Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes
Abstract Changing thermal regime is one of the key mechanisms driving seismogenic behaviors at cold megathrusts, but it is difficult to interpret warm subduction zones such as Vanuatu for the temperatures are higher than that accommodates shallow brittle failures. We construct a 3-D thermomechanical...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48498-3 |
| _version_ | 1797415166641438720 |
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| author | Ye Zhu Yingfeng Ji Lijun Liu Weiling Zhu Rui Qu Chaodi Xie Haris Faheem Shoichi Yoshioka Lin Ding |
| author_facet | Ye Zhu Yingfeng Ji Lijun Liu Weiling Zhu Rui Qu Chaodi Xie Haris Faheem Shoichi Yoshioka Lin Ding |
| author_sort | Ye Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Changing thermal regime is one of the key mechanisms driving seismogenic behaviors at cold megathrusts, but it is difficult to interpret warm subduction zones such as Vanuatu for the temperatures are higher than that accommodates shallow brittle failures. We construct a 3-D thermomechanical model to clarify the thermal structure that controls tectonic seismicity in Vanuatu and predict a warm circumstance associated with abundant seismicity. Results reveal a heterogeneous slab ranging from 300 °C to over 900 °C from the Moho to subvolcanic depth. The subduction seismicity corresponds well to the plate interface where dynamic thermal dehydration is focused. The transformation from hydrated basalts to eclogites along the slab facilitates the occurrence of intense earthquakes and slips. Multistage mineralogical metamorphism affects the dynamic stability of megathrusts and favors the generation of active interplate large events. Therefore, slab thermal dehydration plays a greater role than slab temperature condition in influencing the subduction earthquake distribution in warm subduction systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:43:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b31a37f810d4908b49123644e654316 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:43:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b31a37f810d4908b49123644e6543162023-12-03T12:22:42ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-11-0113111110.1038/s41598-023-48498-3Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakesYe Zhu0Yingfeng Ji1Lijun Liu2Weiling Zhu3Rui Qu4Chaodi Xie5Haris Faheem6Shoichi Yoshioka7Lin Ding8State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesGeophysics Department, School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan UniversityState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesResearch Center for Urban Safety and Security, Kobe UniversityState Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Changing thermal regime is one of the key mechanisms driving seismogenic behaviors at cold megathrusts, but it is difficult to interpret warm subduction zones such as Vanuatu for the temperatures are higher than that accommodates shallow brittle failures. We construct a 3-D thermomechanical model to clarify the thermal structure that controls tectonic seismicity in Vanuatu and predict a warm circumstance associated with abundant seismicity. Results reveal a heterogeneous slab ranging from 300 °C to over 900 °C from the Moho to subvolcanic depth. The subduction seismicity corresponds well to the plate interface where dynamic thermal dehydration is focused. The transformation from hydrated basalts to eclogites along the slab facilitates the occurrence of intense earthquakes and slips. Multistage mineralogical metamorphism affects the dynamic stability of megathrusts and favors the generation of active interplate large events. Therefore, slab thermal dehydration plays a greater role than slab temperature condition in influencing the subduction earthquake distribution in warm subduction systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48498-3 |
| spellingShingle | Ye Zhu Yingfeng Ji Lijun Liu Weiling Zhu Rui Qu Chaodi Xie Haris Faheem Shoichi Yoshioka Lin Ding Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes Scientific Reports |
| title | Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| title_full | Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| title_fullStr | Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| title_short | Heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| title_sort | heterogeneous slab thermal dehydration driving warm subduction zone earthquakes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48498-3 |
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