Rupture and delamination of arc crust rupture and delamination of island arc crust due to the arc–arc collision in the South Fossa Magna, central Japan

Three collisional cycles, the Tanzawa, Izu and Shichito, are known to have occurred in the South Fossa Magna, central Japan, since the late Miocene, based on geologic evidence. The cycles consist of six stages. At present the South Fossa Magna is in the later part of stage 5 of the Izu Cycle and stage 2 of the Shichito Cycle. Because the collisional processes are ongoing we can observe, measure and correlate them with the geologic records of the former cycles. The collisional processes are progressing intermittently because of the rupture and deformation of the collided and colliding island arc crusts. Rupture in the subducting crust can be explained by the geometry of the subducting plate along a boundary that is not straight. The delamination of the upper crust is detected from the geologic and crustal structure in the collided Tanzawa Block; it is an important factor in the deformation of the crust.