Crustal structure of the central Costa Rica subduction zone: Implications for basal erosion from seismic wide-angle data

Geophysical Journal International

Volumn 178, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 1112-1131

  Zhu, Junjiang ^a   Kopp, Heidrun ^a   Flueh, Ernst R ^a   Klaeschen, Dirk ^a   Papenberg, Cord ^a   Planert, Lars ^a  

^a GEOMAR HELMHOLTZ CENTRE FOR OCEAN RESEARCH KIEL   (Germany)

Author keywords

Continental margins: convergent; Crustal structure; Oceanic transform and fracture zone processes; Subduction zone processes

Indexed keywords

CARIBBEAN PLATE; COCOS PLATE; CONTINENTAL MARGIN; CONVERGENT MARGIN; CRUSTAL STRUCTURE; FRACTURE ZONE; OCEAN BOTTOM SEISMOMETER; P-WAVE; PLATE BOUNDARY; SEISMIC DATA; SEISMIC REFLECTION; SEISMIC VELOCITY; SUBDUCTION ZONE; SYNTHETIC SEISMOGRAM; VELOCITY STRUCTURE;

CENTRAL AMERICA; COSTA RICA;

EID: 67749097842     PISSN: 0956540X     EISSN: 1365246X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04208.x     Document Type: Article

References (64)

