Slow earthquakes illuminating interplate coupling heterogeneities in
subduction zones
Abstract
Slow earthquakes are mainly distributed in the vicinity of seismogenic
zones of megathrust earthquakes and relationships between both types of
earthquakes are expected. We examined the activity of very low frequency
earthquakes (VLFEs), classified as one type of slow earthquakes, around
Japan because they have the potential to clarify detailed spatiotemporal
slip behaviors at the plate boundaries. The distribution of the shallow
VLFE activity rate is heterogeneous along trench axes and exhibits an
anticorrelation relationship with the spatial distribution of the
interplate coupling rate, whereas deep VLFEs are distributed only in
weakly coupled areas and the spatial variation of the activity rate is
small. Furthermore, VLFEs are mainly hosted by low seismic velocity
anomalies. Thus, slow earthquakes can be triggered by a decreased
effective stress due to the high pore fluid pressure within regions with
weak interplate coupling and their activity can be an indicator of
interplate slip behavior.