A striking finding of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) is that more than 50 meters of coseismic fault slip reached the trench axis. In addition to this, seismological studies found a clear depth-dependent variation in the source location between high- and low-frequency seismic energy radiation. However, structural features that may control the slip behavior in the rupture zone have not been well examined.

In their article for Geosphere, authors Shuichi Kodaira and colleagues processed seismic reflection data acquired in the rupture zone by a Japanese research vessel Kairei and examined depth-varying structural characteristics.

The resultant characteristic structures were a frontal prism, which is a wedge-shaped sedimentary unit at the trench-ward tip of the overriding plate, a reflective zone at the seaward end of the coherent continental framework above subducted oceanic crust, and subducted horst-and-graben structures that could be traced down to ~25 km depth.

Kodaira and colleagues considered the size and distribution of the frontal prism together with data from a previous study and found that the frontal prism along the Japan Trench is well-developed from central to the northern end of the Japan Trench.

The association of the frontal prism and the large slip zone of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake as well as the fault zone of the 1896 Sanriku earthquake indicates that tsunami earthquakes with large shallow slip have occurred where the frontal prism is well developed. Clear horst-and-graben structures, which were formed due to bending the oceanic plate at a subduction zone, were imaged beneath the frontal prism and the reflective zone.

These images show that the throws of the normal faults associated with the horst-and-graben structures are larger by up to ~2 km beneath the reflective zone. This indicates continuous bending of the plate even after the oceanic plate is subducted.

By considering seismic images and seismicity observed by both on-land and ocean-bottom seismograph networks, Kodaira and colleagues identified the following depth-varying structural features: The shallow part of the rupture zone, where tsunami earthquakes occur, is characterized by low levels of short-period seismic energy radiation, a well-developed low-velocity frontal prism and reflective zone, and low seismicity along the plate interface.

In the rupture zone from the reflective zone to 25 km deep, where large coseismic slips with low levels of short-period seismic energy are observed, subducted horst-and-graben structures are imaged and background seismicity along the plate interface is very low.

In the rupture zone deeper than 25 km, clear seismic images were not obtained, but high landward-dipping background seismicity was observed. This is interpreted that the plate interface at this depth is characterized by high background seismicity.

Research Report: Depth-varying structural characters in the rupture zone of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake

Tweet

Mexico quake toll rises to 96
Mexico City (AFP) Sept 11, 2017
Authorities recovered more bodies Monday from the rubble of the Mexico's huge earthquake, bringing the death toll to 96 as the president prepares to visit the worst-hit region, his office said. The latest deaths were reported in the southern state of Oaxaca, which bore the brunt of Thursday's quake and which President Enrique Pena Nieto was expected to visit on Monday. Mexican authoritie ... read more

Related Links
Geological Society of America
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only