Santanu Bose

Abstract: The mechanics of great subduction earthquakes are influenced by the frictional properties, structure, and composition of the plate-boundary fault. We present observations of the structure and composition of the shallow source fault of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake and tsunami from boreholes drilled by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 343 and 343T. Logging-while-drilling and core-sample observations show a single major plate-boundary fault accommodated the large slip of the Tohoku-Oki earthquake rupture, as well as nearly all the cumulative interplate motion at the drill site. The localization of deformation onto a limited thickness (less than 5 meters) of pelagic clay is the defining characteristic of the shallow earthquake fault, suggesting that the pelagic clay may be a regionally important control on tsunamigenic earthquakes.

Abstract: The 2011 moment magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake produced a maximum coseismic slip of more than 50 meters near the Japan trench, which could result in a completely reduced stress state in the region. We tested this hypothesis by determining the in situ stress state of the frontal prism from boreholes drilled by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program approximately 1 year after the earthquake and by inferring the pre-earthquake stress state. On the basis of the horizontal stress orientations and magnitudes estimated from borehole breakouts and the increase in coseismic displacement during propagation of the rupture to the trench axis, in situ horizontal stress decreased during the earthquake. The stress change suggests an active slip of the frontal plate interface, which is consistent with coseismic fault weakening and a nearly total stress drop.

Abstract: The 2011 Mw9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake ruptured to the trench with maximum coseismic slip located on the shallow portion of the plate boundary fault. To investigate the conditions and physical processes that promoted slip to the trench, Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 343/343T sailed 1 year after the earthquake and drilled into the plate boundary ∼7 km landward of the trench, in the region of maximum slip. Core analyses show that the plate boundary decollement is localized onto an interval of smectite-rich, pelagic clay. Subsidiary structures are present in both the upper and lower plates, which define a fault zone ∼5–15m thick. Fault rocks recovered from within the clay-rich interval contain a pervasive scaly fabric defined by anastomosing, polished, and lineated surfaces with two predominant orientations. The scaly fabric is crosscut in several places by discrete contacts across which the scaly fabric is truncated and rotated, or different rocks are juxtaposed. These contacts are inferred to be faults. The plate boundary decollement therefore contains structures resulting from both distributed and localized deformation. We infer that the formation of both of these types of structures is controlled by the frictional properties of the clay: the distributed scaly fabric formed at low strain rates associated with velocity-strengthening frictional behavior, and the localized faults formed at high strain rates characterized by velocity-weakening behavior. The presence of multiple discrete faults resulting from seismic slip within the decollement suggests that rupture to the trench may be characteristic of this margin.

Abstract: With the help of model experiments and theoretical analyses we evaluate the relationships of imbricate thrust spacing (a) with the bed thickness (H), basal friction (μb), initial taper (mw), and the magnitude (normalized to bed-weight per unit area) of horizontal stress (n). Imbricate thrust spacing increases linearly with bed thickness when mw = 0 and initial-stage thrust imbricates are taken into account. For general cases (mw≠0) the variations are nonlinear. In nonlinear variations thrust spacing steadily increases but approaches a stable value. The variations for large mw are complex, where thrust spacing increases to a maximum and then decreases down to a near-stable value. Thrust spacing shows a positive relationship with the dynamic factor, n. With increase in basal friction, thrust spacing decreases. Steepening of early frontal thrusts and formation of back-thrust also depend on the basal friction.

Abstract: The frontal tectonic wedge in the NW Himalayas shows a sequence of imbricate thrusts with increasing spacing in the foreland direction We used analogue model experiments to analyze the thrust pattern in relation to the kinematics of wedge evolution Experimental findings reveal two kinematic states of the foreland-ward propagation of a wedge: unstable state and stable state The unstable state is characterized by continuous vertical growth of the wedge with progressive horizontal contraction On the other hand, in the stable state the wedge ceases to grow vertically, but propagates laterally in the foreland direction In the experimental runs thrust wedges remained in the unstable state even after large horizontal shortening (>50%) when the basal friction was high (∼046) Our analysis suggests that successive thrusting occurs always with increasing spacing in unstable wedges, and the rate of increase is larger for larger basal friction It can maintain uniform spacing only when the wedges turn into the stable state Using finite element models, we determined the stress distribution in the deforming wedge to find the potential locations of new thrusts in front of a wedge, which also show larger spatial distances with increasing vertical thickness of the wedge Both physical and numerical models suggest that the tectonic wedge in the NW Himalayan frontal belt has evolved in an unstable state

