Seismic imaging of the entire arc of Tohoku and Hokkaido in Japan using P-wave, S-wave and sP depth-phase data

In order to better understand seismic structure and seismotectonics of the entire arc of Tohoku and Hokkaido in Japan, we combined arrival time data from earthquakes beneath Tohoku and Hokkaido land areas, and beneath the Pacific Ocean to determine the three-dimensional (3D) velocity structures (Vp and Vs) under the entire Northeast (NE) Japan-Kuril arc. We adopted 176,431 P-wave and 110,953 S-wave arrival times, from 5123 local earthquakes, and 2843 sP depth-phase data from 385 events that occurred beneath the Pacific Ocean. The 385 suboceanic events were accurately relocated by using P-wave, S-wave and sP depth-phase arrival time data jointly. The obtained results confirmed the major features delineated by previous studies and revealed some new features of the structural heterogeneity beneath NE Japan and the Kuril forearcs. High-velocity anomalies of the cold subducting Pacific slab and low-velocity anomalies in the hot mantle wedge were imaged clearly. Strong lateral heterogeneities were revealed on the upper boundary of the Pacific slab under the forearc region, which showed a good correlation with the spatial distribution of large interplate earthquakes. These results indicated that strong coupling sections (or asperities) and weak-coupled or decoupled patches might exist along the upper boundary of the Pacific slab. Widespread low-velocity anomalies were visible in the forearc mantle above the subducting Pacific slab, which might reflect serpentinization of the forearc mantle associated with the dehydration process of the subducting slab. Our results also showed a general tendency for seismic coupling in the asperities to be located around low-velocity areas on the slab boundary under the suboceanic region.     

Influence of fluids and magma on earthquakes: seismological evidence

In this paper, we present seismological evidence for the influence of fluids and magma on the generation of large earthquakes in the crust and the subducting oceanic slabs under the Japan Islands. The relationship between seismic tomography and large crustal earthquakes (M=5.7-8.0) in Japan during a period of 116 years from 1885 to 2000 is investigated and it is found that most of the large crustal earthquakes occurred in or around the areas of low seismic velocity. The low-velocity zones represent weak sections of the seismogenic crust. The crustal weakening is closely related to the subduction process in this region. Along the volcanic front and in back-arc areas, the crustal weakening is caused by active volcanoes and arc magma resulting from the convective circulation process in the mantle wedge and dehydration reactions in the subducting slab. In the forearc region of southwest Japan, fluids are suggested in the 1995 Kobe earthquake source zone, which have contributed to the rupture nucleation. The fluids originate from the dehydration of the subducting Philippine Sea slab. The recent 2001 Geiyo earthquake (M=6.8) occurred at 50 km depth within the subducting Philippine Sea slab, and it was also related to the slab dehydration process. A detailed 3D velocity structure is determined for the northeast Japan forearc region using data from 598 earthquakes that occurred under the Pacific Ocean with hypocenters well located with SP depth phases. The results show that strong lateral heterogeneities exist along the slab boundary, which represent asperities and results of slab dehydration and affect the degree and extent of the interplate seismic coupling. These results indicate that large earthquakes do not strike anywhere, but only anomalous areas which can be detected with geophysical methods. The generation of a large earthquake is not a pure mechanical process, but is closely related to physical and chemical properties of materials in the crust and upper mantle, such as magma, fluids, etc.     

东北日本地震波速度、VP/VS和各向异性结构:对俯冲带水迁移过程的探讨

本文利用区域地震初至波到时数据,通过地震层析成像研究获得了东北日本俯冲带上地幔（深至约150 km）的P波速度（V_P）、S波速度（V_S）、V_P/V_S和P波各向异性结构.结果表明,低速及高V_P/V_S比异常体主要分布在火山下方的下地壳和地幔楔中,其与低频地震的分布吻合,该区域与俯冲板块脱水所释放的流体及其导致的部分熔融密切相关;俯冲的太平洋板块内可能由于脱水脆化导致的双层地震带区域则没有表现出整体的高V_P/V_S值,其可能与俯冲板块内部含水矿物含量有关;俯冲板块内双重地震带区域及上覆地幔楔薄层主要表现为与海沟平行的方位各向异性和正的径向各向异性,其可能是由于含水矿物的脱水使橄榄石晶格结构发生了从A型到B型的变化所引起的.我们研究表明,结合地震波速度和各向异性结构能够加深对俯冲带内水运移过程的认识.     

