Tectonic deformation at the outer rise of subduction zones

SUMMARY Fluids associated with subducting slabs play a crucial role in regulating the dynamics of water discharge, subsequent arc magmatism and intermediate-depth earthquakes in subduction zones. The incoming slab mantle hydration is primarily determined by deep normal faulting due to plate bending at the trench. However, the controlling factors on the outer rise faulting pattern, and the correlation between the inherited outer rise deformation and the intermediate-depth earthquakes, remain to be understood. Here we present high-resolution viscoelasto-plastic numerical models of free subduction for slab bending-related faulting prior to subduction. Our model results show that plastic weakening and friction coefficient of the slab mantle exhibit a significant impact on fault pattern, while plate age and elasticity have a minimal bearing for mature slabs. The brittle bending faults result in large positive pressure gradients in the vertical direction, facilitating seawater infiltrating into the subducting slabs, which corroborates previous numerical models. The faults reaching 15–30 km beneath the Moho coincide with the width of the double seismic zone in subduction zones. We anticipate that water pumped into the slab mantle along the faults, with decreasing water content along the depth, can explain the relatively sporadic lower plane earthquakes.