ALBERT

Description: Some of the largest earthquakes worldwide, including the 1964 9.2 Mw megathrust earthquake, occurred in Alaskan subduction zones. To better understand rupture processes and their mechanisms, we relate seafloor morphology from multibeam and regional bathymetric compilations with sub-seafloor images and seismic P-wave velocity structures. We re-processed legacy multichannel seismic (MCS) data including shot- and intra-shotgather interpolation, multiple removal and Kirchhoff depth migration. These images even reveal the shallow structure of the subducting oceanic crust. Traveltime tomography of a coincident vintage (1994) wide angle dataset reveals the P-wave velocity distribution as well as the deep structure of the subducting plate to the ocean crust Moho. The subducting oceanic crust morphology is rough and partly hidden by a thick sediment cover that reaches ~3 km depth at the trench axis. Bathymetry shows two major contrasting upper plate morphologies: the shallow dipping lower slope consists of trench-parallel ridges that form the accreted prism whereas the steep rough middle and upper slopes are composed of competent older rock. Thrust faults are distributed across the entire slope, some of which connect with the subducted plate interface. A subtle change in seafloor gradient from the lower to the middle slope coincides with a thrust fault zone marking the boundary between the margin framework and the frontal prism. It corresponds to the most prominent lateral increase in seismic P-wave velocities, ~25 km landward of the trench axis. Major thrusts in several MCS-lines are correlated with bathymetric data, showing their 〉 100 km lateral extent, which might also be tsunamigenic paths of earthquake rupture from the seismogenic zone to the seafloor.

Description: Some of the largest earthquakes worldwide, including the 1964 9.2 Mw megathrust earthquake, occurred in Alaskan subduction zones. To better understand rupture propagation, with a focus on barriers that limit rupture, i.e. the southwest end of the Albatross segment at the boundary with the 1938 Semidi Mw 8.3 earthquake segment, we relate multibeam seafloor morphology with sub-seafloor images and seismic P-wave velocity structure. We re-processed legacy multichannel seismic (MCS) data including shot- and intra-shotgather interpolation, multiple removal and Kirchhoff depth migration and/or MCS traveltime tomography. These images even reveal the shallow structure of the subducting oceanic crust. Traveltime tomography of a coincident vintage wide-angle dataset reveals the P-wave velocity and the deep structure of the subducting plate to depths of the ocean crust Moho. The subducting oceanic crust morphology is rough and partly hidden by thick sediment cover that reaches ~3 km in the Albatross and ~1.5-2 km thickness in the Semidi segment at the trench axis. In both segments, bathymetry shows two major contrasting upper plate morphologies: trench-parallel ridges form the accreted prism of the shallow dipping lower slope whereas the steep rough middle and upper slopes are composed of competent older rock. Thrust faults are distributed across the entire slope, some of which connect with the subducted plate interface. A subtle change in seafloor gradient from the lower to the middle slope coincides with a splay fault zone (SFZ) marking the boundary between the margin framework and the frontal prism. This SFZ corresponds to the most prominent lateral increase in seismic P-wave velocities, ~25 km landward of the trench axis. Major differences in the Albatross/Semidi segments are 1.) origin of subducting sediment (Surveyor vs. Kodiak fan) 2.) geometry of the subducting plate (gentle vs. steep dip) beneath the lower and middle slopes.