南阿拉斯加地壳及上地幔结构成像研究

通过反演562891个纵波和156321个横波走时数据,第一次同时获得了阿拉斯加地区地壳及上地幔的纵波与横波速度以及泊松比图像,为更好地认识阿拉斯加地区的深部地震结构、太平洋板块与亚库塔特板块的俯冲几何形态提供了科学依据.成像结果表明P波和S波速度图像与泊松比结构具有很好的一致性,强的高速度和低泊松比异常沿着阿拉斯加俯冲带延伸至200 km深度,该高速度和低泊松比异常体与俯冲带的地震空间分布吻合,因此,我们认为该高速体为俯冲的太平洋板块和亚库塔特板块.从地震空间分布发现,大部分大地震（M>6.5）发生在高速度与低速度异常交界处,可能反映了俯冲板块之间强耦合作用.在俯冲带的地幔楔显示出广泛的低速度和高泊松比异常,并且这些异常与岛弧火山的位置相对应,这与大洋板块俯冲所形成的岩浆入侵作用有关.研究结果表明在南阿拉斯加俯冲带,俯冲板块的俯冲角度从兰格尔块体下方的平坦变成在布里斯托尔湾下方的陡峭,这与亚库塔特板块俯冲在兰格尔块体下方和太平洋板块俯冲在布里斯托尔湾下方有关.在基奈半岛和科迪亚克岛连接处的上地幔位置存在强烈的低速与高泊松比异常体,使该处的大洋俯冲板块变薄.这一现象可能与亚库塔特板块和太平洋板块相互碰撞作用以及软流圈强烈的上升流入侵有关.     

日本东北地区双震带高精度重定位研究

日本所在的西太平洋地区是世界上中深源地震发生最为频繁的地区. 早期研究已表明, 日本东北地区下方的中深源地震呈双层分布. 为进一步分析该双震带的空间分布特征, 本文通过方法测试证明了采用球坐标系下的三维射线追踪法改进后的双差定位法进行地震重定位的精确性和有效性, 对使用该方法进行重定位前、 后各方向上的误差进行了分析, 并确定了最佳的定位参数. 在此基础上, 对日本东北地区的中深源地震进行了高精度重定位, 并对重定位得到的震源位置进行了空间拟合, 其结果表明地震呈明显的双层分布, 且与西太平洋俯冲板块几近平行. 本文研究结果对揭示双震带中地震的发震机理以及俯冲板块内的精细结构均具有重要意义.      

Vp和Vp/Vs联合反演:在日本东北地区深部结构成像(英文)

本文提出了一种新的反演方法:通过采用纵、横波走时数据对(从相同的震源产生的P和S波被同一台站记录)来联合反演纵波速度(Vp)和纵、横波速度比(Vp/Vs),然后单独反演横波速度Vs,在反演过程中同时对地震参数进行定位。该方法不需要假设P和S波的射线路径一致,它是沿着P和S波射线路径计算相对慢度扰动值。该方法直接把Vp/Vs作为一个模型参数,由此能获得比采用从独立反演获得的Vp和Vs计算出Vp/Vs的方法更精确的速度比值。该新方法被应用到反演日本东北地区的壳幔速度及波速比结构的研究中,获得了较好的效果。反演结果表明,在日本东北地区,太平洋俯冲板块为一高Vp,高Vs和低Vp/Vs异常区,而在活火山下方的浅部地幔楔以及背弧深部地区为低Vp,低VS和高Vp/VS异常。虽然这些特征在前人的研究中已经报道过,但与前人的研究结果相比,本次研究所获得的Vp/Vs的空间分布具有较小的分散性,同时,它的分布特征能较好的与地震波速度结构相吻合。     

Relocation of shallow earthquakes in southern Alaska using Joint Hypocenter Determination method

