Subduction plate boundary thrust system and dynamic characteristics in the Western Pacific

WANG Youkun; ZHOU Zhiyuan; LIN Jian; ZHANG Fan

doi:10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023082502

Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology > 2023 > 43(5): 173-180. > DOI: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023082502

WANG Youkun，ZHOU Zhiyuan，LIN Jian，et al. Subduction plate boundary thrust system and dynamic characteristics in the Western Pacific[J]. Marine Geology & Quaternary Geology，2023，43(5)：173-180. DOI: 10.16562/j.cnki.0256-1492.2023082502

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Subduction plate boundary thrust system and dynamic characteristics in the Western Pacific

WANG Youkun^1,,
ZHOU Zhiyuan^1, ,,
LIN Jian^1,2,3,
ZHANG Fan^2,3

1.
Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 511458, China
3.
China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences, CAS-HEC, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan

More Information

Received Date: August 24, 2023
Revised Date: September 27, 2023
Accepted Date: September 27, 2023
Available Online: October 29, 2023

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Abstract

Abstract

The majority of the world's greatest earthquakes are generated in subduction zones. Normal faults in subducting plates provide pathways for seawater intrusion, which facilitates mantle serpentinization and consequently triggers seismic activities or large tsunamis. The formation mechanisms of these normal faults need to be better understood to advance the understanding of subduction zone dynamics and ensuring human life safety. This paper reviews the characteristics of normal faults and deformation of subducting plates in the Tonga Trench, Mariana Trench, Izu-Bonin Trench, and Japan Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, describe in quantitative detail the formation of bending-related normal faults through geodynamic modeling. The study finds that the Tonga Trench and Mariana Trench exhibit the largest average fault throws among these subduction systems. The variations in effective elastic thickness of the subducting plate directly influence the distribution of normal faulting region. There is a significant correlation between plate effective elastic thickness and plate age. This paper provides a systematic review of research on the dynamics of the Western Pacific subduction zone and offers insights for future studies in this field.
- subduction zone,
- normal fault,
- geodynamics,
- Western Pacific

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References (35)

References

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