Abstract
The study of fluid distribution along megathrust faults at subduction zones is important because such fluid controls the slip behavior of the megathrust faults. A number of studies have directed their efforts toward understanding the fluid distribution, exploiting both active- and passive-source seismic surveys. Receiver function (RF) analysis is a powerful method for this purpose. The method aims to extract P-to-S conversion phases from seismograms, which are useful for constraining physical properties along subsurface discontinuities such as subducting plate interfaces. While megathrust faults are located beneath offshore regions, RF analysis has hardly been applied to data recorded by ocean-bottom seismometers (OBSs) because seismograms recorded at offshore observatories are dominated by water reverberations. This thesis develops a new technique for solving this problem and then uses the technique to reveal the subsurface structure and fluid distribution along the megathrust fault off the Kii Peninsula, southwestern Japan. This chapter provides the background to this study, the tectonic setting of the study area, and descriptions of the data used in this thesis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abe Y, Ohkura T, Hirahara K, Shibutani T (2013) Along-arc variation in water distribution in the uppermost mantle beneath Kyushu, Japan, as derived from receiver function analyses. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 118(7):3540–3556. https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrb.50257
Akuhara T, Mochizuki K (2015) Hydrous state of the subducting philippine sea plate inferred from receiver function image using onshore and offshore data. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 120(12):8461–8477. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JB012336
Akuhara T, Mochizuki K, Nakahigashi K, Yamada T, Shinohara M, Sakai S, Kanazawa T, Uehira K, Shimizu H (2013) Segmentation of the Vp/Vs ratio and low-frequency earthquake distribution around the fault boundary of the Tonankai and Nankai earthquakes. Geophys Res Lett 40(7):1306–1310. https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50223
Ando M (1975) Source mechanisms and tectonic significance of historical earthquakes along the Nankai Trough, Japan. Tectonophysics 27(2):119–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(75)90102-X
Audet P, Schwartz SY (2013) Hydrologic control of forearc strength and seismicity in the Costa Rican subduction zone. Nat Geosci 6(10):852–855. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1927
Audet P, Bostock MG, Christensen NI, Peacock SM (2009) Seismic evidence for overpressured subducted oceanic crust and megathrust fault sealing. Nature 457(7225):76–78. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07650
Baba T, Tanioka Y, Cummins PR, Uhira K (2002) The slip distribution of the 1946 Nankai earthquake estimated from tsunami inversion using a new plate model. Phys Earth Planet Inter 132(1–3):59–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9201(02)00044-4
Baba T, Cummins PR, Hori T, Kaneda Y (2006) High precision slip distribution of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake inferred from tsunami waveforms: possible slip on a splay fault. Tectonophysics 426(1–2):119–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2006.02.015
Baker GE, Stevens JL (2004) Backazimuth estimation reliability using surface wave polarization. Geophys Res Lett 31(9):L09,611. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL019510
Bangs N, Moore G, Gulick S, Pangborn E, Tobin H, Kuramoto S, Taira A (2009) Broad, weak regions of the Nankai Megathrust and implications for shallow coseismic slip. Earth Planet Sci Lett 284(1–2):44–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.04.026
Bell R, Sutherland R, Barker DHN, Henrys S, Bannister S, Wallace L, Beavan J (2010) Seismic reflection character of the Hikurangi subduction interface, New Zealand, in the region of repeated Gisborne slow slip events. Geophys J Int 180(1):34–48. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04401.x
Bostock M (2013) The Moho in subduction zones. Tectonophysics 609:547–557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2012.07.007
Calahorrano A, Sallarès V, Collot JY, Sage F, Ranero CR (2008) Nonlinear variations of the physical properties along the southern Ecuador subduction channel: results from depth-migrated seismic data. Earth Planet Sci Lett 267(3–4):453–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2007.11.061
Christensen NI (1984) Pore pressure and oceanic crustal seismic structure. Geophys J Int 79(2):411–423. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1984.tb02232.x
Christensen NI (1996) Poisson’s ratio and crustal seismology. J Geophys Res 101(B2):3139–3156. https://doi.org/10.1029/95JB03446
Faccenda M, Gerya TV, Burlini L (2009) Deep slab hydration induced by bending-related variations in tectonic pressure. Nat Geosci 2(11):790–793. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo656
Fagereng Å, Diener JFA (2011) Non-volcanic tremor and discontinuous slab dehydration. Geophys Res Lett 38(15):L15,302. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL048214
Hansen RT, Bostock MG, Christensen NI (2012) Nature of the low velocity zone in Cascadia from receiver function waveform inversion. Earth Planet Sci Lett 337–338:25–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.05.031
