Southward expanding plate coupling due to variation in sediment subduction as a cause of Andean growth

Growth of the Andes has been attributed to Cenozoic subduction. Although climatic and tectonic processes have been proposed to be first-order mechanisms, their interaction and respective contributions remain largely unclear. Here, we apply three-dimensional, fully-dynamic subduction models to investigate the effect of trench-axial sediment transport and subduction on Andean growth, a mechanism that involves both climatic and tectonic processes. We find that the thickness of trench-fill sediments, a proxy of plate coupling (with less sediments causing stronger coupling), exerts an important influence on the pattern of crustal shortening along the Andes. The southward migrating Juan Fernandez Ridge acts as a barrier to the northward flowing trench sediments, thus expanding the zone of plate coupling southward through time. Consequently, the predicted history of Andean shortening is consistent with observations. Southward expanding crustal shortening matches the kinematic history of inferred compression. These results demonstrate the importance of climate-tectonic interaction on mountain building.

Caribbean slab dynamics beneath northwest South America from SKS and Local S splitting

<p>     The southernmost edge of the Caribbean (CAR) plate, a buoyant large igneous province, subducts shallowly beneath northwestern South America (NWSA) at a trench that lies northwest of Colombia. Recent finite frequency P-wave tomography results show a segmented CAR subducting at a shallow angle under the Santa Marta Massif to the Serrania de Perijá (SdP) before steepening while a detached segment beneath the Mérida Andes (MA) descends into the mantle transition zone. The dynamics of shallow subduction are poorly understood. Plate coupling between the flat subducting CAR and the overriding NWSA is proposed to have driven the uplift of the MA. In this study we analyze SKS shear wave splitting to investigate the seismic anisotropy beneath the slab segments to relate their geometry to mantle dynamics. We also use local S splitting to investigate the seismic anisotropy between the slab segments and the overriding plate. The data were recorded by a 65-element portable broadband seismograph network deployed in NWSA and 40 broadband stations of the Venezuelan and Colombian national seismograph networks.</p><p>     SKS fast polarization axes are measured generally trench-perpendicular (TP) west of the SdP but transition to trench-parallel (TL) at the SdP where the slab was imaged steepening into the mantle, consistent with previous studies. West of the MA the fast axis is again TP but transitions to TL under the MA. This second transition from TP to TL is likely due to mantle material being deflected around a detached slab under the MA. Local S fast polarization axes are dominantly TP throughout the study area west of the Santa Marta Massif and are consistent with slab-entrained flow. Under the Santa Marta Massif the fast axis is TL for reasons we do not yet understand.</p>

Decadal Seismicity Prior to Great Earthquakes at Subduction and Transform-Fault Plate Boundaries

<p>Decadal forerunning seismic activity is used to map great asperities that subsequently ruptured in very large, shallow earthquakes at subduction zones and transform faults. The distribution of forerunning shocks of magnitude Mw>5.0 is examined for 50 mainshocks of Mw 7.5 to 9.1 from 1993 to 2020. The zones of large slip in many great earthquakes were nearly quiescent beforehand and are identified as the sites of great asperities. Much forerunning activity occurred at smaller asperities along the peripheries of the rupture zones of great and giant mainshocks. Asperities are strong, well-coupled portions of plate interfaces. Sizes of great asperities as ascertained from forerunning activity generally agree with the areas of high seismic slip as determined by others using geodetic and tide-gauge data and finite-source seismic modeling. Different patterns of forerunning activity on time scales of about 5 to 45 years are attributed to the sizes and spacing of asperities. This permits many great asperities to be mapped decades before they rupture in great and giant shocks. Rupture zones of many large earthquakes are bordered either along strike, updip, or downdip by zones of low plate coupling. Several bordering regions were sites of forerunning activity, aftershocks and slow-slip events. Several poorly coupled subduction zones, however, are characterized by few great earthquakes and little forerunning activity. The detection of forerunning and precursory activities of various kinds should be sought on the peripheries of great asperities. The manuscript can be found at <strong>http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/~sykes</strong></p><p> </p>

Lithospheric Structure of the Central Andes Forearc from Gravity Data Modeling: Implication for Plate Coupling

