.5 km/s at depths of 50 to 80 km. The obtained P-wave velocity is lower than the expected value based on fully hydrated mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) materials, suggesting that hydrous minerals are hosted in the subducting crust and aqueous fluids may co-exist down to depths of at least 80 km.

Depth variations in seismic velocity in the subducting crust: Evidence for fluid‐related embrittlement for intermediate‐depth earthquakes

We investigated seismic wave velocity in the subducting crust of the Pacific slab beneath eastern Hokkaido, northern Japan. To detect depth-dependent properties of the seismic velocities in the crust, we analyzed guided waves that propagate in the crust and estimated P wave velocity (Vp) of 6.5–7.5 km/s and S wave velocity (Vs) of 3.6–4.2 km/s at depths of 50–100 km. The results show that the obtained Vp and Vs are 10–15% lower than those expected for the fully hydrated mid-ocean ridge basalt, suggesting the existence of aqueous fluids by ~1 vol % in the crust at this depth range. Our observations suggest that overpressurized fluids channeled in the subducting crust plays as a dominant factor for facilitating the genesis of crustal earthquakes at intermediate depths.