Megathrust reflectivity reveals the updip limit of the 2014 Iquique earthquake rupture.

Ma, Bo , Geersen, Jacob , Lange, Dietrich , Klaeschen, Dirk , Grevemeyer, Ingo , Contreras-Reyes, Eduardo, Petersen, Florian , Riedel, Michael , Xia, Yueyang, Tréhu, Anne M. and Kopp, Heidrun (2022) Megathrust reflectivity reveals the updip limit of the 2014 Iquique earthquake rupture. Open Access Nature Communications, 13 . Art.Nr. 3969 (2022). DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-31448-4.

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Supplementary data:

Abstract

The updip limit of seismic rupture during a megathrust earthquake exerts a major control on the size of the resulting tsunami. Offshore Northern Chile, the 2014 Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake ruptured the plate boundary between 19.5° and 21°S. Rupture terminated under the mid-continental slope and did not propagate updip to the trench. Here, we use state-of-the-art seismic reflection data to investigate the tectonic setting associated with the apparent updip arrest of rupture propagation at 15 km depth during the Iquique earthquake. We document a spatial correspondence between the rupture area and the seismic reflectivity of the plate boundary. North and updip of the rupture area, a coherent, highly reflective plate boundary indicates excess fluid pressure, which may prevent the accumulation of elastic strain. In contrast, the rupture area is characterized by the absence of plate boundary reflectivity, which suggests low fluid pressure that results in stress accumulation and thus controls the extent of earthquake rupture. Generalizing these results, seismic reflection data can provide insights into the physical state of the shallow plate boundary and help to assess the potential for future shallow rupture in the absence of direct measurements of interplate deformation from most outermost forearc slopes.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: Geodynamics, Tectonics, Megathrust reflectivity, updip limit, Iquique earthquake, MGL1610 cruise
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB4 Dynamics of the Ocean Floor > FB4-GDY Marine Geodynamics
Kiel University
Main POF Topic: PT3: Restless Earth
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: Yes
Publisher: Nature Research
Related URLs:
Date Deposited: 12 Jul 2022 11:41
Last Modified: 19 Apr 2024 11:25
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/56569

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