Depth Dependent Focal Mechanisms of Volcanic Deep Low-Frequency
Earthquakes in Northeast Japan
Abstract
Deep low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) in Northeast Japan occur beneath
active volcanoes at depths of 20-40 km. LFEs radiate low-frequency
seismic waves, with most energy at 2-8 Hz, despite their low magnitudes
(M < 2). Although many previous studies have obtained various
focal mechanisms with non-double-couple components and suggested
physical processes related to magma, the universal physical process is
poorly understood. Therefore, we comprehensively determined the focal
mechanisms of 264 LFEs for 26 volcanic regions in Northeast Japan using
S/P amplitude ratios. Many of the obtained solutions have large
double-couple components with small compensated linear vector dipole
components. Such source mechanisms can be explained by shear slip on the
bending fault. We also find that the plunge of the null axis is as small
as 20-30º at depths of 15-25 km, whereas it becomes larger and more
various at deeper depths. We interpret that the regional stress field is
relatively homogeneous in the middle of the crust, whereas it may be
altered near the Moho discontinuity by thermal stress or other effects
related to potential magmatic process. In addition, we quantitatively
investigated the possible triggering of LFEs due to static stress change
of both the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi earthquake and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.
The weak correlation between triggering potentials and activity change
suggests that the activity of LFEs is more or less sensitive to temporal
stress changes.