Seamount Subduction and Megathrust Seismicity: The Interplay Between Geometry and Friction

I. Menichelli; F. Corbi; S. Brizzi; E. van Rijsingen; S. Lallemand; F. Funiciello

doi:10.1029/2022GL102191

Seamount Subduction and Megathrust Seismicity: The Interplay Between Geometry and Friction

I. Menichelli^*
, F. Corbi
, S. Brizzi
, E. van Rijsingen
, S. Lallemand
, F. Funiciello

^*Corresponding author for this work

DES - Tectonics/TecLab group

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Subducting seamounts are recognized as one of the key features influencing megathrust earthquakes. However, whether they trigger or arrest ruptures remains debated. Here, we use analog models to study the influence of a single seamount on megathrust earthquakes, separating the effect of topography from that of friction. Four different model configurations have been developed (i.e., flat interface, high and low friction seamount, low friction patch). In our models, the seamount reduces recurrence time, interseismic coupling, and fault strength, suggesting that it acts as a barrier: 80% of the ruptures concentrate in flat regions that surround the seamount and only smaller magnitude earthquakes nucleate above it. The low-friction zone, which mimics the fluid accumulation or the establishment of fracture systems in natural cases, seems to be the most efficient in arresting rupture propagation in our experimental setting.

Original language	English
Article number	e2022GL102191
Number of pages	9
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	50
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102191
Publication status	Published - 16 May 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank Susan Bilek and the anonymous reviewer for helpful and constructive reviews and suggestions. Data produced in this study are available open access in Menichelli et al. (2023) (https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.047). This study has been financially supported by the EPOS Research Infrastructure through the contribution of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)-EPOS ITALIA Joint Research Unit. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101032311 - SEGMENT. The uniform colormap Roma is used in this study to prevent visual distortion of the data (Crameri, 2018).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023. The Authors.

Funding

We thank Susan Bilek and the anonymous reviewer for helpful and constructive reviews and suggestions. Data produced in this study are available open access in Menichelli et al. (2023) (https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.047). This study has been financially supported by the EPOS Research Infrastructure through the contribution of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)-EPOS ITALIA Joint Research Unit. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101032311 - SEGMENT. The uniform colormap Roma is used in this study to prevent visual distortion of the data (Crameri, 2018).

Keywords

analog models
megaearthquakes
seamounts
subduction zone

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10.1029/2022GL102191Licence: CC BY

Geophysical Research Letters - 2023 - Menichelli - Seamount Subduction and Megathrust Seismicity The Interplay BetweenFinal published version, 2.34 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Seamount Subduction and Megathrust Seismicity: The Interplay Between Geometry and Friction",

abstract = "Subducting seamounts are recognized as one of the key features influencing megathrust earthquakes. However, whether they trigger or arrest ruptures remains debated. Here, we use analog models to study the influence of a single seamount on megathrust earthquakes, separating the effect of topography from that of friction. Four different model configurations have been developed (i.e., flat interface, high and low friction seamount, low friction patch). In our models, the seamount reduces recurrence time, interseismic coupling, and fault strength, suggesting that it acts as a barrier: 80\% of the ruptures concentrate in flat regions that surround the seamount and only smaller magnitude earthquakes nucleate above it. The low-friction zone, which mimics the fluid accumulation or the establishment of fracture systems in natural cases, seems to be the most efficient in arresting rupture propagation in our experimental setting.",

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note = "Funding Information: We thank Susan Bilek and the anonymous reviewer for helpful and constructive reviews and suggestions. Data produced in this study are available open access in Menichelli et al. (2023) (https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.047). This study has been financially supported by the EPOS Research Infrastructure through the contribution of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)-EPOS ITALIA Joint Research Unit. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101032311 - SEGMENT. The uniform colormap Roma is used in this study to prevent visual distortion of the data (Crameri, 2018). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023. The Authors.",

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AU - Lallemand, S.

AU - Funiciello, F.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Susan Bilek and the anonymous reviewer for helpful and constructive reviews and suggestions. Data produced in this study are available open access in Menichelli et al. (2023) (https://doi.org/10.5880/fidgeo.2022.047). This study has been financially supported by the EPOS Research Infrastructure through the contribution of the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR)-EPOS ITALIA Joint Research Unit. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101032311 - SEGMENT. The uniform colormap Roma is used in this study to prevent visual distortion of the data (Crameri, 2018). Publisher Copyright: © 2023. The Authors.

PY - 2023/5/16

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N2 - Subducting seamounts are recognized as one of the key features influencing megathrust earthquakes. However, whether they trigger or arrest ruptures remains debated. Here, we use analog models to study the influence of a single seamount on megathrust earthquakes, separating the effect of topography from that of friction. Four different model configurations have been developed (i.e., flat interface, high and low friction seamount, low friction patch). In our models, the seamount reduces recurrence time, interseismic coupling, and fault strength, suggesting that it acts as a barrier: 80% of the ruptures concentrate in flat regions that surround the seamount and only smaller magnitude earthquakes nucleate above it. The low-friction zone, which mimics the fluid accumulation or the establishment of fracture systems in natural cases, seems to be the most efficient in arresting rupture propagation in our experimental setting.

AB - Subducting seamounts are recognized as one of the key features influencing megathrust earthquakes. However, whether they trigger or arrest ruptures remains debated. Here, we use analog models to study the influence of a single seamount on megathrust earthquakes, separating the effect of topography from that of friction. Four different model configurations have been developed (i.e., flat interface, high and low friction seamount, low friction patch). In our models, the seamount reduces recurrence time, interseismic coupling, and fault strength, suggesting that it acts as a barrier: 80% of the ruptures concentrate in flat regions that surround the seamount and only smaller magnitude earthquakes nucleate above it. The low-friction zone, which mimics the fluid accumulation or the establishment of fracture systems in natural cases, seems to be the most efficient in arresting rupture propagation in our experimental setting.

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Seamount Subduction and Megathrust Seismicity: The Interplay Between Geometry and Friction

Abstract

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Keywords

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