Hirose F, Nakajima J, Hasegawa A (2008) Three-dimensional seismic velocity structure and configuration of the Philippine Sea slab in southwestern Japan estimated by double-difference tomography. J Geophys Res 113(B9):B09,315. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JB005274
Husen S, Kissling E (2001) Postseismic fluid flow after the large subduction earthquake of Antofagasta, Chile. Geology 29(9):847–850. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001) 029<0847:PFFATL>2.0.CO;2
Ide S, Shiomi K, Mochizuki K, Tonegawa T, Kimura G (2010) Split Philippine Sea plate beneath Japan. Geophys Res Lett 37(21):L21,304. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL044585
Idehara K, Yabe S, Ide S (2014) Regional and global variations in the temporal clustering of tectonic tremor activity. Earth Planets Space 66(1):66. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-5981-66-66
Ishise M, Koketsu K, Miyake H (2009) Slab segmentation revealed by anisotropic Pwave tomography. Geophys Res Lett 36. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GL037749
Katayama I, Terada T, Okazaki K, Tanikawa W (2012) Episodic tremor and slow slip potentially linked to permeability contrasts at the Moho. Nat Geosci 5(10):731–734. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1559
Kato A, Iidaka T, Ikuta R, Yoshida Y, Katsumata K, Iwasaki T, Sakai S, Thurber C, Tsumura N, Yamaoka K, Watanabe T, Kunitomo T, Yamazaki F, Okubo M, Suzuki S, Hirata N (2010) Variations of fluid pressure within the subducting oceanic crust and slow earthquakes. Geophys Res Lett 37(14):L14,310. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL043723
Kato A, Saiga A, Takeda T, Iwasaki T, Matsuzawa T (2014) Non-volcanic seismic swarm and fluid transportation driven by subduction of the Philippine Sea slab beneath the Kii Peninsula, Japan. Earth Planets Space 66(1):86. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-5981-66-86
Kawakatsu H, Watada S (2007) Seismic evidence for deep-water transportation in the mantle. Science 316:1468–1471. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1140855
Kennett BLN, Engdahl ER (1991) Traveltimes for global earthquake location and phase identification. Geophys J Int 105(2):429–465. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1991.tb06724.x
Kim Y, Clayton RW (2015) Seismic properties of the Nazca oceanic crust in southern Peruvian subduction system. Earth Planet Sci Lett 429:110–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2015.07.055
Kim Y, Clayton RW, Jackson JM (2010) Geometry and seismic properties of the subducting Cocos plate in central Mexico. J Geophys Res 115(B6):B06,310. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JB006942
Kimura G, Hina S, Hamada Y, Kameda J, Tsuji T, Kinoshita M, Yamaguchi A (2012) Runaway slip to the trench due to rupture of highly pressurized megathrust beneath the middle trench slope: the tsunamigenesis of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake off the east coast of northern Japan. Earth Planet Sci Lett 339–340:32–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.04.002
Kobayashi A (2014) A long-term slow slip event from 1996 to 1997 in the Kii Channel, Japan. Earth Planets Space 66(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1880-5981-66-9
Kodaira S, Takahashi N, Nakanishi A, Miura S, Kaneda Y (2000) Subducted seamount imaged in the Rupture Zone of the 1946 Nankaido Earthquake. Science 289:104–106. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.289.5476.104
Kodaira S, Kurashimo E, Park JO, Takahashi N, Nakanishi A, Miura S, Iwasaki T, Hirata N, Ito K, Kaneda Y (2002) Structural factors controlling the rupture process of a megathrust earthquake at the Nankai trough seismogenic zone. Geophys J Int 149(3):815–835. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-246X.2002.01691.x
Kodaira S, Iidaka T, Kato A, Park JO, Iwasaki T, Kaneda Y (2004) High pore fluid pressure may cause silent slip in the Nankai Trough. Science 304:1295–1298. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1096535 (New York, NY)
Kodaira S, Hori T, Ito A, Miura S, Fujie G, Park JO, Baba T, Sakaguchi H, Kaneda Y (2006) A cause of rupture segmentation and synchronization in the Nankai trough revealed by seismic imaging and numerical simulation. J Geophys Res 111(B9):B09,301. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JB004030
Kurashimo E, Iwasaki T, Iidaka T, Kato A, Yamazaki F, Miyashita K, Shibutani T, Ito K, Takeda T, Obara K, Hirata N (2013) Along-strike structural changes controlled by dehydration-related fluids within the Philippine Sea plate around the segment boundary of a megathrust earthquake beneath the Kii peninsula, southwest Japan. Geophys Res Lett 40(18):4839–4844. https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50939
Li J, Shillington DJ, Bécel A, Nedimović MR, Webb SC, Saffer DM, Keranen KM, Kuehn H (2015) Downdip variations in seismic reflection character: implications for fault structure and seismogenic behavior in the Alaska subduction zone. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 120(11):7883–7904. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JB012338
Miyazaki S, Heki K (2001) Crustal velocity field of southwest Japan: subduction and arcarc collision. J Geophys Res 106(B3):4305–4326. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB900312
