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Subducting seamounts control interplate coupling and seismic rupture in the 2014 Iquique earthquake area

Author

Listed:
  • Jacob Geersen

    (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel)

  • César R. Ranero

    (Barcelona Center for Subsurface Imaging, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar, ICREA at CSIC)

  • Udo Barckhausen

    (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR))

  • Christian Reichert

    (Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR))

Abstract

To date, the parameters that determine the rupture area of great subduction zone earthquakes remain contentious. On 1 April 2014, the Mw 8.1 Iquique earthquake ruptured a portion of the well-recognized northern Chile seismic gap but left large highly coupled areas un-ruptured. Marine seismic reflection and swath bathymetric data indicate that structural variations in the subducting Nazca Plate control regional-scale plate-coupling variations, and the limited extent of the 2014 earthquake. Several under-thrusting seamounts correlate to the southward and up-dip arrest of seismic rupture during the 2014 Iquique earthquake, thus supporting a causal link. By fracturing of the overriding plate, the subducting seamounts are likely further responsible for reduced plate-coupling in the shallow subduction zone and in a lowly coupled region around 20.5°S. Our data support that structural variations in the lower plate influence coupling and seismic rupture offshore Northern Chile, whereas the structure of the upper plate plays a minor role.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob Geersen & César R. Ranero & Udo Barckhausen & Christian Reichert, 2015. "Subducting seamounts control interplate coupling and seismic rupture in the 2014 Iquique earthquake area," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-6, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms9267
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9267
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    Cited by:

    1. Bo Ma & Jacob Geersen & Dietrich Lange & Dirk Klaeschen & Ingo Grevemeyer & Eduardo Contreras-Reyes & Florian Petersen & Michael Riedel & Yueyang Xia & Anne M. Tréhu & Heidrun Kopp, 2022. "Megathrust reflectivity reveals the updip limit of the 2014 Iquique earthquake rupture," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. José Drápela & Ignacia Calisto & Marcos Moreno, 2021. "Locking-derived tsunami scenarios for the most recent megathrust earthquakes in Chile: implications for tsunami hazard assessment," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 107(1), pages 35-52, May.

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