1. Azéma, J., Bourgois, J., Baumgartner, P.O., Tournon, J., Desmet, A. & Aubouin, J., 1985. A tectonic cross-section of the Costa Rican Pacific littoral as a key to the structure of the landward slope of the Middle America trench off Guatemala, in Init. Rep. DSDP84, pp. 831-850, eds von Huene, R., Aubouin, J., et al., U.S. Gov. Print. Off., Washington, D.C.
2. Barckhausen, U., Roeser, H. & von Huene, R., 1998. Magnetic signature of upper plate structures and subducting seamounts at the convergent margin off Costa Rica, J. geophys. Res., 103, 7079-7093.
3. Barckhausen, U., Ranero, C.R., von Huene, R., Cande, S.C. & Roeser, H., 2001. Revised tectonic boundaries in the Cocos Plate off Costa Rica: implication for the segmentation of the convergent margin and for plate tectonic models, J. geophys. Res., 106, 19 207-19 220.
4. Behrmann, J.H., 1991. Conditions for hydrofracture and the fluid permeability of accretionary wedges, Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 107, 550-558.
5. Bialas, J. & Flueh, E.R., 1999. Ocean bottom seismometers, Sea Technol., 40(4), 41-46.
6. Bowman, J.R., 1988. Body wave attenuation in the Tonga subduction zone, J. geophys. Res., 93(B3), 2125-2139.
7. Christensen, N.I. & Shaw, G.H., 1970. Elasticity of mafic rocks from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 20, 271-284.
8. Christeson, G.L., McIntosh, K.D., Shipley, T.H., Flueh, E.R. & Goedde, H., 1999. Structure of the Costa Rica convergent margin, offshore Nicoya Peninsula, J. geophys. Res., 104, 25 443-25 468.
9. Christeson, G.L., McIntosh, K.D. & Shipley, T.H., 2000. Seismic attenuation in the Costa Rica margin wedge: Amplitude modeling of ocean bottom hydrophone data, Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 179, 391-405.
10. Clift, P. & Vannucchi, P., 2004. Controls on tectonic accretion versus erosion in subduction zones: Implications for the origin and recycling of the continental crust, Rev. Geophys., 42, RG2001, doi: 10.1029/2003RG000127
11. DeMets, C., Gordon, R.G., Argus, D.F. & Stein, S., 1990. Current plate motions, Geophys. J. Int., 101, 425-478.
12. DeMets, C., Gordon, R.G., Argus, D.F. & Stein, S., 1994. Effect of recent revisions to the geomagnetic reversal timescale on estimates of current plate motions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 21(20), 2191-2194.
13. DeMets, C., 2001. A new estimate for present-day Cocos-Caribbean plate motion: Implications for slip along the central American volcanic arc. Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(21), 4043-4046.
14. Dinc, A.N., Koulakov, I., Thorwart, M., Rabbel, W., Flueh, E.R., Arroyo, I., Taylor, W. & Alvarado, G., 2008. Local earthquake tomography of Central Costa Rica: Transition from seamount to ridge subduction, Geophys. J. Int., submitted.
15. Flueh, E.R. & Bialas, J., 1996. A digital, high data capacity ocean bottom recorder for seismic investigations, Int. Underwater Syst. Design, 18 (3), 18-20.
16. Flueh, E.R., Ranero, C.R. & von Huene, R., 1999. The Costa Rica Pacific margin: From accretion to erosion. Zbl. Geol. Paläont., 7-8, 669-678.
17. Fuchs, K. & Mueller, G., 1971. Computation of synthetic seismograms with the reflectivity method and comparison with observation, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 23, 417-433.
18. Hey, R., 1977. Tectonic evolution of the Cocos-Nazca spreading center, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 88, 1404-1420.
19. Hensen, C., Wallmann, K., Schmidt, M., Ranero, C.R. & Suess, E., 2004. Fluid expulsion related to mud extrusion off Costa Rica-a window to the subducting slab, Geology, 32, 201-204.
20. Hinz, K., von Huene, R., Ranero, C.R. & PACOMAR Group, 1996. Tectonic structure of the convergent Pacific margin offshore Costa Rica from multichannel seismic reflection data, Tectonics, 15 (1), 54-66.
21. Kimura, G., Sliver, E., Blum, P., et al., 1997. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Init. Rep., Vol. 170, 458 p., Ocean Drilling Program, College Station, Texas.
22. Kodaira, S., Takahashi, N., Nakanishi, A., Miura, S. & Kaneda, Y., 2000. Subducted seamount imaged in the rupture zone of the 1946 Nankaido earthquake, Science, 289, 104-106.
23. Kopp, H., Flueh, E.R., Klaeschen, D., Bialas, J. & Reichert, C., 2001. Crustal structure of the central Sunda margin at the onset of oblique subduction, Geophys. J. Int, 147, 449-474.
24. Kopp, H., Flueh, E.R., Petersen, C.J., Weinrebe, W. & Wittwer, A., Meramex Scientists, 2006. The Java margin revisited: Evidence for subduction erosion off Java, Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 242, 130-142.
25. Korenaga, J., Holbrook, W.S., Kent, G.M., Kelemen, P.B., Detrick, R.S., Larsen, H.-C., Hopper, J.R. & Dahl-Jensen, T., 2000. Crustal structure of the southeast Greenland margin from joint refraction and reflection seismic tomography, J. geophys. Res., 105, 21 591-21 614.
26. Le Pichon, X., Henry, P., Lallemant, S., 1993. Accretion and erosion in subduction zones: The role of fluids. Annu. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 21, 307-331.
27. Luetgert, J.H., 1992. MacRay-interactive two-dimensional seismic ray tracing for the Macintosh, U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File Report 92-356.
28. Meschede, M., Zweigel, P., Frisch, W., Voelker, D., 1999a. Melange formation by subduction erosion: The case of the Osa melange in southern Costa Rica, Terra Nova, 11, 141-148.
29. Meschede, M., Zweigel, P. & Kiefer, E., 1999b. Subsidence and extension at a convergent plate margin: Evidence for subduction erosion off Costa Rica, Terra Nova, 11, 112-117.
30. Miura, R., Nakamura, Y., Koda, K., Tokuyama, H. & Coffin, M.F., 2004. "Rootless"serpentinite seamount on the southern Izu-Bonin forearc: Implications for basal erosion at convergent plate margins, Geology, 32, 541-544.
31. Moore, J.C. & Vrolijk, P., 1992. Fluids in accretionary prisms, Rev. Geophys., 30, 113-135.
32. Mueller, G., 1985. The reflectivity method: A tutorial, J. Geophys., 58, 153-174.
33. Protti, M., Guendel, F. & McNally, K., 1995. Correlation between the age of the subducting Cocos plate and the geometry of the Wadati-Benioff zone under Nicaragua and Costa Rica, in Geologic and Tectonic Development of the Caribbean Plate Boundary in Southern Central America, ed Mann, P., Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap., 295, 309-326.
