Fluid and deformation regime of an advancing subduction system at Marlborough, New Zealand

Philip E. Wannamaker (), T. Grant Caldwell, George R. Jiracek, Virginie Maris, Graham J. Hill, Yasuo Ogawa, Hugh M. Bibby, Stewart L. Bennie and Wiebke Heise
Additional contact information
Philip E. Wannamaker: University of Utah, Energy and Geoscience Institute, 423 Wakara Way, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, Utah 84108, USA
T. Grant Caldwell: GNS Science, P O Box 30368, Lower Hutt, 6315 Wellington, New Zealand
George R. Jiracek: San Diego State University, 5300 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, USA
Virginie Maris: 283 Sutton Building, University Of Utah
Graham J. Hill: GNS Science, P O Box 30368, Lower Hutt, 6315 Wellington, New Zealand
Yasuo Ogawa: Tokyo Institute of Technology, Volcanic Fluid Research Center, H84, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan
Hugh M. Bibby: GNS Science, P O Box 30368, Lower Hutt, 6315 Wellington, New Zealand
Stewart L. Bennie: GNS Science, P O Box 30368, Lower Hutt, 6315 Wellington, New Zealand
Wiebke Heise: GNS Science, P O Box 30368, Lower Hutt, 6315 Wellington, New Zealand

Nature, 2009, vol. 460, issue 7256, 733-736

Abstract: Fault evolution The study of newly forming subduction zones can provide insights into the evolution of major fault zone geometries from shallow levels to deep in Earth's lithosphere, and into the role of fluids in promoting rock failure by several modes. Here Wannamaker et al. present a transect of magnetotelluric soundings from across the Marlborough strike-slip fault system in New Zealand. Their data suggest that massive fluid release just inland of the trench induces fault-fracture meshes through the crust above that weaken it as regional shear initiates. Narrow strike–slip faults in the shallow brittle regime of interior Marlborough diffuse in width upon entering the deeper ductile domain aided by fluids and do not project as narrow deformation zones. Deep subduction-generated fluids rise from 100 km or more and invade upper crustal seismogenic zones that have exhibited historic great earthquakes on high-angle thrusts that are poorly oriented for failure under dry conditions.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature08204

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