Mochizuki K, Fujie G, Sato T, Kasahara J, Hino R, Shinohara M, Suyehiro K (1998) Heterogeneous crustal structure across a seismic block boundary along the nankai trough. Geophys Res Lett 25(13):2301–2304. https://doi.org/10.1029/98GL51867
Mochizuki K, Nakamura M, Kasahara J, Hino R, Nihisno M, Kuwano A, Nakamura Y, Yamada T, Shinohara M, Sato T, Moghaddam PP, Kanazawa T (2005) Intense PP reflection beneath the aseismic forearc slope of the Japan Trench subduction zone and its implication of aseismic slip subduction. J Geophys Res 110(B1):B01,302. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JB002892
Mochizuki K, Nakahigashi K, Kuwano A, Yamada T, Shinohara M, Sakai S, Kanazawa T, Uehira K, Shimizu H (2010) Seismic characteristics around the fault segment boundary of historical great earthquakes along the Nankai Trough revealed by repeated long-term OBS observations. Geophys Res Lett 37(9):L09,304. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL042935
Nedimović MR, Hyndman RD, Ramachandran K, Spence GD (2003) Reflection signature of seismic and aseismic slip on the northern Cascadia subduction interface. Nature 424(6947):416–420. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01840
Obara K, Hirose H, Yamamizu F, Kasahara K (2004) Episodic slow slip events accompanied by non-volcanic tremors in southwest Japan subduction zone. Geophys Res Lett 31(23):L23,602. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020848
Okino K, Ohara Y, Kasuga S, Kato Y (1999) The Philippine Sea: new survey results reveal the structure and the history of the marginal basins. Geophys Res Lett 26(15):2287–2290. https://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL900537
Park JO, Naruse H, Bangs NL (2014) Along-strike variations in the Nankai shallow décollement properties and their implications for tsunami earthquake generation. Geophys Res Lett 41(20):7057–7064. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL061096
Peacock SM, Wang K (1999) Seismic consequences of warm versus cool subduction metamorphism: examples from southwest and northeast Japan. Science 286:937–939. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.286.5441.937
Reyners M, Eberhart-Phillips D (2009) Small earthquakes provide insight into plate coupling and fluid distribution in the Hikurangi subduction zone, New Zealand. Earth Planet Sci Lett 282(1–4):299–305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2009.03.034
Saffer DM, Tobin HJ (2011) Hydrogeology and mechanics of subduction zone forearcs: fluid flow and pore pressure. Annu Rev Earth Planet Sci 39(1):157–186. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-040610-133408
Scholz C (1998) Earthquakes and friction laws. Nature 391:37–42. https://doi.org/10.1038/34097
Screaton E, Saffer D, Henry P, Hunze S (2002) Porosity loss within the underthrust sediments of the Nankai accretionary complex: implications for overpressures. Geology 30(1):19–22. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002) 030<0019:PLWTUS>2.0.CO;2
Shelly DR, Beroza GC, Ide S, Nakamula S (2006) Low-frequency earthquakes in Shikoku, Japan, and their relationship to episodic tremor and slip. Nature 442:188–191. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04931
Shelly DR, Beroza GC, Ide S (2007) Non-volcanic tremor and low-frequency earthquake swarms. Nature 446(7133):305–307. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05666
Shiomi K, Park J (2008) Structural features of the subducting slab beneath the Kii Peninsula, central Japan: seismic evidence of slab segmentation, dehydration, and anisotropy. J Geophys Res 113(B10):B10,318. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JB005535
Skarbek RM, Saffer DM (2009) Pore pressure development beneath the décollement at the Nankai subduction zone: implications for plate boundary fault strength and sediment dewatering. J Geophys Res Solid Earth 114(7):B07,401. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JB006205
Song TRA, Helmberger DV (2007) Validating tomographic model with broad-band waveform modelling: an example from the LA RISTRA transect in the southwestern United States. Geophys J Int 171(1):244–258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03508.x
Song TRA, Helmberger DV, Brudzinski MR, Clayton RW, Davis P, Perez-Campos X, Singh SK (2009) Subducting slab ultra-slow velocity layer coincident with silent earthquakes in southern Mexico. Science 330(5926):502–506. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1167595
Tsuji Y, Nakajima J, Hasegawa A (2008) Tomographic evidence for hydrated oceanic crust of the Pacific slab beneath northeastern Japan: implications for water transportation in subduction zones. Geophys Res Lett 35(14):L14,308. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL034461
Zhao D, Huang Z, Umino N, Hasegawa A, Kanamori H (2011) Structural heterogeneity in the megathrust zone and mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0). Geophys Res Lett 38(17):L17,308. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL048408
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Akuhara, T. (2018). General Introduction. In: Fluid Distribution Along the Nankai-Trough Megathrust Fault off the Kii Peninsula. Springer Theses. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8174-3_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8174-3_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-8173-6
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-8174-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)