A subset of 2660 shallow earthquakes (0–50 km) that occurred from 1988 to 1996 in south central Alaska between 155°W and 145°W and 59°N and 63°N was relocated using the joint hypocenter determination (JHD) method. Both P- and S-wave observations recorded by the regional seismic network were used. Events were relocated in twenty different groups based on their geographic location and depth using two velocity models. As a result of the relocation, the majority of the hypocenters shifted downward, while the epicenter locations did not change significantly. The distribution of the shallow subduction zone earthquakes indicates the existence of two seismically independent blocks, with one block occupying the northeastern part and the other occupying the central and western parts of the study area. The boundary between the blocks is marked by a 15 to 20 km wide seismicity gap to the southeast of 149.5°W and 62°N. The analysis of the fault plane solutions for shallow subduction zone earthquakes shows that an overwhelming majority of the solutions represent normal, oblique-normal or strike-slip faulting with predominant WNW-ESE orientation of T-axes. This indicates a down-dip extensional regime for the subducting slab at shallow depths. Very few earthquakes yielded fault plane solutions consistent with thrusting on a contact zone between the overriding and subducting plates. This result may be an indication that currently either the strain energy is not released at the contact zone or it is associated with aseismic motion.     

华北克拉通及东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的P波速度结构：对岩石圈减薄动力学过程的探讨

本文通过地震层析成像研究获得了华北克拉通及其东邻地区（30°N-50°N,95°E -145°E）1°×1°的P波速度扰动图像.结果显示,在西太平洋俯冲带地区,上地幔中西倾的板片状高速异常体与其上方的低速异常区构成俯冲带与上覆地幔楔的典型速度结构式样.俯冲板片高速体在约300~400 km深度范围内被低速物质充填,暗示俯冲板片可能发生了断离.在华北克拉通地区的上地幔中发现三个东倾排列的高速异常带.在此基础上,本文构建了华北克拉通及其东邻西太平洋活动大陆边缘地区的上地幔速度结构模式图,并据此探讨克拉通岩石圈减薄与西太平洋活动大陆边缘的深部动力学联系.本文认为,太平洋板片的俯冲（断离）,触发热地幔物质上涌并在上覆地幔楔中形成对流,使克拉通岩石圈受到改造（底侵与弱化）.随着俯冲板片后撤,地幔楔中的对流场以及对岩石圈改造的影响范围均随之东移,最终导致华北克拉通岩石圈自下而上、从西向东分三个阶段依次拆沉减薄.这一模式能很好地解释现今克拉通岩石圈自西向东呈台阶状减薄的深部现象.     

Topography of the Moho and Conrad discontinuities in the Kyushu district,Southwest Japan

The first P-arrival time data from local earthquakes are inverted for two-dimensional variation of the depths to the Conrad and Moho discontinuities in the Kyushu district, southwest Japan. At the same time, earthquake hypocenters and station corrections are determined from the data. The depths to the discontinuities are estimated by minimizing the travel time residuals of first P-arrival phases for 608 earthquakes observed at 57 seismic stations. In the land area of Kyushu, the Conrad and Moho discontinuities are located within the depth ranges of 16–18 and 34–40 km, respectively. The Conrad discontinuity is not as largely undulated as the Moho discontinuity. The depth to the Moho is deep along the east coast of Kyushu, and the deepest Moho is closely related to markedly low velocity of P wave. We regard the deepest Moho as reflecting the Kyushu–Palau ridge subducting beneath the Kyushu district, together with the Philippine Sea slab. In western Kyushu, the shallow Moho is spreading in the north–northeast–south–southwest direction in the Okinawa trough region. Based on the presence of low-velocity anomaly in three-dimensional velocity structure and seismogenic stress field of shallow crustal earthquakes, the shallow Moho is interpreted as being due to lower crustal erosion associated with a small-scale mantle upwelling in the Okinawa trough region. The velocity discontinuity undulation basically has insignificant effect on hypocenter determination of the local earthquakes, but the Moho topography makes changes in focal depths of some upper mantle earthquakes. The depth variation of the Moho discontinuity has a good correlation with the Bouguer gravity anomaly map; i.e., the shallow Moho of western Kyushu and the deep Moho of eastern Kyushu closely correlate with the positive and negative Bouguer gravity anomalies, respectively.     