Geodetic and seismological data indicates that the Central Andes subduction zone is highly coupled. To understand the plate locking mechanism within the Central Andes, we developed 2.5-D gravity models of the lithosphere and assessed the region’s isostatic state. The densities within the gravity models are based on satellite and surface gravity data and constrained by previous tomographic studies. The gravity models indicate a high-density (~2940 kg m-3) forearc structure in the overriding South American continental lithosphere, which is higher than the average density of the continental crust. This structure produces an anomalous pressure (20-40 MPa) on the subducting Nazca plate, contributing to intraplate coupling within the Central Andes. The anomalous lithostatic pressure and buoyancy force may be controlling plate coupling and asperity generation in the Central Andes. The high-density forearc structure could be a batholith or ophiolite emplaced onto the continental crust. The isostatic state of the Central Andes and Nazca plate is assessed based on residual topography (difference between observed and isostatic topography). The West-Central Andes and Nazca ridge have ~0.78 km of residual topography, indicating undercompensation. The crustal thickness beneath the West-Central Andes may not be sufficient to isostatically support the observed topography. This residual topography may be partially supported by small-scale convective cells in the mantle wedge. The residual topography in the Nazca ridge may be attributed to density differences between the subducting Nazca slab and the Nazca ridge. The high density of the subducted Nazca slab has a downward buoyancy force, while the less dense Nazca ridge provides an upward buoyancy force. These two forces may effectively raise the Nazca ridge to its current-day elevation.

Trench-parallel compressive upper plate stress field in the northern Chile forearc from earthquake source mechanisms

<p>Subduction zone forearcs deform transiently and permanently due to the frictional coupling with the converging lower plate. Transient stresses are mostly the elastic response to the spatio-temporally variable plate coupling through the seismic cycle. Long-term deformation depends e.g., on the plate convergence geometry, where obliqueness or change in obliqueness play important roles. Here we use the Integrated Plate Boundary Observatory Chile (IPOC) and additional temporal networks to determine source mechanisms for upper plate earthquakes in the northern Chile subduction zone. We find that earthquakes in the South American crust under the sea and under the Coastal Cordillera show a remarkably homogenous north-south, i.e. trench-parallel, compressional stress field. Earthquake fault mechanisms are dominated by east-west striking thrusts. Further inland, where the lower plate becomes uncoupled, the stress field is more varied with direction east-west to southeast-northwest (approx. convergence parallel) dominating. The peculiar stress-regime above the plate-coupling-zone almost perpendicular to plate convergence direction may be explained by a change in subduction obliqueness due to the concave shape of the plate margin.</p>

The rule of thumb for inferring plate coupling status based on the mantle lithospheric buoyancy

<p>The subduction zone is a convergent plate boundary, and where most seismic activity is concentrated and megathrust may occur. To evaluate the potential hazard in subduction zones always relates to the plate coupling status. From previous studies, the status of plate coupling between plates can be reflected by the vibration of the buoyancy of mantle lithosphere (Hm). As far as the respective plate coupling states are concerned, more than a dozen Hm profiles across different subduction zones have been successfully verified. It is normally to determine the coupling status depending on the Hm vibration without manifest definition. We therefore propose a method to estimate the plate coupling factor (pcf) quantitatively. The pcf is defined as the difference of the Hm caused by the respective subduction and overriding plates between the distances where Hm deviated from the normal lithospheric Hm value across the plate boundary. The collected Hm profiles are calculated by the proposed method, the results show that the pcf value is corresponding well to the plate coupling status in the respective subduction zone. The small pcf is for strong plate coupling, such as the northern Sumatra and the southern central Andes subduction zones, while the large pcf is for weak coupling, such as the Calabria and the northern Manila subduction zones. The calculation of pcf is a feasible solution for determination of plate coupling status, but more Hm profiles across subduction zones will help the estimation more reliable.</p>

Variations in mantle lithosphere buoyancy reveal seismogenic behavior in the Sunda-Andaman subduction zone

Summary The distribution of historic earthquakes in the Sumatra subduction zone reveals, in the fore-arc region, the intense seismic activity and frequent occurrences of Mw > 8 earthquakes throughout the whole area. In contrast, the neighboring region has less dense seismicity, and no large earthquake greater than Mw8 has been observed in the Java subduction zone. Such different seismic behaviors may be due to distinct degrees of the stress accumulation and release. In this study, the strength of plate coupling inferred from mantle lithosphere buoyancy (Hm) estimation is used to explain the seismogenic behavior in the Sunda-Andaman subduction zone. Strong and weak plate coupling status are obtained in the Sumatra and Java subduction zones, respectively. These results can explain the significant differences in seismogenic behaviors in the Sunda-Andaman subduction zone. In assessing the global implications of this finding, we observe that uplifted serpentinized fore-arc mantle peridotite is the critical phenomenon in weak plate coupling cases and leads to a limit on the width of the coupling zone. Strong plate coupling can cause a relatively low gravity anomaly as well as a negative trench-parallel gravity anomaly (TPGA) in the fore-arc regions and correlates well with the occurrence of large earthquakes, whereas weak plate coupling can cause a positive TPGA and constrain the potential occurrence of large earthquakes.