The Effect of Seamount Subduction on the Formation of Holocene Marine
Terraces: A Comparison of Kinematic and Mechanical Plate Subduction
Models
Abstract
Marine terraces have long been a subject of paleoseismology to reveal
the rupture history of megathrust earthquakes. However, the mechanisms
underlying their formation, in relation to crustal deformation, have not
been adequately explained by kinematic models. A key challenge has been
that the uplifted shoreline resulting from a megathrust earthquake tends
to subside back to sea level during subsequent interseismic periods.
This study focuses on the remaining permanent vertical deformation
resulting from steady plate subduction and examines it quantitatively
using three plate subduction models. Specifically, we pay attention to
the effects of irregular geometries in the plate interface, such as
subducted seamounts. Besides a simplified model examination, this study
employs the plate geometry around the Sagami trough, central Japan, to
compare with surface deformation observation. The subduction models
employed are the kinematic subducting plate model, the
elastic/viscoelastic fault model, and the mechanical subducting plate
model (MSPM). The MSPM, introduced in this study, allows for more
realistic simulations of crustal displacements by imposing net zero
shear stress change on the plate boundary. Notably, the presence of a
subducted seamount exerts a significant influence on surface
deformation, resulting in a concentrated permanent uplift above it. The
simulation of earthquake sequence demonstrates that coseismic uplifts
can persist over time and contribute to the formation of marine
terraces. The results demonstrated that the geological observations of
coseismic and long-term deformations can be explained by the influence
of a subducted seamount, previously identified in seismic surveys.