Large megathrust earthquakes in cold mantle wedge corners under lawsonite blueschist facies

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Abstract
Giant megathrust earthquakes typically occur above the upper-plate Moho or the 350°C isotherm in warm subduction zones. However, large earthquakes also occur within the mantle wedge corner at 35-55 km depth at cold subduction zones, such as the Kermadec, Japan Trench, and Chilean margins. Here we investigate the frictional behavior of lawsonite blueschist metagreywacke, potentially found in cold subduction channels, to better understand the control of metamorphic grade on such first-order variations in seismogenic depth. We perform velocity-step experiments on metagreywacke gouge from room temperature to 500°C and effective normal stresses from 50 MPa to 320 MPa, capturing the unstable friction regime and the brittle-to-flow transition. The constitutive behavior of metagreywacke indicates a potential seismogenic behavior at high temperatures below the Moho. Large megathrust earthquakes in the mantle wedge corner may develop in the lawsonite blueschist metasediment channel of cold subduction slabs.
Funding Information
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (42274234)
  • National Science Foundation (EAR-1848192)

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