Description: Some of the largest earthquakes worldwide, including the 1964 9.2 Mw megathrust earthquake, occurred in Alaskan subduction zones. To better understand rupture processes and their mechanisms, we relate seafloor morphology from multibeam and regional bathymetric compilations with sub-seafloor images and seismic P-wave velocity structures. We re-processed legacy multichannel seismic (MCS) data including shot- and intra-shotgather interpolation, multiple removal and Kirchhoff depth migration. These images even reveal the shallow structure of the subducting oceanic crust. Traveltime tomography of a coincident vintage (1994) wide angle dataset reveals the P-wave velocity distribution as well as the deep structure of the subducting plate to the ocean crust Moho. The subducting oceanic crust morphology is rough and partly hidden by a thick sediment cover that reaches ~3 km depth at the trench axis. Bathymetry shows two major contrasting upper plate morphologies: the shallow dipping lower slope consists of trench-parallel ridges that form the accreted prism whereas the steep rough middle and upper slopes are composed of competent older rock. Thrust faults are distributed across the entire slope, some of which connect with the subducted plate interface. A subtle change in seafloor gradient from the lower to the middle slope coincides with a splay fault zone marking the boundary between the margin framework and the frontal prism. It corresponds to the most prominent lateral increase in seismic P-wave velocities, ~25 km landward of the trench axis. Major thrusts in several MCS-lines are correlated with bathymetric data, showing their 〉 100 km lateral extent, which might also be tsunamigenic paths of earthquake rupture from the seismogenic zone to the seafloor. The splay fault zone has been recognized as a potential tsunamigenic structure in the 1938 and 1946 earthquake rupture areas.

Description: Marine geophysical surveys employing Seabeam, multi- and single-channel seismic reflection, gravity and magnetic instruments were conducted at two locations along the continental slope of the Peru Trench during the Seaperc cruise of the R/V “Jean Charcot” in July 1986. These areas are centered around 5°30′S and 9°30′S off the coastal towns of Paita and Chimbote respectively. These data indicate that (1) the continental slope off Peru consists of three distinct morpho-structural domains (from west to east are the lower, middle and upper slopes) instead of just two as previously reported; (2) the middle slope has the characteristics of a zone of tectonic collapse at the front of a gently flexured upper slope; (3) the upper half of the lower slope appears to represent the product of mass wasting; (4) thrusting at the foot of the margin produces a continuous morphologic feature representing a deformation front where the products of mass-wasting are overprinted by a compressional tectonic fabric; (5) a change in the tectonic regime from tensional to compressional occurs at the mid-slope-lower slope boundary, the accretionary prism being restricted to the very base of the lower slope in the Paita area. The Andean margin off Peru is an “extensional active margin” or a “collapsing active margin” developing a subordinated accretionary complex induced by massive collapse of the middle slope area.

Description: Using older and in part fl awed data, Ruff (1989) suggested that thick sediment entering the subduction zone (SZ) smooths and strengthens the trench-parallel distribution of interplate coupling. This circumstance was conjectured to favor rupture continuation and the generation of high-magnitude (≥Mw8.0) interplate thrust (IPT) earthquakes. Using larger and more accurate compilations of sediment thickness and instrumental (1899 to January 2013) and pre-instrumental era (1700–1898) IPTs (n = 176 and 12, respectively), we tested if a compelling relation existed between where IPT earthquakes ≥Mw7.5 occurred and where thick (≥1.0 km) versus thin (≤1.0 km) sedimentary sections entered the SZ. Based on the new compilations, a statistically supported statement (see Summary and Conclusions) can be made that high-magnitude earthquakes are most prone to nucleate at well-sedimented SZs. For example, despite the 7500 km shorter global length of thicksediment trenches, they account for ~53% of instrumental era IPTs ≥Mw8.0, ~75% ≥Mw8.5, and 100% ≥Mw9.1. No megathrusts 〉Mw9.0 ruptured at thin-sediment trenches, whereas three occurred at thick-sediment trenches (1960 Chile Mw9.5, 1964 Alaska Mw9.2, and 2004 Sumatra Mw9.2). However, large Mw8.0–9.0 IPTs commonly (n = 23) nucleated at thin-sediment trenches. These earthquakes are associated with the subduction of low-relief ocean floor and where the debris of subduction erosion thickens the plate-separating subduction channel. The combination of low bathymetric relief and subduction erosion is inferred to also produce a smooth trench-parallel distribution of coupling posited to favor the characteristic lengthy rupturing of highmagnitude IPT earthquakes. In these areas subduction of a weak sedimentary sequence further enables rupture continuation