中国东北的深源地震波形匹配检测及定位

中国东北珲春周边地区位于环太平洋地震带上,也是中国唯一存在的深源地震带.较大地震发生后常会有若干震级较小的余震发生,但在相同的地震震级情况下深源地震的余震一般比浅源地震的余震数量要少1~3个数量级,且在全球不同深震区的深震余震数量也存在显著差异.针对国际地震中心（ISC）2010年7月至2014年12月目录中给出的中国东北附近27次震源深度超过300 km的深源地震,我们首先利用区域固定地震台及NECsaids流动地震台阵的连续波形数据,选取已知地震事件作为模板,采用Match&Locate及Matched Filter方法进行波形互相关叠加分析来检测微小深震事件;然后对1966至2017年ISC目录中的东北地区深源地震进行双差重定位以提高震源位置的准确性,进一步分析深震活动与俯冲板片的关系.研究结果显示除ISC目录中给出的深震事件,我们未能检测出作为模板的深源地震的前震或余震活动,证明东北深源地震余震活动较少并不是由于台站分布有限而造成的漏检结果;重定位后震源延伸的角度与西太平洋板片在410~660 km地幔转换带内的俯冲角度较为一致,并且大部分深震震源位置位于俯冲板片中的亚稳态橄榄岩楔形区内部.结合双差定位结果、b值分析及前人研究成果,我们认为东北深源地震应不属于与俯冲非直接相关的"孤立地震",而是与西太平洋板块俯冲直接相关.     

Fine S wave velocity structure beneath Iwate volcano, northeastern Japan, as derived from receiver functions and travel times

A genetic algorithm inversion of receiver functions derived from a dense seismic network around Iwate volcano, northeastern Japan, provides the fine S wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle. Since receiver functions are insensitive to an absolute velocity, travel times of P and S waves propagating vertically from earthquakes in the subducting slab beneath the volcano are involved in the inversion. The distribution of velocity perturbations in relation to the hypocenters of the low-frequency (LF) earthquakes helps our understanding of deep magmatism beneath Iwate volcano. A high-velocity region (dV_S/V_S=10%) exists around the volcano at depths of 2–15 km, with the bottom depth decreasing to 11 km beneath the volcano’s summit. Just beneath the thinning high-velocity region, a low-velocity region (dV_S/V_S=−10%) exists at depths of 11–20 km. Intermediate-depth LF (ILF) events are distributed vertically in the high-velocity region down to the top of the low-velocity region. This distribution suggests that a magma reservoir situated in the low-velocity region supplies magma to a narrow conduit that is detectable by the hypocenters of LF earthquakes. Another broad low-velocity region (dV_S/V_S=−5 to −10%) occurs at depths of 17–35 km. Additional clusters of deep LF (DLF) events exist at depths of 32–37 km in the broad low-velocity zone. The DLF and ILF events are the manifestations of magma movement near the Moho discontinuity and in the conduit just beneath the volcano, respectively.     

京津唐地区中小地震重新定位

利用华北遥测台网和首都圈数字地震台网112个台站记录到的1993—2004年发生在首都圈地区3983次地震的P波绝对到时资料和相对到时资料,采用双差地震层析成像方法联合反演首都圈地区的地震震源参数,给出了2809次地震的重新定位结果.经地震重新定位后,P波绝对走时均方根残差由初始的1.2s降为0.3s,定位精度有了非常显著的提高.重新定位后的地震震中更集中分布在断层带地区,条带状更为清晰.在唐山地区的唐山—大城断裂带,地震主要集中在断裂带内,两侧的地震比较稀少.从重新定位后的震中分布可以看出,研究区域内的地震活动带呈现更明显的北北东向和北西西向的条带状分布,说明这两组方向的断裂最为活跃.用双差地震层析成像方法得到的唐山地区的地震震源位置,沿北东方向剖面在深度上呈现明显的3个小震群的特点,震源最大深度为25km.唐山地区地震重新定位结果的对比性研究表明,双差层析成像方法得到的震源参数的精度高于常规地震层析成像方法和双差法.     

