Stresses along the metastable wedge of olivine in a subducting slab: possible explanation for the Tonga double seismic layer

Details Stresses along the metastable wedge of olivine in a subducting slab: possible explanation for the Tonga double seismic layer Stresses along the metastable wedge of olivine in a subducting slab: possible explanation for the Tonga double seismic layer

Apr 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004pepi..141..253g&link_type=abstract

Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, Volume 141, Issue 4, p. 253-267.

Physics

5

Subduction, Stress, Phase Transformations, Double Seismic Zone, Tonga

Scientific paper

A numerical calculation of the stresses associated with changes in volume during phase transitions of olivine in a descending slab results in a double layer of high shear stress along the metastable olivine wedge in the depth range 350-460km. Stress in the upper layer is in-plane tensional and stress in the lower layer is down-dip compressional. The modeled stress field agrees with observations of stress in the Tonga double seismic zone. High shear stress also exists in the slab at depths below the metastable wedge. This stress distribution involves down-dip compression and trench-parallel tension, which agrees with about half of the focal mechanisms in the Tonga slab at depths of 460-690km. The model supports the idea that at least two possible stress release mechanisms for deep earthquakes may act in the Tonga subducting slab. One, transformational faulting, is restricted to the metastable wedge while the other one acts below the metastable wedge.

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