Description: Interplate earthquakes in subduction zones are generated in the seismogenic zone, i.e. the segment of the plate boundary where unstable slip occurs. Understanding the mechanisms that control the updip and downdip limits of this zone, as well as the nature and role of asperities within it, provide significant insights into the rupture size and dynamics of the world’s largest earthquakes. The Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project (CRISP) is designed to understand the processes that control nucleation and seismic rupture propagation of large earthquakes at erosive subduction zones (Ranero et al. 2007). In 2002 a magnitude Mw=6.4 earthquake may have nucleated at the subduction thrust to be penetrated and sampled by CRISP, 40 km west of Osa Peninsula (Figure 1). However, global event localization is associated with too large errors to prove that the event actually occurred at a location and depth to be reachable by riser drilling. We have compiled a database including foreshocks, the main shock, and ~400 aftershocks, with readings from all the seismological networks that recorded the 2002 Osa sequence locally (Figure 1). This includes a temporal network of oceanbottom hydrophones (OBH) that happened to be installed close to the area (Arroyo et al. 2009). The greatly improved coverage provided by the OBH enable us to better constrain the event relocations that we are presently undertaking. Within the frame of a proposal recently submitted to DFG with IODP emphasis, detailed inspection of the data and 3-D data modelling will be carried out to yield source parameters that can be rated against structural information from seismic and drilling constraints. Moreover, teleseismic waveform inversion will provide additional constraints for the centroid depth of the 2002 Osa earthquake, allowing further study of the focal mechanism. This sequence is the latest at the Costa Rican seismogenic zone to date, in a segment of the erosional margin where seamount-covered oceanic floor is presently subducting (Figure 1). It took place trenchward from a 1999 Mw=6.9 earthquake sequence, that it is thought to have been nucleated by a seamount acting like an asperity (Bilek et al. 2003). The work proposed here aims to provide definite evidence that the planned Phase B of CRISP will be successful in drilling the seismogenic coupling zone. Furthermore, the seismological data will be interpreted jointly with thermal and drilling data from IODP Expedition 334 to refine the link between temperature and seismogenesis at erosive convergent margins.

Description: A new analysis of Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Leg 84 data demonstrates that the dominant process controlling the Guatemala margin tectonic evolution since ca. 25 Ma is subduction-erosion. Data from benthic foraminifera, assemblages from upper-slope DSDP Sites 568, 569, and 570 indicate long-term, progressive subsidence from upper to middle bathyal depths (600–1000 m) ca. 19 Ma to modern abyssal depths (〉2000 m). Rapid subsidence migrated landward starting at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary time under the current middle slope, where it increased sharply ca. 19 Ma, reached the current upper slope by ca. 15 Ma, and arrived at the uppermost slope ca. 2 Ma. Subsidence indicates crustal thinning by basal tectonic erosion of mass from the underside of the upper plate. Under the assumption that, in the Miocene, the morphology of the forearc was similar to that of today, landward migration of the trench was at a rate of 0.8–0.9 km/m.y. This linear rate corresponds to a tectonic erosion rate of the submerged forearc of 11.3–13.1 km3·m.y.−1·km−1. The evolution of arc magmatism and superfast spreading at the East Pacific Rise since early Miocene time may have caused slab shallowing and tectonic erosion that readjusted the forearc geometry.

Description: Plate collision cuases expulsion of fluids and gases and material turnover in the deep ocean along the global subduction zones. Such cold vents are characterized by mineral precipitates and characteristic assemblages of macro organisms. The latter harbor symbiotic bacteria which utilize the chemically-reduced constituents (CH4 and H2S) of the expelled fluids as their energy and supply their host with food. The interaction between tectonically-induced fluid flow and pumping activity of the vent fauna sets up a shallow recirculation system whose magnitude can be estimated from direct measurements by an in situ vent sampling device (VESP) in connection with tracer studies. The dewatering rates based on the biogeochemical estimates agree surprisingly well with those derived from geophysical estimates.