Microseismicity around rupture area of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake from ocean bottom seismograph observations

Along the Nankai trough, southwestern Japan, the Philippine Sea plate (PSP) is subducting beneath the Eurasian plate, and large interplate earthquakes have occurred repeatedly with a recurrence interval of about 100-200 years. The most recent large thrust event in the eastern Nankai trough off Kii Peninsula was the 1944 Tonankai earthquake. In this region, current seismicity is very low and hypocenters are not determined accurately by the land seismic network. We conducted microseismicity observations around the rupture area of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake using ocean bottom seismographs (OBSs). Hypocenters were determined using a 2-D seismic velocity structure model based on an airgun-OBS seismic survey. Results obtained show that the seismicity was relatively active near the trough axis. These earthquakes may relate to deformation of the subducting Philippine Sea plate. On the other hand, microseismicity in the rupture area of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake was very low. This low-level seismic activity in the co-seismic rupture area of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake likely relates to a single large asperity off Kii Peninsula.     

Seismic evidence for a metastable olivine wedge in the subducting Pacific slab under Japan Sea

We apply a forward-modeling approach to high-quality arrival time data from 23 deep earthquakes greater than 400 km depth to investigate the detailed structure of the subducting Pacific slab beneath the Japan Sea. Our results show that a finger-like anomaly exists within the subducting Pacific slab below 400 km depth, which has a P-wave velocity 5% lower than the surrounding slab velocity (or 3% lower than that of the normal mantle), suggesting the existence of a metastable olivine wedge (MOW) in the slab. The MOW top and bottom depths are 400 and 560 km, respectively. The MOW is estimated to be about 50 km wide at 400 km depth and close to the slab upper boundary. At 560 km depth the MOW is located at about 25 km below the slab upper boundary. Most of the deep earthquakes are located in the MOW. Our results favor transformational faulting as the mechanism for deep earthquakes.     

Seismic tomography and anisotropy in the source area of the 2008 Iwate–Miyagi earthquake (M 7.2)

In order to understand the generation mechanism of the Iwate–Miyagi earthquake (M 7.2) that occurred on 14 June 2008 in Northeast Japan, we determined high-resolution 3D seismic velocity (Vp, Vs) and Poisson's ratio (σ) structures as well as P-wave azimuthal anisotropy in and around the source area using 246,623 P-wave and 189,153 S-wave high-quality arrival times from 1941 aftershocks of the 2008 Iwate–Miyagi earthquake as well as 4878 shallow and intermediate-depth earthquakes in this area recorded by the dense High-Sensitivity Seismic Network (Hi-net) and the seismic stations of Tohoku University. Our results show that hypocenters of the mainshock and three large aftershocks are located in a boundary zone where both seismic velocity and Poisson's ratio change drastically in a short distance. A zone with pronounced low-velocity and high Poisson's ratio is revealed in the lower crust and uppermost mantle under the source area, which may reflect the arc magma and fluids ascending from the upper-mantle wedge. The P-wave azimuthal anisotropy is complex under the study area, which may also indicate the complex crustal structure there. These results indicate that the generation of the 2008 Iwate–Miyagi earthquake was influenced by the ascending arc magma and fluids associated with the dehydration reactions of the subducting Pacific slab under Northeast Japan.     