Abstract: Porphyroclasts of feldspar and other relatively rigid minerals in mylonites commonly have mantles of dynamically recrystallized material that extend as tails into the matrix. The internal shape symmetry of such porphyroclasts is usually orthorhombic or monoclinic; the orientation of the porphyroclast with respect to the foliation (external symmetry) can also be described by these symmetry classes. An identical monoclinic external symmetry of most porphyroclasts in a given sample indicates non-coaxial flow in the matrix during at least the last stages of deformation. Two classes of porphyroclast systems with monoclinic symmetry have been identified on geometrical grounds. sigma-type porphyroclasts are characterized by wedge-shaped tails of recrystallized material. Median lines of the tails lie on opposite sides of, and do not cross, a marker line drawn parallel to the mean foliation. sigma-type porphyroclasts may lie isolated in a homogeneous matrix (sigma/sub a./-type) or may be in clusters associated with shear bands or S-C mylonites (sigma/sub b/-type). delta-type porphyroclasts commonly occur in ultramylonites and have highly attenuated recrystallized tails. Median lines of the tails cross the marker line adjacent to the porphyroclast which results in an embayment of matrix material adjacent to the host grain. More complex porphyroclast systems include ellipsoidal overturned delta-types,more » complex sigma - delta types and folded porphyroclast aggregates. In all cases, the symmetry of porphyroclast aggregates with respect to the foliation can be used to accurately determine the sense of vorticity in the mylonites.« less

Abstract: [1] We expand the theory of critically tapered Coulomb wedge for accretionary prisms by considering stress changes in subduction earthquake cycles. Building on the Coulomb plasticity of the classical theory, we assume an elastic–perfectly Coulomb plastic rheology and derive exact stress solutions for stable and critical wedges. The new theory postulates that the actively deforming, most seaward part of an accretionary prism (the outer wedge) overlies the updip velocity-strengthening part of the subduction fault, and the less deformed inner wedge overlies the velocity-weakening part (the seismogenic zone). During great earthquakes, the outer wedge is pushed into a compressively critical state, with an increase in basal and internal stresses and pore fluid pressure. After the earthquake, the outer wedge returns to a stable state. The outer wedge geometry is controlled by the peak stress of the updip velocity-strengthening part of the subduction fault achieved in largest earthquakes. The inner wedge generally stays in the stable regime throughout earthquake cycles, acting as an apparent backstop and providing a stable environment for the formation of forearc basins. The new theory has important implications for the studies of the updip limit of the seismogenic zone, the evolution of accretionary prisms and forearc basins, activation of splay faults and tsunami generation, evolution of the fluid regime, and mechanics of frontal prisms at margins dominated by tectonic erosion.

Abstract: The frictional resistance on a fault during slip controls earthquake dynamics Friction dissipates heat during an earthquake; therefore, the fault temperature after an earthquake provides insight into the level of friction The Japan Trench Fast Drilling Project (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 343 and 343T) installed a borehole temperature observatory 16 months after the March 2011 moment magnitude 90 Tohoku-Oki earthquake across the fault where slip was ~50 meters near the trench After 9 months of operation, the complete sensor string was recovered A 031°C temperature anomaly at the plate boundary fault corresponds to 27 megajoules per square meter of dissipated energy during the earthquake The resulting apparent friction coefficient of 008 is considerably smaller than static values for most rocks

Abstract: Exhumed fault zones offer insights into deformation processes associated with earthquakes in unparalleled spatial resolution; however it can be difficult to differentiate seismic slip from slow or aseismic slip based on evidence in the rock record. Fifteen years ago, Cowan (1999) defined the attributes of earthquake slip that might be preserved in the rock record, and he identified pseudotachylyte as the only reliable indicator of past earthquakes found in ancient faults. This assertion was based on models of frictional heat production (Sibson, 1975, 1986) providing evidence for fast slip. Significant progress in fault rock studies has revealed a range of reaction products which can be used to detect frictional heating at peak temperatures less than the melt temperature of the rock. In addition, features formed under extreme transient stress conditions associated with the propagating tip of an earthquake rupture can now be recognized in the rock record, and are also uniquely seismic. Thus, pseudotachylyte is no longer the only indicator of fossilized earthquake ruptures. We review the criteria for seismic slip defined by Cowan (1999), and we determine that they are too narrow. Fault slip at rates in the range 10−4−101 m/s is almost certainly dynamic. This implies that features reproduced in experiments at rates as low as 10−4 m/s may be indicators of seismic slip. We conclude with a summary of the rock record of seismic slip, and lay out the current challenges in the field of earthquake geology.

Abstract: Experimental modelling applied to the study of orogenic wedge dynamics has been a subject of fruitful research for more than 30 years, although the technique dates back as far as the early XIX th century. On one hand, several first order parameters controlling the structural evolution of mountain belts have been intensively investigated using the classic tectonic “sandbox” models. The main parameters are the properties of the basal decollement , the deforming material, the backstop, and fluxes, kinematics and surface processes. On the other hand, the morphological evolution of a mountain relief subjected to changing tectonic or climatic forcing has been addressed using another kind of approach called “geomorphic” models. Nowadays, the literature is extremely rich, particularly for the sandbox technique, so that it becomes difficult to have an exhaustive view of the effects of the above parameters on mountain evolution. In this article, we propose a detailed review of the main results obtained using both “tectonic” and “geomorphic” approaches. Our goal is to provide an almost complete state-of-the-art in the experimental study of relief dynamics to guide present and future researchers in their understanding of mountain belt evolution.