The western margin of South America between 30ºS and 36ºS is seismically active. While the largest magnitude earthquakes are the interplate subduction zone events, the historically most devastating earthquakes have been the moderate-to-large magnitude earthquakes with depths < 35 km in the Andean back-arc. This region is characterized by accreted terranes later reactivated during Mesozoic extensional processes. Crustal seismicity in the back-arc is related to the thin-skinned Precordillera (PC) fold-thrust belt and the thick-skinned Sierras Pampeanas (SP) basement-cored uplifts overlying the flat slab segment. South of 33ºS, the active volcanic arc above the normally dipping subducted plate is also seismically active at crustal depths. In this study we combined historical and regional broadband seismic data to characterize moderate-to-large earthquakes and the crustal structure in this region. We have digitized and modeled teleseismic records of the 1944 and 1952 San Juan, Argentina PC earthquakes. Both events have shallow source depths, short duration of the source time functions with a thrusting focal solution for the 1944 (Mw 7.0) earthquake and a major strike-slip component in the 1952 (Mw 6.8) earthquake solution. By modeling regional broadband waveforms collected during the CHile-ARgentina Geophysical Experiment (CHARGE) during 2000 and 2002 we constrained the seismic moment tensor and improved focal depths for 27 crustal (3.5 < Mw < 5.1) earthquakes. We found predominantly thrust-fault focal mechanisms and focal depths of 10-26 km for earthquakes over the flat slab region; the eastern SP and active arc have earthquakes with strike-slip focal mechanisms and shallower depths. We used these same earthquakes to determine the crustal structure using raypaths that sample different geologic terranes. Our results indicate high Vp, low Vs for the northern Cordillera, PC and western SP thicker crust; low Vp, low Vs and a thinner crust beneath the arc (south of 33°S) consistent with a mafic composition and partial melt. The eastern SP basement shows low Vp, low Vs and thinner crust consistent with a more quartz-rich composition. These differences have an important control on the present day Andean earthquake deformation and the high seismic hazard posed in this region.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第22265号 / 理博第4579号 / 新制||理||1657(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科地球惑星科学専攻 / (主査)教授 山路 敦, 教授 田上 高広, 教授 生形 貴男 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

Zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2003.

<p dir="ltr">The Intermontane terranes represent one of the largest composite accreted terranes that built the northern Cordillera. To better understand the interactions between the continental margin of Laurentia and the Intermontane terranes, this study analyzes twelve detrital zircon samples (n=3232) from a Neoproterozoic (?) to Cretaceous metasedimentary stratigraphic section exposed in central Alaska. Distinct detrital zircon populations have been identified and are interpreted to represent four stages in the geologic development of this part of western North America. Stage 1 extends from the Neoproterozoic (?) to the Early Paleozoic, and is characterized by Proterozoic and Archean detrital zircon populations that correlate with Laurentian sources of sediment. We interpret Stage 1 to represent deposition along the northwestern continental margin of Laurentia. Stage 2 extends from the Silurian (?) to the Devonian and is characterized by a dominant Devonian and Silurian detrital zircon population. We interpret Stage 2 to have been deposited in a backarc basin coeval with active volcanism as the Yukon-Tanana terrane was rifted away from the Laurentian continental margin as the Slide Mountain Ocean opened. Stage 3 extends from the Mississippian to the Jurassic and records a shift back to sediment sources with abundant Proterozoic and Archean zircon. We interpret this stage to represent deposition of Laurentian detritus along the eastern margin of the Slide Mountain Ocean basin. Stage 4 is represented by the Lower Cretaceous strata of the Manley basin that contain one major Late Triassic to Early Jurassic detrital zircon population. We interpret this population to be sourced from the syn-collisional and post-collisional Late Triassic to Early Jurassic plutons and related sedimentary basins of the Intermontane terranes that were exhumed and eroded during the closure of the Slide Mountain Ocean and the subsequent collision with the Laurentian continental margin. We interpret the Manley basin as a syn- to post-collisional extensional basin associated with regional detachment faults that formed because of crustal thickening in the collisional zone. From a regional perspective, an extensive clastic wedge prograded northward away from the zone of crustal thickening and can be identified in a series of Mesozoic sedimentary basins that are discontinuously exposed over 1500 km in southern Alaska. Results of our study better delineate the tectonic processes that set the framework for the construction of the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic Cordilleran orogen.</p>