西北太平洋俯冲带日本本州至中国东北段应力场反演

本研究基于Global CMT提供的1196个1976年11月—2017年1月MW4.6地震矩心矩张量解,对西北太平洋俯冲带日本本州至中国东北段的应力场进行反演计算,得到了从浅表到深部俯冲带应力状态的完整分布.结果显示:俯冲带浅表陆壳一侧应力场呈现水平挤压、垂向拉伸状态,洋壳一侧的应力状态则相反,即近水平拉张、近垂向压缩.沿着俯冲板片向下,应力主轴逐渐向俯冲板片轮廓靠拢,其中位于双地震层(120km深度附近)之上的部分,主张应力轴沿俯冲板片轮廓展布而又比其更为陡倾;双地震层内的应力模式同典型I型双层地震带内的应力模式一致,即上层沿俯冲板片轮廓压缩、下层沿俯冲板片轮廓拉伸;双地震层之下,应力模式逐步转变为主压应力轴平行于俯冲板片轮廓.通观所研究的整个俯冲系统,水平面内主压和主张应力轴基本保持了与西北太平洋板片俯冲方向上的一致性,同经典俯冲板片的应力导管模型所预言的俯冲带应力模式相符;而主张应力轴在俯冲板片表面之下的中源地震深度范围内转向海沟走向,或许同研究区域横跨日本海沟与千岛海沟结合带,改变的浅部海沟形态致使完整俯冲板片下部产生横向变形有关.     

西太平洋俯冲板块对中国东北构造演化的影响及其动力学意义

中国东北地区在古生代期间以众多微陆块的拼合以及古亚洲洋的闭合为特征,其后又经历了中-新生代太平洋构造域及中生代蒙古—鄂霍茨克构造域的叠加与改造,以致东北地区的构造行迹显得极为复杂,而大兴安岭重力梯级带及其西部地区构造演化是否与西太平洋俯冲有关仍然存在争议.本研究利用分布于中国东北、华北地区以及韩国、日本等部分台网所接收的近震与远震走时数据获得了中国东北地区壳幔精细的三维P波速度结构.成像结果显示,太平洋板块持续西向俯冲,俯冲板片的前缘停滞在大兴安岭—太行山重力梯度带以东区域的地幔转换带之中;长白山火山区上地幔存在着显著的低速异常体,推测西太平洋板块的深俯冲脱水导致了上地幔底部岩石的熔点降低,从而形成了大范围的部分熔融物质上涌.通过分析上地幔的速度结构,我们认为由于太平洋板块的大规模西向深俯冲,在大地幔楔中发生板片脱水、低速热物质上涌等复杂的地球动力学过程;俯冲板片前缘带动上地幔中不均匀分布的地幔流强烈作用于上部的岩石圈,这对东北地区深部壳幔结构乃至大兴安岭重力梯级带的形成、演化有着重要的影响.     

西北太平洋俯冲地区410-km间断面上覆低速层探测

自20世纪90年代首次探测到410-km间断面上覆低速层以来,全球多个俯冲带和大陆克拉通地区都陆续发现了该低速层结构.对其特性及形成机理的探讨是深部地幔结构、物性和动力学研究的热点问题.本文聚焦于西北太平洋俯冲地区410-km间断面上覆低速层的探测及特性研究上.通过对发生于日本北海道地区两个中等深度地震区域波形资料的分析,利用三重震相波形拟合方法获得了我国东北及日本海西北部下方410-km间断面附近的P波速度结构.速度模型明确显示,410-km间断面上方存在厚~47±14 km,异常值~2%的低速层,横向展布近700 km.结合区域地震层析成像、矿物高温高压物理实验及动力学模拟结果,我们否定了"从下至上"的上涌热物质导致410-km间断面上覆低速层的模型;认为较老且快速俯冲的太平洋板块在地幔过渡带顶部脱水导致硅酸盐矿物的部分熔融,由于熔体密度较大能够稳定存在于410-km间断面之上,从而产生了观测到的横向展布较广的410-km间断面上覆低速层结构.     