34. Ranero, C.R. & von Huene, R., 2000. Subduction erosion along the Middle America convergent margin, Nature, 404, 748-752.
35. Ranero, C.R., Villasenor, A., Morgan, J.P. & Weinrebe, W., 2005. Relationship between bend-faulting at trenches and intermediate-depth seismicity, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 6, Q12002, doi: 10.1029/ 2005GC000997
36. Ranero, C.R., Grevemeyer, I., Sahling, H., Barckhausen, U., Hesen, C., Wallmann, K., Weinrebe, W., Vannucchi, P., von Huene, R. & McIntosh, K., 2008. Hydrogeological system of erosional convergent margins and its influence on tectonics and interplate seismogenesis, Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst., 9, Q03S04, doi: 10.1029/2007GC001679
37. Sage, F., Collot, J.-Y. & Ranero, C.R., 2006. Interplate patchiness and subduction-erosion mechanisms: Evidence from depth-migrated seismic images at the central Ecuador convergent margin, Geology, 34, 997-1000.
38. Sallarès, V., Dañobeitia, J.J., Flueh, E.R. & Leandro, G., 1999. Seismic velocity structure across the middle American landbridge in northern Costa Rica, J. Geody., 27, 327-334.
39. Sallarès, V., Dañobeitia, J.J. & Flueh, E.R., 2001. Lithospheric structure of the Costa Rican Isthmus: Effects of subduction zone magmatism on an oceanic plateau. J. geophys. Res., 106, 621-643.
40. Sallarès, V. & Ranero, C.R., 2005. Structure and tectonics of the erosional convergent margin off Antofagasta, north Chile (23°30′S), J. geophys. Res., 110, B06101, doi: 10.1029/ 2004JB003418
41. Sandmeier, K.J. & Wenzel, F., 1986. Synthetic seismograms for a complex crustal model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 13(1), 22-25.
42. Soeding, E., Wallmann, K., Suess, E. & Flueh, E., 2003. FS Meteor, cruise report M 54/2-3: Caldera-Curacao, GEOMAR Report 111, 366 p.
43. Spudich, P. & Orcutt, J., 1980. Petrology and porosity of an oceanic crustal site: Results from wave form modeling of seismic refraction data, J. geophys. Res., B3, 1409-1433.
44. Stavenhagen, A.U., Flueh, E.R., Ranero, C.R., McIntosh, K.D., Shipley, T., Leandro, G., Schulze, A. & Dañobeitia, J.J., 1998. Seismic wide-angle investigations in Costa Rica-a crustal velocity model from the Pacific to the caribbean coast, Zbl. Geol. Paläont., Teil ι, 3-6, 393-408.
45. Tarantola, A., 1987. Inverse Problem Theory: Methods for Data Fitting and Model Parameter Estimation, 613 pp., Elsevier, New York.
46. Tarantola, A. & Valette, B, 1982. Inverse problems = quest for information, J. Geophys., 50, 159-170.
47. Tsuru, T., Park, J.-O., Miura, S., Kodaira, S., Kido, Y. & Hayashi, T., 2002. Along-arc structural variation of the plate boundary at the Japan Trench margin: Implication of interplate coupling, J. geophys. Res., 107 (B12), 2357, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001664
48. Vannucchi, P., Scholl, D.W., Meschede, M. & McDougall-Reid, K., 2001. Tectonic erosion and consequent collapse of the Pacific margin of Costa Rica: Combined implications from ODP Leg 170, seismic offshore data, and regional geology of the Nicoya Peninsula, Tectonics, 20, 649-668.
49. Vannucchi, P., Ranero, C.R., Galeotti, S., Straub, S.M., Scholl, D.W. & McDougall-Reid, K., 2003. Fast rates of subduction along the Costa Rica Pacific margin: Implications for nonsteady rates of crustal recycling at subduction zones, J. geophys. Res., 108 (B11), 2511, doi: 10.1029/2002JB002207
50. von Huene, R., 1986. To accrete or not accrete, that is the question, Geol. Rndsch., 75, 1-15.
51. von Huene, R. & Scholl, D.W., 1991. Observations at convergent margins concerning sediment subduction, subduction erosion, and the growth of continental crust, Rev. Geophys., 29, 279-316.
52. von Huene, R. & Flueh, E.R., 1994. A review of marine geophysical studies along the Middle American trench off Costa Rica and the problematic seaward terminus of continental crust, Profil 7, pp. 143-159, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.
53. von Huene, R. et al., 1995. Morphotectonics of the Pacific convergent margin of Costa Rica, in Geologic and tectonic development of the Caribbean Plate Boundary in Southern Central America, ed Mann, P., Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap., 295, 291-308.
54. von Huene, R., Ranero, C.R. & Weinrebe, W., 2000. Quaternary convergent margin tectonics of Costa Rica, segmentation of the Cocos Plate, and Central American volcanism, Tectonics, 19, 314-334.
55. von Huene, R. & Ranero, C.R., 2003. Subduction erosion and basal friction along the sediment-starved convergent margin off Antofagasta, Chile, J. geophys. Res., 108 (B2), 2079, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001569
56. von Huene, R., Ranero, C.R. & Vannucchi, P., 2004. Generic model of subduction erosion, Geology, 32, 913-916.
57. Walther, C.H.E., 2003. The crustal structure of the Cocos ridge off Costa Rica, J. geophys. Res., 108 (B3), 2136, doi: 10.1029/2001JB000888
58. Weinrebe, W. & Flueh, E.R., 2002. SUBDUCTION 1, FS SONNE Cruise Report SO163 1&2, Multi-system analysis of fluid recycling and geodynamics at the continental margin off Costa Rica, GEOMAR Report 106, 534 p.
59. Wang, K & Hu, Y., 2006. Accretionary prisms in subduction earthquake cycles: The theory of dynamic Coulomb wedge, J. geophys. Res., 111, B06410, doi: 10.1029/2005JB004094
60. Werner, R., Hoernle, K., Van Den Bogaard, P., Ranero, C.R. & von Huene, R., 1999. Drowned 14-m.y.-old Galapagos archipelago off the coast of Costa Rica: Implications for tectonic and evolutionary models, Geology, 27, 499-502.
61. Wessel, P. & Smith, W.H.F., 1991. Free software helps map and display data, EOS, Trans. Am. geophys. Un., 72, 445-446.
62. Ye, S., Bialas, J., Flueh, E.R., Stavenhagen, A., von Huene, R., Leandro, G. & Hinz, K., 1996. Crustal structure of the Middle American trench off Costa Rica from wide-angle seismic data, Tectonics, 15, 1006-1021.
63. Zelt, B.C., Taylor, B. & Goodliffe, A.M., 2001. 3-D Crustal velocity structure at the rift tip in the western Woodlark basin, Geophys. Res. Lett., 28(15), 3015-3018.
64. Zhang, J. & Toksöz, M.N., 1998. Nonlinear refraction traveltime tomography, Geophysics, 63, 1726-1773.