Solid Earth

Anelastic strain recovery reveals extension across SW Japan subduction zone

  1. Timothy B. Byrne1,
  2. Weiren Lin2,
  3. Akito Tsutsumi3,
  4. Yuhji Yamamoto4,
  5. Jonathan C. Lewis5,
  6. Kyuichi Kanagawa6,
  7. Yujin Kitamura7,
  8. Asuka Yamaguchi4,
  9. Gaku Kimura8

Article first published online: 12 DEC 2009

DOI: 10.1029/2009GL040749

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Additional Information

How to Cite

Byrne, T. B., W. Lin, A. Tsutsumi, Y. Yamamoto, J. C. Lewis, K. Kanagawa, Y. Kitamura, A. Yamaguchi, and G. Kimura (2009), Anelastic strain recovery reveals extension across SW Japan subduction zone, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L23310, doi:10.1029/2009GL040749.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Center for Integrative Geosciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA

  2. 2

    Kochi Institute for Core Sample research, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Nankoku, Japan

  3. 3

    Division of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

  4. 4

    Center for Advanced Marine Core Research, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan

  5. 5

    Department of Geoscience, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA

  6. 6

    Department of Earth Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan

  7. 7

    Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences at Kiel University (IFM-GEOMAR), Kiel, Germany

  8. 8

    Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 DEC 2009
  2. Article first published online: 12 DEC 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 4 NOV 2009
  4. Manuscript Revised: 27 OCT 2009
  5. Manuscript Received: 15 SEP 2009

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Keywords:

  • stress;
  • subduction;
  • extension

[1] Sediment dominated convergent margins typically record substantial horizontal shortening often associated with great earthquakes. The convergent margin south of Japan is arguably one of the most extensively investigated margins and previous studies have documented extensive evidence for accretion and horizontal shortening. Here, we show results from anelastic strains recovered from three partially lithified sediment samples (∼40% porosities) across the southwest Japan accretionary prism and propose that the margin is dominated by horizontal extension rather than compression. The anelastic strain results are also consistent with stress directions interpreted from two independent techniques - bore hole breakout orientations and core-scale fault data. We interpret this unexpected result to reflect geologically recent underthrusting of a thick sediment package and concomitant weakening of the decollément.

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