南海瑞雷面波群速度层析成像及其地球动力学意义

南海处于欧亚板块、 菲律宾海板块、 太平洋板块和印度-澳大利亚板块的交汇处, 其地质和构造作用十分复杂．通过面波群速度成像, 给出了南海及邻区的三维横波速度分布并分析了其地球动力学意义．南海西部和南部新布设的地震台站使得利用单台法时路径覆盖比过去更好. 特别是在华南地区, 新的台站分布能够弥补该地区地震少且台站少造成的射线密度不够的缺点． 首先运用多重滤波法得到南海周边48个台站周期为14——130 s范围内的基阶瑞雷波频散曲线图; 接着通过子空间反演得到整个区域在不同周期时的群速度分布; 最后通过阻尼最小二乘反演得到不同深度切片上的横波速度分布及不同纵剖面上的横波速度分布． 结果显示: ① 海盆速度较高, 且速度分布很好地勾勒出海盆的轮廓. 浅层较高的横波速度说明海盆都具有洋壳性质, 而深部较高的横波速度则可能对应扩张中心生成洋壳后残留的高速物质． 不同海盆速度上的差异与它们的热流值和年龄大小一致．海盆下的高速异常在60 km以下消失, 且在一定深度范围内由低速区替代． 在低速区下200 km深度, 在南海海盆观测到一条NE-SW走向的高速异常, 可能与古俯冲带有关. ② 环南海出现明显的高速区, 对应俯冲带特征, 且这些高速区速度差异明显且有间断, 说明俯冲带的非均质性和俯冲角度的差异. ③ 在环南海高速区内侧（向南海侧）观测到不连续的低速区． 在浅层, 这些低速区反映了沉积层和地壳的厚度特征. 在地幔, 这些低速区可能对应于古太平洋俯冲带的地幔楔或者也可能反映了南海海盆停止扩张后残留的地幔熔融物质. ④ 南海海盆岩石圈的厚度为60——85 km．      

Seismicity pattern: an indicator of source region of volcanism at convergent plate margins

The results of detailed investigation into the geometry of distribution of earthquakes around and below the volcanoes Korovin, Cleveland, Makushin, Yake-Dake, Oshima, Lewotobi, Fuego, Sangay, Nisyros and Montagne Pelée at convergent plate margins are presented. The ISC hypocentral determinations for the period 1964-1999, based on data of global seismic network and relocated by Engdahl, van der Hilst and Buland, have been used.The aim of this study has been to contribute to the solution of the problem of location of source regions of primary magma for calc-alkaline volcanoes spatially and genetically related to the process of subduction. Several specific features of seismicity pattern were revealed in this context. (i) A clear occurrence of the intermediate-depth aseismic gap (IDAG) in the Wadati-Benioff zone (WBZ) below all investigated active volcanoes. We interpret this part of the subducted slab, which does not contain any teleseismically recorded earthquake with magnitude greater than 4.0, as a partially melted domain of oceanic lithosphere and as a possible source of primary magma for calc-alkaline volcanoes. (ii) A set of earthquakes in the shape of a seismically active column (SAC) seems to exists in the continental wedge below volcanoes Korovin, Makushin and Sangay. The seismically active columns probably reach from the Earth surface down to the aseismic gap in the Wadati-Benioff zone. This points to the possibility that the upper mantle overlying the subducted slab does not contain large melted domains, displays an intense fracturing and is not likely to represent the site of magma generation. (iii) In the continental wedge below the volcanoes Cleveland, Fuego, Nisyros, Yake-Dake, Oshima and Lewotobi, shallow seismicity occurs down to the depth of 50 km. The domain without any earthquakes between the shallow seismically active column and the aseismic gap in the Wadati-Benioff zone in the depth range of 50-100 km does not exclude the melting of the mantle also above the slab. (iv) Any earthquake does not exist in the lithospheric wedge below the volcano Montagne Pelée. The source of primary magma could be located in the subducted slab as well as in the overlying mantle wedge. (v) Frequent aftershock sequences accompanying stronger earthquakes in the seismically active columns indicate high fracturing of the wedge below active volcanoes. (vi) The elongated shape of clusters of epicentres of earthquakes of seismically active columns, as well as stable parameters of the available fault plane solutions, seem to reflect the existence of dominant deeply rooted fracture zones below volcanoes. These facts also favour the location of primary magma in the subducting slab rather than in the overlying wedge.We suppose that melts advancing from the slab toward the Earth surface may trigger the observed earthquakes in the continental wedge that is critically pre-stressed by the process of subduction. However, for definitive conclusions it will be necessary to explain the occurrence of earthquake clusters below some volcanoes and the lack of seismicity below others, taking into account the uncertainty of focal depth determination from global seismological data in some regions.