Recurring large deep earthquakes in Hindu Kush driven by a sinking slab
Abstract Hindu Kush subduction zone produces large intermediate‐depth earthquakes within a small volume every 10–15 years. Here we study the last three M ≥ 7 events within the cluster and find complex and diverse rupture processes. However, their main subevents appear to recur on the same fault patc...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069603 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Hindu Kush subduction zone produces large intermediate‐depth earthquakes within a small volume every 10–15 years. Here we study the last three M ≥ 7 events within the cluster and find complex and diverse rupture processes. However, their main subevents appear to recur on the same fault patch, dipping 70° to the south. This recurrence requires an average of 9.6 cm/yr slip rate on the patch, much higher than the ~1 cm/yr surface convergence rate measured geodetically. The high slip rate is likely caused by significant slab internal deformation, such as localized slab stretching/necking. We infer that the Hindu Kush subducted slab below 210 km is sinking through the mantle at a vertical rate of 10 cm/yr. |
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| ISSN: | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |